Chapter 2 – Risk Factors for Child Maltreatment

Test Items:

1. One risk factor for child maltreatment is large family size. According to the Ecological Systems Theory, this is a problem in the a. Microsystem b. Mesosystem c. Exosystem d. Macrosystem e. Chronosystem

Answer: A a. Microsystem b. Mesosystem c. Exosystem d. Macrosystem e. Chronosystem

2. Brad’s job is extremely demanding. As a result he is rarely at home while his son is awake. If this results in emotional neglect, which system in the Ecological Systems Theory led to the neglect?

Answer: E a. Microsystem b. Mesosystem c. Exosystem d. Macrosystem e. Chronosystem

3. Some child care advocates worry that the coronavirus pandemic of 2020 likely led to an increase in child maltreatment. If this was the case, which system in the Ecological Systems Theory led to the new maltreatment cases?

Answer: E

4. Females are more likely than males to be perpetrators of a. Sexual abuse b. Neglect c. All forms of abuse d. None of the above

Answer: B

5. Males are more likely than males to be perpetrators of a. Sexual abuse b. Neglect c. All forms of abuse d. None of the above

Answer: A

6. When state officials report which factors are most strongly linked to child maltreatment, they say: a. Family size and maternal depression b. Child factors and parental substance abuse c. Parental substance abuse and poverty d. Poverty and parental mental illness

Answer: C

7. Concern about maternal depression is heightened because a. it nearly always involves psychosis b. it is more common in females and in during prime child bearing ages c. it is extremely rare, so we know little about it d. it always leads to child maltreatment

Answer: B a. Young maternal age b. Low maternal educational level c. Lack of knowledge about child development d. All of the above are risk factors

8. Which of the following is not associated with increased risk for maltreatment?

Answer: D a. Nearly all children who are maltreated go on to maltreat their children b. Approximately 50% of children who are maltreated go on to maltreat their children c. A third or less of children who are maltreated go on to maltreat their children d. Almost no children who are maltreated go on to maltreat their children

9. Which of the following is true about the intergenerational transmission of abuse?

Answer: C

10. According to Ney (1989), the highest rate of intergenerational transmission is seen for a. Verbal Abuse b. Physical Abuse c. Physical Neglect d. Sexual Abuse

Answer: A

11. According to Ney (1989), the lowest rate of intergenerational transmission is seen for a. Verbal Abuse b. Physical Abuse c. Physical Neglect d. Sexual Abuse

Answer: C a. One who lives with her married, biological parents b. One who lives with a single parent c. One who lives with a single parent and their partner d. They would all be at approximately the same risk for maltreatment

12. Which of the following children would be at the greatest risk of being maltreated?

Answer: C a. An only child b. One of two children in the family c. One of three children in the family d. One of four or more children in the family

13. Which of the following children would be at the greatest risk of being maltreated?

Answer: D a. 10% b. 25% c. 40% d. 55%

14. Approximately of families with documented intimate partner violence also involved child maltreatment.

Answer: C

15. Poverty seems to be correlated with the greatest increase in the risk of a. Physical abuse b. Neglect c. Sexual abuse d. Poverty does not increase the risk for maltreatment

Answer: B a. Parents who are unemployed b. Parents who are employed c. Parents who are not in the work force d. Parental employment status is not a risk factor for child maltreatment

16. With regard to parental employment status, which group is associated with the highest risk for child maltreatment?

Answer: C a. Neglect b. Physical Abuse c. Sexual Abuse d. No forms of maltreatment showed a reduced risk

17. In research on military families, there seems to be a significantly reduced risk of as compared to civilian families?

Answer: A

True/False:

1. If a child lives in a poor environment and is being raised by a single parent, we know he will be maltreated.

Answer: False

2. If a child has a developmental delay, they are at an increased risk for child maltreatment.

Answer: True

3. A parent with a history of substance abuse who is now completely sober is at increased risk of maltreating their child.

Answer: True

4. Most people who maltreat their children can be diagnosed as having a psychological disorder.

Answer: False

5. Neglectful parents have less knowledge about children and child development than do non-neglectful parents.

Answer: True

6. The majority of maltreated children do not go on to maltreatment their children.

Answer: True

7. Children from low income families are more likely to be seriously injured by abuse than are children from families with higher incomes.

Answer: True

8. Female perpetrators are associated with fatal or near fatal abuse more often than are male perpetrators.

Answer: False

Short Answer Questions:

1. Why are young children at greater risk for child maltreatment than older children?

Answer: Young children are more dependent on caregivers, it is normative in our culture to use physical force against young children, they are more likely to be injured to do small size and lack of strength, and they have more difficulty regulating their emotions.

