Munchausen syndrome by proxy: covert child abuse

Munchausen syndrome by proxy (a form of child abuse in which a disorder of the child is fabricated by a parent) has received considerable attention in the medical literature, but reports usually focus on descriptions of the medical aspects of the often bizarre patterns of parent-child behaviors that...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of family violence 1988-06, Vol.3 (2), p.131-140
Main Authors: MANTHEI, D. J, PIERCE, R. L, ROTHBAUM, R. J, MANTHEI, U, KEATING, J. P
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological and medical sciences
Child Abuse
Illness
Medical sciences
Parent Child Relations
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Victimology
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Summary:Munchausen syndrome by proxy (a form of child abuse in which a disorder of the child is fabricated by a parent) has received considerable attention in the medical literature, but reports usually focus on descriptions of the medical aspects of the often bizarre patterns of parent-child behaviors that characterize the syndrome. Despite the destructiveness of these behaviors, few attempts have been made to examine the syndrome from the perspective of a variant form of child maltreatment. In light of this, an attempt is made here to: (1) define & briefly summarize the history of the syndrome; & (2) review the literature, focusing particular attention on the definition of the syndrome. Case studies of the syndrome are provided to pinpoint its relationship to child abuse, & methods of intervention are suggested. 27 References. AA
ISSN:0885-7482
1573-2851
DOI:10.1007/BF00994030