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New York: Oxford.CHILDMALTREATMENT
Child maltreatment extends across class, culture, eth-
nicity, and nationality. In the United States alone,
upward of 3 million cases of child abuse are reported
annually, and more than 1,000 children die each year
as a result of abuse. However, these numbers are
likely underestimates of the scope of the problem
because, as most experts agree, child maltreatment is
underreported. The term child maltreatmentitself is
broad, encompassing neglect, emotional abuse, phys-
ical abuse, and sexual abuse. Scientific and clinical
evidence indicates that child maltreatment detrimen-
tally affects children’s cognitive, social, and emo-
tional development. Psychological models specifying
the mechanisms by which child maltreatment imparts
its adverse effects include attachment theory (e.g.,
child maltreatment distorts children’s internal work-
ing models of self and others) and psychophysiologi-
cal theories (e.g., chronic elevation of an abused
child’s biological stress response may influence the
child’s developing brain and, thus, the child’s behav-
ior and functioning). Research also points to the
importance and influence of contextual factors that
may promote resilience in maltreated children.
Over the years, the United States has enacted a
complex patchwork of laws for protecting children
against abuse. Child protection agencies exist to inter-
vene when child abuse is suspected or substantiated
and to prevent child maltreatment through means such
as education for families at risk and awareness cam-
paigns for the public at large. The criminal justice sys-
tem also acts to protect maltreated children, most
notably by prosecuting offenders. Fortunately, these
prevention and intervention efforts may well have
been effective, given the recent declines in the rates ofchild abuse reporting. This entry elaborates on the
definitions of child maltreatment, provides more
information about its incidence, discusses what is
known about the causes and consequences of child
maltreatment, and suggests ways to prevent this seri-
ous social problem.Defining Child Maltreatment
Neglect is the most common form of confirmed child
maltreatment (comprising more than 60% of all cases),
followed by physical abuse (18%), sexual abuse
(10%), and psychological or emotional abuse (7%).
Defining child maltreatment is sometimes controver-
sial, but generally, neglect is an act of omission—a
caretaker’s failure to provide basic necessities such as
food, shelter, emotional support, medical attention,
education, or a safe haven from harmful situations.
Although neglect is the most common child maltreat-
ment case that comes to the attention of authorities and
enters the juvenile or family court system, its perpetra-
tors are rarely prosecuted in criminal court. A condi-
tion known as nonorganic failure to thrive is often
considered a type of child neglect. It refers to a condi-
tion in which an otherwise healthy baby, while under
his or her parent’s care, loses weight and stops grow-
ing. Psychological, social, and/or economic problems
within the family typically prompt failure to thrive.
Sexual and physical abuse reflect acts of commis-
sion. Child sexual abuse occurs when children are
involved in sexual activities with an adult. Adults often
use coercion or deception to lure children into such
activities, but it is worth noting that coercion and decep-
tion are unnecessary elements of this crime because
children are not considered legally or developmentally
capable of consenting to sexual activities with adults.
Child sexual abuse sometimes involves physical contact
such as penetration or fondling, but physical contact is
not always necessary. For example, exhibitionism, forc-
ing children to watch or make pornographic material, or
encouraging sexual promiscuity is also considered sex-
ually abusive to minors. Child sexual abuse cases are
particularly likely to bring child victims into contact
with court systems, both juvenile and criminal. In fact,
most children who testify in criminal court do so in the
context of child sexual abuse cases.
Physical abuse, which is most often perpetrated by
parents and guardians, can be more difficult to define
than sexual abuse. That is, while all forms of sexual
contact between an adult and a child are considered
socially inappropriate across most cultures, mild toChild Maltreatment——— 73C-Cutler (Encyc)-45463.qxd 11/18/2007 12:41 PM Page 73