Citation

Azar ST, Miller EA, Stevenson MT, Johnson DR. J. Pediatr. Psychol. 2016; 42(7): 759-767.

Affiliation

Department of Sociology and Criminology, The Pennsylvania State University.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Oxford University Press)

DOI

10.1093/jpepsy/jsw067

PMID

27481697

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:  Inadequate supervision has been linked to children's injuries. Parental injury prevention beliefs may play a role in supervision, yet little theory has examined the origins of such beliefs. This study examined whether mothers who perpetrated child neglect, who as a group provide inadequate supervision, have more maladaptive beliefs. Then, it tested a social information processing (SIP) model for explaining these beliefs.

METHODS:  SIP and injury prevention beliefs were assessed in disadvantaged mothers of preschoolers (N  =  145), half with child neglect histories.

RESULTS:  The neglect group exhibited significantly more maladaptive injury prevention beliefs than comparisons. As predicted, SIP was linked to beliefs that may increase injury risk, even after accounting for relevant sociodemographic variables.

CONCLUSIONS:  Findings support the link of beliefs to injury risk and suggest that specific cognitive problems may underlie these beliefs. Future work should further validate this model, which may inform enhancements to prevention efforts.

© The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Pediatric Psychology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Language: en