Research and Practices in Child Maltreatment Prevention, Volume 1: Definitions of Abuse and Prevention

4 Stars ***** from Doody’s
This book is well written by experts who discuss the different types of abuse, risk and protective factors, as well as prevention methods. It will appeal to professionals and researchers working with children and families.
An introduction to the etiology of child maltreatment that considers both risk and protective factors begins the book. It also provides CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) definitions of child abuse, including physical abuse, abusive head trauma, sexual abuse, psychological abuse, neglect, failure to provide, and failure to supervise. The book notes the myriad of social and economic determinants of child maltreatment, remarking that research has shown that although the rates of child maltreatment have decreased since 1993, they still remain high, and the economic impact of this public health crisis is staggering. Section II discusses developing a science of prevention, noting that the decision-making process must consider information from different sources in order to implement the best child maltreatment prevention interventions. An important question is how costly these programs are and how they can be developed in various settings. Section III focuses on preventing abuse, with important information about how to distinguish between corporal punishment and physical abuse, while acknowledging the difficulty of preventing physical abuse. However, research has shown that sexual abuse has decreased in the past two decades, which may be due to prevention efforts. The book discusses how modeling is a good approach to child maltreatment prevention. Community violence exposure is prevalent across the United States but the key is to identify known aggressive children. The book ends with a discussion of where the field of child abuse prevention is going, which notes that prevention must be targeted at different level and cultural norms must change.

Child abuse and neglect are preventable public health issues. Research and Practices in Child Maltreatment Prevention, Volume 1: Definitions of Abuse and Prevention outlines the remarkable progress that has been made over the last several decades in understanding how to prevent child abuse and neglect. Leading researchers in the field provide information on the different types of abuse and neglect, prevention programs and their effectiveness, and other nonprogrammatic approaches to child abuse and neglect prevention.

In particular, Chapter 14, “Nonprogrammatic approaches to Child Maltreatment Prevention” highlights a deliberate shift toward enhancing protective factors at all levels of the social ecology, including the community and societal levels, with a specific focus on changing norms, changing the narrative of the critical importance of early childhood, and assuring the conditions that support safety, security, and nurturance. This chapter reinforces the idea that a broad public health impact on child abuse and neglect prevention will likely require a comprehensive focus that includes attention to social norms, policy, and systems approaches, in addition to individual- and relationship-focused programs.

This text is an important resource for all child abuse and neglect prevention professionals. It will be an excellent resource for those new to prevention and for the seasoned professional who needs an update on the latest research across the different varieties of abuse and neglect.

Research and Practices in Child Maltreatment Prevention, Volume 1: Definitions of Abuse and Prevention will fill a void in the library of any professional concerned with child welfare. The authors offer a dynamic perspective on the issue, taking into account changes in culture, public policy, the economy, technology, and other issues affecting children and families. So doing, they define the impact these changes can have on parenting, child safety, and service delivery systems. The multidisciplinary nature of child welfare professions is evident in the credentials of the contributing authors and the various conceptual frameworks utilized in defining and analyzing information about various types of maltreatment. Practitioners from any allied profession will find practical resources in this volume. From syntheses of critical research on preventing different types of child maltreatment to calls to action to researchers, practitioners, and policymakers, this volume has the potential to define the agenda and elevate education and practice in maltreatment prevention.

As the first major textbook dedicated exclusively to research on the prevention of child maltreatment, Research and Practices in Child Maltreatment Prevention, Volume 1, provides a multidimensional, state-of-the-art perspective from leading experts in the field. This book is highly relevant to professionals from a broad array of disciplines who are committed to preventing various forms of child maltreatment. Chapters cover such critical areas as social determinants of child maltreatment, the role of the CDC in child maltreatment prevention, research designs in prevention, and expanding definitions of evidence in child maltreatment prevention. A particularly interesting chapter addresses nonprogrammatic approaches to child maltreatment prevention. It includes a comprehensive discussion of prevention interventions that go beyond the customary “one-to-one” approaches (eg, home visitation, parenting classes) and provides examples of creative macro-level prevention approaches.

This book is highly recommended for all professionals who work with children and for policymakers concerned with child welfare. Readers will find this book an invaluable resource that expands visions and perspectives on child maltreatment prevention.