Citation

Mulder TM, Kuiper KC, van der Put CE, Stams GJM, Assink M. Child Abuse Negl. 2018; 77: 198-210.

Affiliation

Research Institute of Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: M.Assink@UvA.nl.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.chiabu.2018.01.006

PMID

29358122

Abstract

Knowledge of risk factors and their effects is vital for successfully preventing and reducing child neglect. This study provides a meta-analytic update of research on risk factors for child neglect. A total of 315 effect sizes were extracted from 36 primary studies and classified into 24 risk domains. Effects of 15 risk domains were significant and ranged from small (r = .110) to large (r = .372) in magnitude. Most risks were found at the parental level, such as having a history of antisocial behavior/criminal offending (r = .372); having a history of mental/psychiatric problems (r = . 259); having mental/physical problems (r = .207); and experiences of abuse in own childhood (r = .182). The effect of mother-related risk factors was not significantly different from the effect of father-related risk factors. It is concluded that child neglect is determined by multiple risk domains and that especially parent-related risk factors are important in preventing and reducing child neglect. Implications of the results for clinical practice are discussed.

Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Child abuse; Child maltreatment; Child neglect; Meta-analysis; Risk factors