NCJ Number
200694
Journal
Family Violence Volume: 18 Issue: 1 Dated: February 2003 Pages: 1-4
Date Published
February 2003
Length
4 pages
Annotation
After describing LONGSCAN (Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect) Consortium -- a coordinating center and five independent prospective longitudinal studies designed to examine the long-term consequences of child abuse and neglect -- this article summarizes the five papers in this issue of "Family Violence," which focus on LONGSCAN findings regarding the relationship between child maltreatment, domestic violence, and their impact on developing children.
Abstract
The LONGSCAN Consortium, which is sponsored by the U.S. Office of Child Abuse and Neglect, is using a longitudinal cohort design that began with the recruitment of children at 4 years old or younger. Following initial recruitment, the five studies conduct assessments at regularly scheduled intervals (ages 4, 6, 8, 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20 years) using extensive face-to-face interviews with the caregivers and the children. The combination of samples and careful attention to measurement, training, and data management provides a unique opportunity to examine the relationship between maltreatment, domestic violence, and their impact on developing children. The series of five papers in this issue of "Family Violence" includes one pooled analysis and four site-specific investigations that examine the epidemiology of domestic violence and its co-occurrence with child maltreatment; the impact of domestic violence and child maltreatment on the development of behavioral problems in children at ages 6 and 8; and potential pathways between domestic violence and child maltreatment and child behavioral outcomes. As a whole, the papers argue for more attention to the issue of domestic violence by child advocates and attention to maternal mental health. 11 references