This research aims to examine the child-rearing experiences and attitudes toward the violence of mothers who witnessed or experienced violence in their childhood and those who have not. The research is conducted over a study group of 30 mothers whose 5- to 6-year-old children are attending kindergarten. The data have been collected using the…

This paper addresses moderate- to long-term psychological effects of child abuse. It begins by discussing characteristics of effective and ineffective parenting to provide a background of potential contributors to child abuse within the family system. Belsky's (1984) developmental model of determinants of parenting behavior is explained and his…

Despite the recognized importance of contextual factors influencing the perception of child abuse, investigators have often neglected the study of factors such as the gender of the parent, the child, or the observer in determining which parental behaviors will be considered abusive. To assess the role of gender in perceptions of abuse, college…

Originally prepared for the opening address of a seminar on child abuse and neglect held in Sydney on September 24, 1980, the aim of this discussion paper is to give a very brief picture of the conditions and life patterns of children from the Middle Ages into the twentieth century. The focus of the historical review is mainly on British children…

Data reported are part of a larger study investigating the antecedents of abuse and, more generally, parent-child interaction. Various personality and attitudinal variables were assessed prenatally and 3 months after the birth of the first child of 267 high-risk mothers. Four consistent factors emerged, two relating to personality variables, one…

This paper considers cross-cultural definitional issues and research directions in the area of child maltreatment. Vulnerable categories of children and circumstances in which children are at greater risk of maltreatment are identified. The embeddedness of child rearing in social networks and the impact of rapid change are discussed. (JDD)

Two studies that relate to the intergenerational transmission of child discipline practices and techniques are described. The first study attempted to demonstrate that such transmission actually occurs. A sample of 32 Canadian middle-class mothers of 3- to 5-year-olds, and the mothers of these mothers, were asked to rate the frequency with which…

Extending an earlier analysis by Giovannoni and Becerra (1979) that compared attitudes of Blacks, Hispanics, and Whites toward child abuse and neglect, this discussion provides an in-depth analysis of responses by Black parents. Vignettes describing situations of potential risk to children were rated by 129 Black respondents. The vignettes…

The thesis underlying this paper is that maltreatment of children is fundamentally a socio-cultural problem, rather than a personal one. The use of an ecological model of human development is advocated to provide insight into the dynamics of child maltreatment, with emphasis on organism-environment interaction, social policy and second-order…

A behavioral intervention program for child abusers was evaluated using multiple outcome criteria. Families were assigned to treatment (N=8) and control (N=8) on a first-come basis. All families were supervised by protective services and none had requested help voluntarily. A treatment program involving group parent training in the clinic and…

This paper discusses the issues involved in achieving a balance between a child's rights to protection and adequate care and a family's rights to privacy and autonomy. The paper advocates a shift from the current norm of privacy concerning parents' child rearing practices towards increased openness and freer community-family communication. In view…

This critical review of literature on punishment practices and child rearing examines the question of children's rights in the context of parent practices, values and prerogatives. Society regards the family unit as a sacrosanct system open to inspection and intervention only when there is tangible evidence of physical child abuse. The recent…

Standard procedures for teaching child management skills to parents may be inadequate for disadvantaged populations. The Parent/Child Early Education Program was developed to serve parents at risk of child abuse. Parent and child variables were measured at pretest in 41 families referred to this program. A profile of the families revealed that, in…

This study evaluates the impact of the Parent Linking Project III (PLP III) on its participants. The PLP III is a comprehensive program for teenage mothers which offers workshops in parenting, mother-child interaction, and vocational awareness, and provides day care services that allow teen mothers to take the opportunity to complete their high…

Members of a group of hospitalized children under 4 years of age (48 under care for child abuse, 97 for accidents, 41 for failure to thrive, and 23 for ingestions) were matched individually on age, social class, and race with controls suffering from comparable acute medical conditions. A structured maternal and paternal interview yielded 63…