Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Child Physical Abuse: Current Evidence, Clinical Practice, and Policy Directions pp 1–36Cite as

Fundamentals

  • Chapter
  • First Online:

  • 1385 Accesses

Part of the book series: SpringerBriefs in Public Health ((BRIEFSCHILD))

Abstract

Child physical abuse is the intentional use of physical force against a child that either results in or has the likelihood of resulting in harm to the child’s health, development or dignity. (International Center for Assault Prevention). Physical abuse is defined in straightforward language as occurring when a child suffers injury due to the actions of his or her caregiver. These injuries may be referred to as inflicted or nonaccidental injuries. In the United States, individual states and territories have both criminal and civil statues that specifically define actions that constitute child physical abuse (Child Welfare Information Gateway 2016a). Some states use broad definitions that encompass a wide range of injuries; other states use more narrow definitions that include specific signs and symptoms. Common to most of these definitions of physical abuse, however, is the presence of an injury that the child sustains at the hands of his or her caregiver. The more general terms, Child abuse and neglect and child maltreatment are interchangeable and refer to a major public health problem confronting children and families. Abuse manifests when the child or adolescent’s caregiver fails to provide for the youth’s health and well-being by either causing harm, or as in neglect, by not meeting a basic need. Child maltreatment is broadly categorized into (a) physical abuse, (b) sexual abuse, (c) emotional/psychological abuse, and (d) neglect. This monograph will address the current evidence, clinical practice and policy directions associated with physical abuse.

The care of children who have been abused or neglected is a complex multidisciplinary venture that demands the skills of professionals from medicine, nursing, social work, education, psychology, law, law enforcement, and other child advocacy disciplines. Even for those in the health sciences disciplines there are many demanding roles and responsibilities, including recognition of abuse, reporting, short-term crisis interventions, and long-term treatment. As health care professionals, we must also provide some of the scientific underpinnings for understanding and treating abuse.

(Ludwig & Kornberg, 1992)

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   49.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   64.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

  • American Medical Association (AMA) Council of Scientific Affairs. (1985). American Medical Association Diagnostic and Treatment Guidelines Concerning Child Abuse and Neglect. JAMA, 254;796–800.

    Google Scholar 

  • American Prosecutors Research Institute. (2003). Investigation and prosecution of child abuse (3rd ed.). Alexandria: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barr, R. G. (2014). Crying as a trigger for abusive head trauma: A key to prevention. Pediatric Radiology, 44(S4), 559–564. doi:10.1007/s00247-014-3100-3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Belsky, J. (1980). Child maltreatment: An ecological integration. American Psychologist, 35, 320–335.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Briere, J. N. (1992). Child abuse trauma: Theory and treatment of the lasting effect. Newbury Park: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bronfenbrenner, U. (1977). Toward an experimental ecology of human development. American Psychologist, 32, 513–531.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bross, D. C., Krugman, R. D., Lenherr, M. D., et al. (1988). The new child protection team handbook. New York: Garland.

    Google Scholar 

  • Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2016a). About behavioral risk factor surveillance system ACE data. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov:https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/acestudy/ace_brfss.html

  • Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2016b). About the CDC-Kaiser ACE study. https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/acestudy/about.html

  • Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2016c). Injury prevention & control: Division of violence prevention. Retrieved from CDC.gov:https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/acestudy/about.html

  • Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2016d). Adverse childhood experiences. Looking at how ACEs affect our lives and society. http://vetoviolence.cdc.gov/apps/phl/images/ACE_Accessible.pdf

  • Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2012). Press release. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov:https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2012/p0201_child_abuse.html

  • Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015). The social-ecological model: A framework for prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/overview/social-ecologicalmodel.html

  • Chaffin, M., Kelleher, K., & Hollenberg, J. (1996). Onset of physical abuse and neglect: Psychiatric, substance abuse, and social risk factors from prospective community data. Child Abuse & Neglect, 20(3), 191–203. doi:10.1016/s0145-2134(95)00144-1

  • Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2008). Mandatory reporters of child abuse and neglect: summary of state laws. Washington, DC. https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubPDFs/mandaall.pdf.

  • Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2013). Long-term consequences of child abuse and neglect. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Children’s Bureau. https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubpdfs/long_term_consequences.pdf

  • Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2016a). Child abuse and neglect fatalities 2014: Statistics and interventions. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Children’s Bureau. https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubPDFs/fatality.pdf.

    Google Scholar 

  • Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2016b). Penalties for failure to report and false reporting of child abuse and neglect. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Children’s Bureau.

