Objective: A package of parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT) combined with a self-motivational (SM) orientation previously was found in a laboratory trial to reduce child abuse recidivism compared with services as usual (SAU). Objectives of the present study were to test effectiveness in a field agency rather than in a laboratory setting and to…

Objective: Parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT) has been found to reduce future child abuse reports among physically abusive parents. Reductions in observed negative parenting behaviors mediated this benefit. The current study examined session-by-session interaction sequences in order to identify when during treatment these changes occur and…

Describes the development of an instrument designed to measure abuse characteristics and severity. The first study surveys professionals to determine rankings for abuse severity; the second examines interrater reliability; and the third study evaluates construct validity. Findings suggest that the instrument's scales can be reliably coded from…

Reports on girls (n=5) who had been sexually abused but had failed to disclose any sexual contact in a sexual-abuse disclosure interview (false negatives). Results indicate that false negative children had significantly higher levels of dissociative symptoms when compared to "true positive" abused children and non-abused children. (RJM)

Coping strategies used by 84 sexually abused children ages 7-12 were evaluated along with related symptoms and factors. Avoidance behavior was associated with fewer behavioral problems but greater sexual anxiety. Internalization was associated with increased guilt, and active/social coping was associated with no symptoms or benefits. Expressive…

Thirty-six father-daughter/stepdaughter sexual abusers were followed over the course of a two-year outpatient treatment program. Results supported the importance of pretreatment personality assessment and suggested that involvement of the criminal justice system does not interfere with, and may help, therapeutic progress. (Author/DB)

Participants of family preservation and family support programs (n=1601) were followed over time for future child maltreatment events. A total of 198 had at least one defined failure event over 1.6 years. Program designed to help families meet basic needs and programs using mentoring approaches were more effective. (Contains references.)…

Data from the National Institute for Mental Health's Epidemiologic Catchment Areas Survey followed 7,103 parents who denied physical abuse/neglect of their children in Wave I but admitted it in Wave II, 1 year later. Social and demographic variables were limited predictors of maltreatment, while substance abuse disorders and depression were…

A randomized trial was conducted to test the efficacy and sufficiency of parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT) in preventing re-reports of physical abuse among abusive parents. Physically abusive parents (N=110) were randomly assigned to one of three intervention conditions: (a) PCIT, (b) PCIT plus individualized enhanced services, or (c) a…

Studied verbal disclosure of abuse in a sample of 28 children who presented with purely physical complaints later diagnosed as a sexually transmitted disease. Only 43 percent gave any verbal confirmation of sexual contact. Disclosure was strongly associated with the attitude taken by the child's caretaker toward the possibility of abuse. (RJM)

Problem: After the Soviet Union dissolved in 1989, it became apparent that there was little recognition of the problems of child abuse and neglect, professionally, legally, or societally. There were no effective systems or laws in place to deal with these problems. Method: Beginning in 1995 the Children's Mental Health Alliance, in conjunction…