Annotated Bibliography on Child Maltreatment

Moylan, C. A., Herrenkohl, T. I., Sousa, C., Tajima, E. A., Herrenkohl, R. C., & Russo, M. J. (2010). The Effects of Child Abuse and Exposure to Domestic Violence on Adolescent Internalizing and Externalizing Behavior Problems. Journal of Family Violence, 25(1), 5363. http://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-009-9269-9.

This research seeks to determine the externalizing and internalizing behaviors of children who have been exposed to either child maltreatment or domestic violence or both. This study makes use of the Lehigh Longitudinal Study. A sample size was made of 457 individuals who had experienced violence or abuse at home. The researchers compare the sample group with a control group. They note that both domestic violence and child abuse increase the internalizing and externalizing behaviors of children. However, those exposed to both factors have greater levels of increase in internalizing and externalizing behaviors. This research is comparable to Normal et al. (2012) and Olafson (2010), but it examines the direction of the outcome of abuse rather than the results. This is relevant in developing treatment approaches for child victims and understanding how children react to maltreatment. It also shows that an increase in exposure to violence has a corresponding negative effect on childrens behavior. While this research is insightful, it does not rely on a more recent data pool.

Norman, R., Byambaa, M., De, R., Butchart, A., Scott, J., & Vos, T. (2012). The long-term health consequences of child physical abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Plos Medicine, 9(11). http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1001349.

These scholars from the University of Queensland in Australia, as well as affiliated institutions, sought to determine the long-term effects of non-sexual abuse on children. The study makes use of a systematic review of existing research from various journal databases. The investigation finds that numerous research shows that non-sexual maltreatment has a correlation with depressive disorders such as drug abuse and suicide attempts. This research is important in illustrating that all types of sexual assault have effects on the mental functioning of children. This study complements the work of Livny and Katz (2016) which examines the impacts of sexual assault on minors. The use of a systematic review approach, as well as meta-analysis, allows the investigators to bring together a broad range of information from many sources. This gives the articles findings significant authority. Even though most of the studies cited make use of cross-sectional or case study approaches, few support this studys assumption through the use of longitudinal research.

Olafson, E. (2011). Child sexual abuse: demography, impact, and interventions. Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma, 4. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19361521.2011.545811.

In this article, Olafson makes use of a systematic review of various pieces of literature to take a holistic look at the issue of sexual abuse in children. The main aim of the study is to describe the risk populations, the impacts of sexual abuse, and to offer evidence-based interventions. According to the investigator, sexual abuse is in most scenarios perpetrated by a male individual who is close to the victim. Also, the researcher finds that most children exposed to sexual abuse suffer from depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorders. Moreover, they are likely to misuse drugs in future. This study is useful in the study of child abuse because it offers a broad range of information on child abuse. It also provides evidence-based strategies to combat the vice. These include the use of school-based programs for self-defense and reporting, home visits from social workers, and the use of sex offender databases. The use of evidence-based interventions makes this study valuable since it offers proven techniques rather than providing theoretical or potential solutions. Furthermore, it complements the 2012 work of Norman et al.

Schnitzer, P. G., Gulino, S. P., & Yuan, Y. Y. (2013). Advancing public health surveillance to estimate child maltreatment fatalities: Review and recommendations. Child Welfare, 92(2), 7798.

This investigation looks at the number of child fatalities that are caused by acts of abuse as well as to identify loopholes within current reporting techniques. It uses a meta-analysis approach to collect data from multiple as sources that keep track of child mortality rates. The findings of the scholars show that up to 90 percent of all childrens deaths are as a result of maltreatment. This leads the investigators to recommend for changes in infant mortality definitions, increased surveillance, and proper review of child mortality. The data used by researchers does not provide a breakdown of the various causes of death and to some extent is incomplete due to the lack of proper death classification. Moreover, it lacks adequate statistical description. However, the use of a meta-analysis approach collates statistical data from multiple sources to give it depth. This study has implications on the type of data used to report on abuse-related deaths.

Thornberry, T. P., Matsuda, M., Greenman, S. J., Augustyn, M. B., Henry, K. L., Smith, C. A., & Ireland, T. O. (2014). Adolescent risk factors for child maltreatment. Child Abuse & Neglect, 38(4), 706722. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2013.08.009.

This research paper examines the various risk factors that affect children during different stages of adolescence with the aim of determining whether these factors will lead to child abuse in future. The researchers hold the assumption that by examining the relevant elements that influence people to become child abusers in future, they can use the resultant information to develop preventative measures. A longitudinal study is used on a sample group of 1000 children based on data from the Rochester Youth Development Study. The results of the investigation show that children who come from structurally disadvantaged homes are likely to be child abusers. Other factors such as education, domestic violence, and antisocial tendencies can be markers for future child maltreatment. These factors have a greater influence on children who are in their early adolescence. This research makes use of a substantial sample size, and the longitudinal design allows them to track changes over time, unlike cross-section models. This research is useful in developing anti-child maltreatment programs.

References

Daley, D., Bachmann, M., Bachmann, B., Pedigo, C., Bui, M., and Coffman, J. (2016). Risk terrain modeling predicts child maltreatment. Child Abuse & Neglect, 62, p29-38. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2016.09.014.

Fang, X., Brown, D., Florence, C., & Mercy, J. (2012). The economic burden of child maltreatment in the United States and implications for prevention. Child Abuse & Neglect, 36(2), 156-165.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2011.10.006Livny, K. and Katz, C. (2016). Schools, families, and the prevention of child maltreatment: lessons that can be learned from a literature review. Trauma, Violence, and Abuse, 1. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1524838016650186.

Moylan, C. A., Herrenkohl, T. I., Sousa, C., Tajima, E. A., Herrenkohl, R. C., & Russo, M. J. (2010). The Effects of Child Abuse and Exposure to Domestic Violence on Adolescent Int...