When forensic interviewers reject children's "Don't know" responses, either by repeating questions or pressuring the children to provide different responses, children may change their subsequent responses. The primary objective of the current study was to examine interviewer reactions following preschool-aged alleged abuse victims'…

The purpose of this study was to examine the association between early exposure to family violence, including domestic violence and child maltreatment, and later involvement in bullying perpetration and peer victimization, as well as the moderating role of school connectedness in this relationship. I conducted a secondary data analysis using data…

Young children, especially those with disabilities, are disproportionately affected by abuse, neglect, and trauma. For the first time, the Division for Early Childhood (DEC) is providing guidance on how the field can prevent and reduce instances of maltreatment as well as how to intervene to support young children with disabilities and their…

Young children birth through five years old in the United States are more likely to experience child maltreatment, subsequent child welfare system (CWS) involvement, negative developmental outcomes, and serious maltreatment-related injuries and death than older children. This research-to-practice brief provides a model for how early care and…

The Safe Start demonstration projects, funded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) under the first phase of the Safe Start initiative, are primarily designed to influence change at the systems or macrolevels to reduce the incidence of and impact of exposure to violence for children aged birth to 6 years; direct…

Research examining childhood abuse has shown an association between victimization and psychiatric diagnoses (e.g., posttraumatic stress disorder, depression). Historically, psychiatric diagnoses have been emphasized as a consequence of victimization, with less research examining if it also functions as a risk factor for further victimization,…

This updated review of the literature on Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy (MBSP) analyzes 451 cases from 154 medical and psychosocial journal articles. Typical victims were usually 4 years of age or under; 6% were dead, and 7.3% suffered long-term or permanent injury. Twenty-five percent of siblings were dead. Mothers were perpetrators in 76.5% of…

Defines some general principles in conducting a social work interview with young children who are thought to have been sexually abused. Suggests that the most effective interviewing tools are anatomically correct dolls. Presents two case examples of interviewers using the dolls. (Author/ABB)

Objective: This study examined the backgrounds of fathers who fatally abuse their children and the contexts within which these homicides occur. The type of relationship between victim, perpetrator, and the victim's mother was a particular interest. Methods: Data were gathered from 26 cases of fatal child abuse perpetrated by fathers derived from…

Analysis of data from the clinical records of 100 sexually abused boys and girls, ages 3-7 years, identified five variables predictive of sexual behavior problems, including sexual arousal of the child during the abuse, perpetrator's use of sadism, a history of physical and emotional abuse, and who the child blames for the abuse. (DB)

Provides information on child abuse and how early childhood educators can help parents and their children in overcoming the trauma. Recommends two children's books on child abuse and provides a list of useful resources. (MOK)

Describes ways young children disclose to their teachers that they have been sexually abused. Provides guidance for teachers on appropriate ways to respond in order to decrease children's trauma, including: remaining calm and reassuring, speaking on the child's level, not using words the child has not already used, and obtaining only the…

When one mother was asked how often she worried about her child's safety, she replied, "Every time she goes out the door." Many parents rely on school abuse prevention programs to teach kids how to stay safe. But what if these programs actually increase the risk of sex crimes that target kids? What happens if parental efforts to safeguard kids…

Although child abduction is a low-rate event, it presents a serious threat to the safety of children. The victims of child abduction face the threat of physical and emotional injury, sexual abuse, and death. Previous research has shown that behavioral skills training (BST) is effective in teaching children abduction-prevention skills, although not…

Medical evaluation of 316 children, mean age 6 years, found 39 perpetrators of sexual abuse were less than 16 years old and 15 were between 16 and 19. Young aggressors were more likely to abuse older female children. Adolescent aggressors appeared to engage in more genital/genital and genital/anal sexual abuse than older aggressors. (Author/DB)