Citation

Enosh G, Duvdevany I, Arzi L. J. Aggression Maltreat. Trauma 2008; 16(4): 439-455.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/10926770801926187

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Children with intellectual disabilities are at risk of being abused by family members. This study sought to identify factors influencing the intervention decisions of social workers. Fifty-nine social workers employed at welfare services participated in the study. The study used a factorial survey design describing a violent interaction between a child with intellectual disability and a parent. Professional characteristics of the workers as well as personal attitudinal characteristics had no significant effect on the preference of intervention mode. However, levels of child and parental aggression presented in the vignettes did influence the preferred intervention. Child's challenging behavior plays an important and increasing role in preferences for more intrusive and authoritative interventions, even after controlling for parental aggression.