Citation

Dubowitz H, Pitts SC, Black MM. Child Maltreat. 2004; 9(4): 344-356.

Affiliation

University of Maryland, Baltimore, USA. hdubowitz@peds.umaryland.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 2004, American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1077559504269191

PMID

15538034

Abstract

This study examines the relationships among three major subtypes of neglect (physical, psychological, and environmental), a summary measure of neglect, and neglect as defined by Child Protective Services (CPS). The predictive validity of the subtypes of neglect assessed when children were 5 years of age was examined using children's behavior at age 6. Study findings include modest to moderate correlations among the neglect subtypes, CPS neglect, and children's behavior. After controlling for CPS neglect, the subtypes remained predictive of children's behavior. The set of three subtypes was more strongly related to children's behavior, particularly maternal report of internalizing problems, than was the summary neglect measure. These findings suggest that considering the subtypes of neglect may enhance our understanding of neglect and lead to interventions tailored to families' specific needs.

Language: en