NCJ Number
234010
Journal
Child Abuse & Neglect Volume: 34 Issue: 12 Dated: December 2010 Pages: 907-916
Date Published
December 2010
Length
10 pages
Annotation
This study examined the impact of alleged early childhood maltreatment (before age 4) on the developmental patterns of the following behaviors through age 10: anxiety/depression, aggression, and attention problems.
Abstract
The study found that early alleged maltreatment of the children in this study (n=242) significantly predicted the development of two forms of behavioral problems: anxiety/depression and attention problems. For both of these behaviors, early alleged maltreatment was linked with significantly steeper increases in the behavioral problems over time. Alleged maltreatment had no significant effect on the development of aggressive behavior. The study concludes that alleged maltreatment is not simply associated with negative behavioral outcomes at particular points in time, but rather with a persistent pattern of behavioral dysfunction. Thus, children who are alleged to be maltreated could benefit from ongoing assessments, with quality behavior heath services being provided if needed. The study involved 242 children and their primary caregivers, who were assessed as part of a longitudinal study. A total of 154 of these children had an early history of alleged maltreatment; 88 did not. These two groups of children were compared. The children's behaviors were assessed at ages 4, 6, 8, and 10 using the Child Behavior Checklist. Growth modeling was used in assessing the association between early alleged maltreatment and subsequent behavioral outcomes. 3 tables, 1 figure, and 39 references