Citation

Martin JE, Kourany RFC. Child Abuse Negl. 1980; 4(1): 15-22.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1980, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

In our more mobile society, and as a result of more mothers working, adolescents are becoming more involved in providing child care. During the teenage years, adolescents work to achieve more autonomy and better control of their impulses. For some adolescents, the mastery of impulse control is not achieved, and in fact, the breakdown of such controls can occur. Unleashed aggression in the form of child abuse has involved family, and non-family members with poor impulse control.In this article, the literature on child abuse is reviewed. The authors present two documented case studies involving child abuse by adolescent babysitters, and review similar cases reported in the news media. They also report on a survey involving 485 high school students and examine the potential for abuse while babysitting. Physical injury, psychological trauma, and even death can be results of an inappropriate matching of teenage sitters and children.Specific guidelines are recommended for the prevention and follow-up of suspected abuse in which adolescent sitters are involved. Parents are encouraged to take primary responsibility in selecting teenagers to babysit and to make the necessary inquiries about the sitters, their background and their experiences in keeping children. Suggestions for the interviewing and managing of the adolescent sitters in overt child-abuse situations are also presented.