NCJ Number
156882
Journal
Child Abuse and Neglect Volume: 19 Issue: 9 Dated: (September 1995) Pages: 1095-1113
Date Published
1995
Length
19 pages
Annotation
Five scenarios of child abuse were used to study the recognition and reporting of child abuse in a sample of 664 teachers, counselors, school psychologists, principals, and school district superintendents in Kansas.
Abstract
Results revealed that the reporting tendency varied by the type of abuse described, forming a three-level hierarchy, and that the reporting tendency and the reporting rate were unrelated to the gender of the victim or the study participant. In addition, the reporting tendency was unrelated to the educator's professional, although certain types of abuse were suspected or reported significantly less often by classroom teachers. Moreover, for each scenario, a linear composite of decisional items differentiated reporters from nonreporters with 75 percent to 84 percent accuracy. Most important in distinguishing reporters from nonreporters were issues involving quality of suspicion and the respondent's belief that schools should be a first line of defense against child abuse and neglect. Educators were uniform in their high level of awareness of mandatory reporting laws. The preparedness to detect child abuse differed by profession, but most educators desired additional training. Tables, figure, and 27 references