The Nigeria chapter of the African Network for the Prevention and Protection Against Child Abuse and Neglect conducted a nationwide study to acquire an overview of the nature and extent of child abuse and neglect in Nigeria. The 3-part study assessed the density of children working on the streets and the attitudes of adults and children related to child abuse and neglect. Counts of working st...

BACKGROUND Childhood maltreatment (abuse and neglect) can have long-term deleterious consequences, including increased risk for medical and psychiatric illnesses, such as bipolar disorder in adulthood. Emerging evidence suggests that a history of childhood maltreatment is linked to the comorbidity between medical illnesses and mood disorders. However, existing studies on bipolar disorder have n...

BACKGROUND A variety of definitions of child abuse and neglect exist. However, little is known about norms in the general population as to what constitutes child abuse and neglect or how perceived norms may be related to personal experiences. METHODS We conducted a random-digit-dialed telephone survey of 504 Washington State adults. Respondents were asked whether they believed each of 34 beha...

BACKGROUND: Children are dependent on parents/care givers for the quality of health care services received and in developing countries, where they are not protected against child abuse; many die as a result of denial of appropriate treatment. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the causes, spectrum and effects of abuse/neglect on surgical children. METHODS: Analysis of cases...

This article describes the methodology of the first Canada-wide study of the incidence and characteristics of reported child abuse and neglect. Child welfare investigators from a random sample of 51 child welfare service areas completed a three-page survey form describing the results of 7,672 child maltreatment reports received during the months of October to December 1998. The study documented...

The study ofchild maltreatment has grown exponentially in the years since the identification ofthe "battered child syndrome" (Kempe, Silverman, and Steele, 1962). In that time the area has experienced many of the conflicts and missteps to be expected in an emerging field. Underlying these problems is the lack ofa single, comprehensive theoretical approach to child maltreat­ ment (Newberger, New...

OBJECTIVES We explored whether breastfeeding was protective against maternally perpetrated child maltreatment. METHODS A total of 7223 Australian mother-infant pairs were monitored prospectively over 15 years. In 6621 (91.7%) cases, the duration of breastfeeding was analyzed with respect to child maltreatment (including neglect, physical abuse, and emotional abuse), on the basis of substantia...

Maternal depression has been found to be a risk factor in the development of child psychopathology (Burke, 2003) and more specifically, in the development of child externalizing disorders (Brennan et al., 2000; Hay et al., 2003; Kim-Cohen et al., 2005). The relation between maternal depression and poor parenting has also been identified in a number of contexts (Lovejoy et al., 2000; Shay & Knut...

Neglect is the most common form of maltreatment in the United States, yet its impact on development remains understudied, especially for chronic neglect. Chronic neglect is also one of the most costly burdens on child welfare systems. This study examines the effects of chronic neglect, including two subtypes (Failure to Provide and Lack of Supervision) on adolescent aggression and delinquency u...

Introduction Preventing child abuse and neglect spares children physical and psychological pain and improves their long-term health outcomes. Dubowitz (2002) noted that prevention “is intuitively and morally preferable to intervening after the fact.” Therefore, the potential for harm to adults from child maltreatment calls us to action. Early intervention may be more effective in preventing abu...