Defining child neglect based on child protective services data

• Published in: Child abuse & neglect 2005-05, Vol.29 (5), p.493-511
• Main Authors: Dubowitz, Howard, Pitts, Steven C., Litrownik, Alan J., Cox, Christine E., Runyan, Desmond, Black, Maureen M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Behavior Problems; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child Abuse; Child abuse & neglect; Child Abuse - classification; Child Behavior; Child Neglect; Child protection; Child protective services; Child Welfare - statistics & numerical data; Child Welfare Services; Child, Preschool; Classification; Comparative analysis; Daily Living Skills; Data; Definition; Definitions; Documentation; Female; Health Services Needs and Demand; Humans; Hygiene; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Measures; Medical sciences; Operational Definitions; Organizations (Groups); Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Social Behavior; Social services; Socialization; United States; Validation; Validity; Victimology; Well Being
• ISSN: 0145-2134; 1873-7757
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2003.09.024

To compare neglect defined by Child Protective Services official codes with neglect defined by a review of CPS narrative data, and to examine the validity of the different neglect measures using children's functioning at age 8 years. Data are from 740 children participating in a consortium of longitudinal studies on child abuse and neglect; 481 had at least one CPS report prior to age 8. CPS records were reviewed to ascertain both broad CPS types of neglect as well as specific subtypes of neglect using a modified version of the Maltreatment Classification System (MMCS). Frequencies of, and correlations among, the types and subtypes of neglect were examined. The validity of the neglect measures was evaluated by examining their relationships with children's functioning at age 8. The CPS neglect types and MMCS subtypes were moderately correlated, as were the MMCS subtypes of neglect. In general, neglect was only modestly associated with children's functioning at age 8 ( r 2 = 1–4%), with few differences between the CPS neglect types and the MMCS subtypes. There were significant associations with children's total and externalizing behavior problems, impaired socialization, and impaired daily living skills. Among the specific subtypes, neglect of children's medical needs was related to externalizing behavior problems, impaired socialization, and impaired daily living skills. Neglect of children's hygiene needs was related to impaired socialization. The moderate correlations among CPS and MMCS types and subtypes of neglect and their similar associations with children's functioning suggest that the considerable effort involved in coding neglect subtypes from CPS narrative data may yield limited incremental knowledge regarding the types of neglect children experience and their sequelae. However, the MMCS does offer useful descriptive information on the nature of neglect children experience, and may guide future research and practice on optimal ways to conceptualize neglect. Comparer la négligence telle que définie par les codes officiels des services de protection de l’enfant et la négligence telle que définie dans les récits des dossiers de ces mêmes services et examiner la validité des diverses mesures de la négligence en se basant sur le fonctionnement d’enfants âgés de 8 ans. récit. L’étude a recueilli des données sur 740 enfants participant à un ensemble d’études longitudinales sur les mauvais traitements et la négligence; 481 enfants avaient fait l’objet d’u