2. List 3 reasons that maltreated child may grow up to become an abusive parent.

Answer: 1. They are doing what they know; what they learned by observing their parent. 2. The maltreatment they suffered may have caused them to have problems with attachment or empathy or making social connections. 3. They are more likely to become substance abusers than are non-maltreated children and this increases risk for maltreatment

3. If you were investigating a possible case of child maltreatment list a child factor, a parental factor, a family factor and an extra-familial factor that would make you more concerned about the situation.

Answer: Many possible answers. For example: a child who was disabled, a parent who was depressed, a family with 4 or more children and a family that was socially isolated.

4. What might explain why maltreating families tend to be socially isolated?

Answer: The families may be more transient than other families; the maltreating family may be attempting to hide their behavior; others may avoid maltreating families because they are abusive; or maltreating mothers may only reach out to others who are facing similar struggles and who are not available to be supportive.

5. List 3 risk factors and 3 protective factors associated with military families.

Answer: For protective factors, any 3 of these:

- Military personnel are screened for history of mental illness

- Military personnel are screened for criminal history

- Low rate of illegal drug use in military

- At least one parent is employed

- Minimum education requirement must be met

- Have health care

- Have access to support programs

For risk factors, any 3 of these:

- Young parents

- Young children

- More parents with a history of child maltreatment

- Increased rates of alcohol abuse

- Increased rates of criminal domestic violence

- Isolation

- Reduced access to Child Protective Services if stationed outside of the U.S.

- Deployment

Video Suggestions:

1. Bastard out of Carolina is a 101 minute movie that follows the life of an illegitimate child, Ruth Ann, growing up in the 1950s in South Carolina. Ruth Ann, nicknamed “Bone” is the victim of severe physical and sexual abuse. As students watch the film, encourage them to note what risk factors were present in Ruth Ann’s life. Child factors, parental factors, family factors, and community factors are all evident.

WARNING: This film contains graphic scenes of physical abuse and sexual abuse including the violent rape of a young girl. It is rated R.

Bastard Out of Carolina (1996). Produced by Showtime Networks. Directed by Anjelica Houston. Based on the semi-autobiographical novel of the same name by Dorothy Allison. ISBN 1-57252-680-7

2. This short video (1:12 minutes) is available on youtube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQnRQgGYyic

It is an anti-violence and substance abuse ad. It won first prize for the Cammi Awards sponsored by Weber Human Services. It was uploaded November 27, 2009.

3. The Child Abuse Prevention Center in California produced this 6:56 minute video clip entitled Inspire. The video was uploaded March 22, 2011 and can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9yf2LSeXQI. The video focuses on addressing risk factors through education and community intervention. This video could also be used when covering prevention.

4. This public service announcement is available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5veGr2J57rs. The title is Drug Addicted Parents and Child Abuse. The video is 2:22 minutes and gives an emotional account of parental substance abuse from the point of view of a male, teenager.

5. This ABC news clip covers the case of two women (a mother and grandmother) charged with neglect of 2-year-old twins and sentenced to 5 years in prison. The women’s claims of lack of knowledge and mental illness did not sway the judge to be lenient. The 2:30 minute clip was uploaded on April 27, 2011 and can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heG8Drb30fY.

6. This Medscape clip features Arthur L. Caplan, Ph.D. of the NYU School of Medicine. His short talk (3:52 minutes) focuses on medical ethics in response to a study in New Zealand that measured risk factors for maltreatment. Dr. Caplan argues that creating predictive formulas raises a host of moral questions about issues of privacy, and whether forecasting is appropriate if it is not tied directly to prevention. This clip was uploaded on March 23, 2018. https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/893821

7. An in depth look at domestic violence and child abuse in the military is presented in this podcast sponsored by C-SPAN. The podcast runs 1:51:51. A panel of survivors and advocates discuss their experiences and make recommendations. Then, a panel of clinical professionals and a Defense Department official discuss the issues and make recommendations. The podcast was uploaded on March 8, 2018 and can be found at https://www.c-span.org/video/?442268-1/hearingfocuses-domestic-violence-child-abuse-military

Discussion Topics:

1. Have your students watch an episode of a reality television show that involves parents/parenting. Have them identify risk factors and protective factors that are evident in the child’s environment.

2. For each potential risk factor, discuss how easy or challenging it would be for a social worker to notice or measure it. Are there factors that are more or less likely to be misinterpreted by a social worker?

3. How might we convince parents who face many risk factors to accept help or intervention before they maltreat their child(ren)?

4. Instruct students to find a case of child maltreatment that was covered in the news. What risk factors were evident in the child’s life?