A Literature Review on the Efficacy of Early Intervention and Prevention Programs on Child Abuse.

1. Child Abuse andChild Abuse and
Early Intervention:Early Intervention:
A Literature ReviewA Literature Review
Theresa Berlinski
Argosy University
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2. IntroductionIntroduction
What is child abuse?
What risk factors and indicators are associated with
child abuse?
What are the effects of child abuse?
What are the benefits of early intervention and
prevention?
HYPOTHESIS: Prevention methods have a
greater potential to decrease the prevalence of
child abuse and neglect than the efforts of early
intervention programs.
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3. Definition of Child AbuseDefinition of Child Abuse
Child abuse is present when a
child’s physical or mental
health or welfare is harmed or
threatened by a parent or
another person
Physical Abuse
Sexual Abuse
Emotional Abuse
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4. Definition of NeglectDefinition of Neglect
Neglect consists of a failure to adequately
accommodate the needs essential for a child’s
health and welfare .
Physical Neglect
Emotional Neglect
Medical Neglect
Educational Neglect
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5. Literature Findings:Literature Findings:
Effectiveness of Early InterventionEffectiveness of Early Intervention
ProgramsPrograms
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• Prevention methods that are implemented
prior to the onset of abuse have a higher rate
of success than intervention methods
implemented after the abuse has already
commenced (Farrington & Murray, 2010).
• Frequent visitation of nurses to socially-
disadvantaged women during the period
from pregnancy until the child is two years
old is proven to be effective at preventing
the onset of abuse (Burrell, Crowne, Dodge,
Duggan, & McFarlane, 2010).
• The prevalence of conduct disorder and
delinquency peaks during mid-to-late
adolescence. Risk factors that predict
conduct disorder and delinquency are
previous instances of physical, emotional,
educational and mental abuse (Farrington &
Murray, 2010).

6. Literature Findings:Literature Findings:
Effectiveness of Early InterventionEffectiveness of Early Intervention
ProgramsPrograms
6
• Children maltreated in multiple
developmental periods had more
externalizing and internalizing
problems and lower IQ scores than
children maltreated in only one
developmental period (Jaffee &
Maikovich-Fong, 2011).
• Teachers and teacher training are
critically important in responding to
instances of child abuse and neglect
(Farrell and Walsh, 2010).
• The high prevalence of and
inadequate reporting of abuse and
neglect are a result of the perception
that reporters are intruding in the
private lives of families (Levi &
Portwood, 2011).

7. Literature Findings:Literature Findings:
Effectiveness of Early InterventionEffectiveness of Early Intervention
ProgramsPrograms
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• Nearly 17% of child abuse victims are
victimized again within 5 years of the
initial report of abuse (Gelles, Hwa-ok,
Solomon, & White, 2010 p.23).
• Being known to Child Protective Service
agencies or having prior abuse history is a
prime predictor of re-reporting as well as
a higher risk of child maltreatment
(Hershkowitz, 2011).
• Emotional neglect is the most prevalent
form of child maltreatment (Iwaniec,
Sneddon, & Stewart, 2010).

8. Conclusion:Conclusion:
Intervention is good,Intervention is good,
but prevention is better.but prevention is better.
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• Intervention methods are just putting
a bandage on the issue of child abuse
and neglect (Mathieson, Reynolds, &
Topitzes, 2009).
• Scholarly reviews tend to indicate the
most favorable approach by
comparing and contrasting the
intervention concepts of working
directly with the child versus the
family resulting in a disregard of the
quality of strategy, execution, and
assessment of the intervention itself
(Mathieson et al, 2009).

