Citation

Bradley EJ, Lindsay RCL. J. Fam. Violence 1987; 2(3): 239-255.

Affiliation

Queen''s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada

Copyright

(Copyright © 1987, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/BF00976542

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The child abuse literature was surveyed but found lacking in analyses of fundamental ethical and procedural issues. The present paper, supported by a review of the relevant research, explores the problems surrounding the definition of physical child abuse, the gender and recruitment of subjects, the use of informed consent and deception, and the problem of maintaining confidentiality in this area. Greater detail in reporting of methods employed by researchers is recommended as an important first step to expanding discussion of these issues.