Elsevier

Child Abuse & Neglect

Volume 21, Issue 11, November 1997, Pages 1025-1037
Child Abuse & Neglect

Stress, social support, and substantiated maltreatment in the second and third years of life

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0145-2134(97)00063-XGet rights and content

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this research was to determine whether risk factors for a maltreatment report in the first year of life, especially the interaction of life event stress and social support, persist into the second and third years of life.

Method: Predominantly low income mothers who had been interviewed shortly after the birth of infants in a longitudinal cohort were re-interviewed around the infants' first birthdays, and reports to North Carolina's Central Registry of Child Abuse and Neglect were tracked for substantiated maltreatment reports.

Results: Variables significantly associated with a substantiated maltreatment report in the second or third year of life (p < .01) were first year maltreatment reports and participation in Medicaid. Three interactions between a stressful life event indicator variable and a social support indicator variable were significant predictors of substantiated second or third year reports (p < .05).

Conclusions: Even in the presence of significant risk factors from the first year of life, life event stress can increase the risk of a substantiated maltreatment report in the second or third years of life, but social support may moderate the effect of life events.

Résumé

Objectif: Le but de cette étude fut de déterminer si les facteurs de risques qui sont présents lors d'un premier signalement de mauvais traitements dans la première année du bébé persistent dans la deuxième et troisième année—surtout en ce qui a trait à l'interaction entre le stress de la vie courante et les appuis sociaux.

Méthode: Des mères à faible revenu qui avaient fait partie d'une étude longitudinale dès la naissance de leur enfant ont été interviewées à nouveau lors du premier anniversaire de l'enfant et le registre de mauvais traitements de la Caroline du Nord au É.-U. a été dépouillé.

Résultats: On a noté deux variables liées à un épisode de mauvais traitements durant la deuxième ou troisième année, soit un signalement durant la première année et la participation au programme Medicaid (assurance-santé étatisée pour personnes handicapées ou à faible revenu). On a noté trois interactions entre les événements stressants de la vie courante et les appuis sociaux. Ces interactions se sont avérées des facteurs importants pour prédire la maltraitance durant la deuxième et troisième année.

Conclusions: Mżrh;eme lorsqu'il existe des facteurs de risques importants dans la première année, les événeme de la vie courante peuvent augmenter la probabilité de signalements pour mauvais traitements durant la deuxième et troisième année, toutefois, les appuis sociaux pourraient avoir un effet modérateur sur le stress.

Resumen

Objectivo: El propósito de este estudio fue determinar si los factores de riesgo de un reporte sobre maltrato en el primer año de la vida, especialmente la interacción de eventos estresantes y el apoyo social, persisten en el segundo y tercer año de vida.

Método: Durante un período cereano al primer cumpleaños de sus hijos, se re-entrevista sus madres predominantemente de hajos ingresos que ya habían sido entrevistadas poco después del nacimiento de sus bebés en un estudio longitudinal pareado, y se relacionaron con los reportes del “North Carolina Central Registry of Child Abuse and Neglect” de casos confirmados de maltrato.

Resultados: Las variables significativamente asociadas con un reporte de maltrato confirmado en el segundo o tercer año de vida (p < .01) eran los reportes de maltrato en el primer año y la participación en Medicaid. Tres interacciones entre una variable indicadora de un evento estresante de vida y una variable indicadora de un apoyo social, fueron predictores significativos de reportes confirmados en el segundo o tercer año (p < .05).

Conclusiones: Aun en presencia de factores significativos de riesgo del primer año de vida, los eventos estresantes de vida pueden aumentar el riesgo de un reporte confirmado de maltrato en el segundo o tercer año de edad, pero, un apoyo social puede moderar el efecto de los eventos de vida.

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    Supported in part by #MCJ-37051 from the Maternal and Child Health Research Program. Bureau of Maternal and Child Health, Health Resources and Services Administration. USDHHS, and grant #90-CA1467 from the National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect, Administration for Children and Families, USDHHS.

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