9. ReferencesReferences
 Burrell, L., Cheng, T. L. Crowne, S., Dodge, R.A.B., Duggan, A.
K., & McFarlane, E. (2010). The importance of early parenting
in at-risk families and children’s socio-emotional adaptation to
school. Academic Pediatrics. 10, 5, p330-7.
 Chang, J. J., Theodore, A. D., & Martin, S. L. (2008).
Psychological abuse between parents: Associations with child
maltreatment from a population-based sample. Child Abuse &
Neglect, 32(8), p819-829.
 Farrell, A. & Walsh, K. Working Together for Toby. (2010).
Australasian Journal of Early Childhood. 35, 4, p53-62.
 Farrington, D. P. & Murray, J. (2010). Risk Factors for Conduct
Disorder and Delinquency: Key findings from longitudinal
studies. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. 55, 10, p633-645.
 Gelles, R. J., Hwa-ok, B., Solomon, P. L., & White, T. (2010).
Effect of child protective services system factors on child
maltreatment rereporting. Child Welfare. 89, 3, p33-55, p23.
 Hershkowitz, Irit. (2011). The effects of abuse history on
sexually intrusive behavior by children: An analysis of child
justice records. Child Abuse & Neglect. 35, 1, p40-49, p10.
 Iwaniec, D., Sneddon, H., & Stewart, M. C. (2010). Prevalence
of childhood abuse in mothers taking part in a study of
parenting their own children. Child Abuse Review. 19, 1, p39-
55, p17.
 Jaffee, S. R., & Maikovich-Fong, A. (2011). Effects of chronic
maltreatment and maltreatment timing on children's behavior
and cognitive abilities. Journal of Child Psychology &
Psychiatry, 52, 2, p184-194.
 Levi, B. H. & Portwood, S. G. (2011). Reasonable suspicion of
child abuse: Finding a common language. Journal of Law,
Medicine & Ethics. 39, 1, p62-69, 8p
 Mathieson, L. C., Reynolds, C. A., & Topitzes, J. W. (2009) Do
early childhood interventions prevent child maltreatment? A
review of research. Child Maltreatment. 14, 2, p182-206.
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10. ReferencesReferences
 Burrell, L., Cheng, T. L. Crowne, S., Dodge, R.A.B., Duggan, A.
K., & McFarlane, E. (2010). The importance of early parenting
in at-risk families and children’s socio-emotional adaptation to
school. Academic Pediatrics. 10, 5, p330-7.
 Chang, J. J., Theodore, A. D., & Martin, S. L. (2008).
Psychological abuse between parents: Associations with child
maltreatment from a population-based sample. Child Abuse &
Neglect, 32(8), p819-829.
 Farrell, A. & Walsh, K. Working Together for Toby. (2010).
Australasian Journal of Early Childhood. 35, 4, p53-62.
 Farrington, D. P. & Murray, J. (2010). Risk Factors for Conduct
Disorder and Delinquency: Key findings from longitudinal
studies. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. 55, 10, p633-645.
 Gelles, R. J., Hwa-ok, B., Solomon, P. L., & White, T. (2010).
Effect of child protective services system factors on child
maltreatment rereporting. Child Welfare. 89, 3, p33-55, p23.
 Hershkowitz, Irit. (2011). The effects of abuse history on
sexually intrusive behavior by children: An analysis of child
justice records. Child Abuse & Neglect. 35, 1, p40-49, p10.
 Iwaniec, D., Sneddon, H., & Stewart, M. C. (2010). Prevalence
of childhood abuse in mothers taking part in a study of
parenting their own children. Child Abuse Review. 19, 1, p39-
55, p17.
 Jaffee, S. R., & Maikovich-Fong, A. (2011). Effects of chronic
maltreatment and maltreatment timing on children's behavior
and cognitive abilities. Journal of Child Psychology &
Psychiatry, 52, 2, p184-194.
 Levi, B. H. & Portwood, S. G. (2011). Reasonable suspicion of
child abuse: Finding a common language. Journal of Law,
Medicine & Ethics. 39, 1, p62-69, 8p
 Mathieson, L. C., Reynolds, C. A., & Topitzes, J. W. (2009) Do
early childhood interventions prevent child maltreatment? A
review of research. Child Maltreatment. 14, 2, p182-206.
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