NCJ Number
58590
Date Published
1979
Length
142 pages
Annotation
THIS STUDY CONDUCTED BETWEEN 1975 AND 1977 WAS DESIGNED TO DISCOVER OPERATIVE FACTORS OR PERVASIVE INFLUENCES THAT RESULT IN PERMANENT DISCONTINUATION OF ABUSE OR NEGLECT OR IN RECIDIVISM FOR ABUSING PARENTS.
Abstract
THE RESEARCH PROJECT, FUNDED BY THE NATIONAL CENTER ON CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT, INVOLVED INTERVIEWS WITH 171 FAMILIES WHO WERE REPORTED FOR ABUSE OR NEGLECT TO PROTECTIVE SERVICE DEPARTMENTS IN NEW YORK, OHIO, MINNESOTA, COLORADO, AND TENNESSEE BETWEEN 1972 AND 1973. RECORDS OF THESE FAMILIES WERE REVIEWED ALSO. THE FAMILIES STUDIED WERE PREDOMINANTLY FEMALE-HEADED, SINGLE-PARENT FAMILIES WITH AN AVERAGE OF THREE CHILDREN. THE TYPICAL MOTHER STARTED CHILDBEARING AT 19 AND WAS 30 YEARS OLD AT THE TIME OF THE STUDY. FAMILIES USUALLY WERE LIVING AT THE POVERTY LEVEL, DEPENDENT EITHER ON LIMITED EARNINGS OR ON PUBLIC FUNDS. THEIR RECENT HISTORIES WERE CHARACTERIZED BY MANY FORMS OF STRESS, PARTICULARLY MARITAL, AND THEIR DIFFICULTIES WERE BY NO MEANS LIMITED TO CHILDREARING. CHRONIC PATHOLOGY, SUCH AS ALCOHOLISM OR SEVERE DEPRESSION, WAS COMMON IN THE FAMILIES. THEY TEND TO BE ISOLATED, USUALLY HAVE MIXED PARENTAL ATTITUDES TOWARD CHILDREARING, AND TEND TO VALUE PHYSICAL CARE OF THE CHILD OVER EMOTIONAL CARE. MOST OF THE FAMILIES HAD ONE CASEWORKER DURING THEIR ACTIVE CASE PERIOD, USUALLY A FEMALE ABOUT 35 YEARS OLD OR UNDER, AND WITH LIMITED EXPERIENCE. FAMILIES WERE OFFERED A WIDE RANGE OF CONVENTIONAL SOCIAL SERVICES, BUT MAINLY USED PLACEMENT IN A FOSTER CARE SETTING OR RESIDED WITH RELATIVES FOR 12 MONTHS, USED MEDICAL CARE SERVICES, AND ACCEPTED FINANCIAL AID AND HOUSING. VARIOUS TYPES OF COUNSELING, PARENT GROUPS, MENTAL HYGIENE AND HOMEMAKER SERVICES WERE REFUSED FOR THE MOST PART. THE MOST USEFUL MEASURE OF 'DISCONTINUATION OF ABUSIVE OR NEGLECTFUL BEHAVIOR' WAS AN INDEX OF IMPROVEMENT CONSISTING OF A SERIES OF RESEARCH STAFF JUDGMENTS DESCRIBING THE FAMILIES AND THE SERVICE SYSTEM IN WHICH THEY WERE INVOLVED. SIGNIFICANT VARIABLES IN DISCONTINUATION WERE MOTHER'S AGE, HOUSEKEEPING ABILITY, NONAUTHORITARIAN ATTITUDE, A RELATIVELY LONG PERIOD OF AGENCY ACTIVITY, AND A MODERATE NUMBER OF SERVICES. IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH AND POLICY AND THE IMPORTANCE OF LONGITUDINAL RESEARCH IN THIS AREA ARE DISCUSSED. STUDY DATA AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (DAG)