Risk and protective factors for child neglect during early childhood: A cross-study comparison

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Abstract

The present analysis relies upon data from three separate longitudinal studies to identify risk and protective factors associated with subsequent neglect during early childhood. All three studies (Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing [FFCW]; Healthy Families New York [HFNY]; Illinois Families Study-Child Wellbeing [IFS]) involve probabilistic samples or subsamples of low-income families with young children. Multivariate logistic regressions predicting official reports of investigated neglect allegations and a dichotomous indicator of neglect from the Parent–child Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS-PC) were conducted separately for each study, using common sets of predictors derived from baseline or initial survey waves. Across the three studies, consistencies emerged with respect to the predictors of both neglect outcomes. Specifically, consistencies emerged related to indicators of economic resources and hardships, parent well-being, and parenting. Understanding the predictors of child neglect is of critical importance to the development of child maltreatment prevention strategies since a clearer understanding of the risk and protective factors associated with neglect would enable more effectively targeted and tailored interventions.

Research Highlights

► Prospective studies of child neglect are lacking. ► This hinders an understanding of predictors of child neglect. ► Three longitudinal studies are used to compare predictors of neglect outcomes. ► Consistencies emerge around economic, well-being, and parenting predictors.

Introduction

Child neglect has repeatedly been identified as the most prevalent form of child maltreatment. It is the most commonly alleged reason for reports to child protection systems (CPS), (Shlonsky, 2007, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services et al., 2010, Wulczyn et al., 2002), and is the predominant category of maltreatment in the National Incidence Studies (NIS), which are designed to estimate the extent of child maltreatment in the U.S. regardless of whether it is reported to CPS. In the most recent NIS-4, child neglect comprised 61% of identified maltreatment according to the NIS harm standard, and 77% of maltreatment according to the NIS endangerment standard (Sedlak et al., 2010). According to official reports of maltreatment, younger children are at greater for child neglect victimization than older children, with infants representing the highest risk group (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2010). Severe child neglect, including child fatalities from neglect, is also more common among younger children (Block, 2002, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services et al., 2010).

Despite these statistics, little attention has been paid to identifying the risk and protective factors associated with child neglect, particularly during infancy and early childhood. Of particular need are studies that involve community- or population-based probability samples (as opposed to clinical samples), prospective research designs that afford a true assessment of risk, and multiple measures of child neglect (e.g., official reports and self reported measures).

The present analysis relies upon data from three separate longitudinal studies of predominantly low-income families with young children to identify the predictors of child neglect during early childhood. The research questions addressed include (1) what types of factors predict involvement with child protective services (CPS) for reasons of neglect within each study?; (2) do similar factors within studies predict a validated (parental) self-report measure of child neglect?; and, (3) to what extent are there consistencies across studies in the predictors of both neglect outcomes? To the extent that common predictors emerge across three separate studies with differences in regional focus, time frame, sample demographics, and other elements of study design, our understanding of the circumstances in early childhood that elevate (or reduce) the risk of child neglect will be greatly enhanced.

Section snippets

Background

Research on the correlates of child maltreatment in infancy and early childhood has shown a number of factors to be associated with abuse and neglect, including maternal age (Lee & Goerge, 1999; Slack et al., 2004, Strathearn et al., 2009), family size and structure Brayden et al., 1992, Epstein, 2002, Kotch et al., 1995, Kotch et al., 1999, Lee and Goerge, 1999 Windham et al., 2004, Wu et al., 2004), parental education (Brayden et al., 1992, Hunter et al., 1978, Kotch et al., 1995, Kotch et

Methods

Central to this exercise was the identification of a reasonably common set of measures across multiple studies that are well suited for understanding the risk and protective factors related to child neglect. These studies (Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing [FFCW]; Healthy Families New York [HFNY]; and Illinois Families Study-Child Wellbeing [IFS-CWB]) all involve probabilistic samples or subsamples of low-income families with young children. All three studies are able to distinguish neglect

Results

Table 2a presents the adjusted odds ratios for each predictor in relation to a CPS investigation for neglect, controlling only for demographic characteristics.4 We report findings with marginal statistical significance (p < .10) as well as findings with more customary levels of statistical significance (p < .05) in order

Discussion

Several interesting findings are worth highlighting with respect to the key research questions. Two of the three study aims involved identifying the types of factors that predict CPS neglect within each study, and the extent to which studies had neglect predictors in common. The findings related to the adjusted odds ratios (i.e., demographic controls only) for individual predictors suggest that economic factors play a strong role in predicting subsequent CPS neglect. Including associations with

Conclusion

This analysis involved the identification of risk and protective factors related to multiple measures of child neglect across three studies with prospective research designs. Despite differences in study design and sample characteristics, many consistencies emerged with respect to predictors of neglect. In particular, economic and parenting factors trended in the same direction across studies, particularly in statistical models predicting investigated reports of neglect. Additionally, parental

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. Individual studies referenced in this research were supported by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and a consortium of private foundations and state agencies. The Chapin Hall Center for Children provided the administrative data linkages for the Illinois Families Study-Child Wellbeing.

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