    Google Scholar 

  • Christian, Committee on Child Abuse and Neglect. (2015). The evaluation of suspected child physical abuse. Pediatrics, 135(5), e1337–e1354. September 01, 2015.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Collishaw, S., Pickles, A., Messer, J., Rutter, M., Shearer, C., & Maughan, B. (2007). Resilience to adult psychopathology following childhood maltreatment: Evidence from a community sample. Child Abuse & Neglect, 31(3), 211–229.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Commission to Eliminate Child Abuse and Neglect. (2016). Fact sheet. Within our reach: A national strategy to eliminate child abuse and neglect fatalities. https://eliminatechildabusefatalities.sites.usa.gov/files/2016/03/CECANF-Report_Fact-Sheet-final-3.17.16.pdf

  • DeLaronde, S., King, G., Bendel, R., & Reece, R. (2000). Opinions among mandated reporters toward child maltreatment reporting policies. Child Abuse and Neglect, 24(7), 901–905.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Diderich, H. M., Fekkes, M., Verkerk, P. H., Pannebakker, F. D., Velderman, M. K., Sorensen, P. J. G., Baeten, P., Oudesluys-Murphy, A. M. (2013). A new protocol for screening adults presenting with their own medical problems at the emergency department to identify children at high risk for maltreatment. Child Abuse & Neglect, 37(12), 1122–1131. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2013.04.005

  • Dinsmore, J. (1993). Joint investigations of child abuse: Report of a symposium. Washington DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ells, M. (2000). Forming a multidisciplinary team to investigate child abuse. Rockville: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency. https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/170020.pdf.

    Google Scholar 

  • Felitti, V. J., Anda, R. F., Nordenberg, D., Williamson, D. F., Spitz, A. M., Edwards, V., Koss, M. P., & Marks, J. S. (1998). Relationship of childhood abuse and household dysfunction to many of the leading causes of death in adults -the adverse childhood experiences (ACE) study. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 14, 245–258.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Finkelhor, D. (1990). Is child abuse Overreported? Public Welfare, 48(1), 22–29.

    Google Scholar 

  • Finkelhor, D., Saito, K. Jones, L. (2016). Updated trends in child maltreatment, 2014. Crimes against children research center. http://www.unh.edu/ccrc/pdf/Updated%20trends%202014.pdf

  • Flaherty, E. G. (2006). Analysis of caretaker histories in abuse: Comparing initial histories with subsequent confessions. Child Abuse & Neglect, 30(7), 789–798. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2005.12.008.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Foreman, T., & Bernet, W. (2000). A misunderstanding regarding the duty to report suspected abuse. Child Maltreatment, 5(2), 190–196.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Giardino, A. P. & Harris, T. B. (2006) Child Abuse & Neglect: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. eMedicine. http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/916007-overview.

  • Garbarino, J. (1977). The human ecology of child maltreatment: A conceptual model forresearch. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 39, 721–727.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goldman, J., Salus, M., Wolcott, D., & Kennedy, K. (2003). In National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information (Ed.), A coordinated response to child abuse and neglect: The foundation for practice. Washington, DC: Department of Health and Human Services. Administration for Children and Families. Children’s Bureau Office on Child Abuse and Neglect.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goodman, E., Slap, G. B., & Huang, B. (2003). The public health impact of socioeconomic status on adolescent depression and obesity. American Journal of Public Health, 93, 1844–1850.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Hampton, R. L., & Newberger, E. H. (1985). Child abuse incidence and reporting by hospitals: Significance of severity, class, and race. American Journal of Public Health, 75(1), 56–60. doi:10.2105/ajph.75.1.56

  • Harris, T.B., Banu, S., Giardino, A.P. (2013). Posttraumatic stress disorders in children. Medscape LLC: New York, NY.

    Google Scholar 

  • Helfer, R. E. (1973). The etiology of child abuse. Pediatrics, 51, 777–779.

    Google Scholar 

  • Helfer, R. E. (1987). The developmental basis of child abuse and neglect: An epidemiological approach. In R. E. Helfer & R. S. Kempe (Eds.), The battered child (4th ed., pp. 60–80). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hobbs, C. J., Hanks, H. G. I., & Wynne, J. M. (1993). Child abuse and neglect: A clinician’s handbook. New York: Churchill Livingstone.

    Google Scholar 

  • Immunity for Reporters of Child Abuse and Neglect: Summary of State Laws (2008). Washington, DC: Child Welfare Information Gateway. http://www.childwelfare.gov/systemwide/laws_policies/statutes/immunityall.pdf

  • IOM (Institute of Medicine) and NRC (National Research Council). (2012). Child maltreatment research, policy, and practice for the next decade: Workshop summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jason, J., Andereck, N. D., Marks, J., & Tyler, C. W. (1982). Child abuse in Georgia: A method to evaluate risk factors and reporting bias. American Journal Public Health, 72(12), 1353–1358.

    Google Scholar 

  • Justice, B., Calvert, A., & Justice, R. (1985). Factors mediating child abuse as a response to stress. Child Abuse & Neglect, 9, 359–363.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kaufman, J., & Ziegler, E. (1987). Do abused children become abusive parents? American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 57, 186–192.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Krugman, S. D., Lantz, P. E., Sinal, S., De Jong, A. R., & Coffman, K. (2007). Forced suffocation of infants with baby wipes: A previously undescribed form of child abuse. Child Abuse & Neglect, 31(6), 615–621. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2006.12.012

  • Lane, W. G. (2002). Racial differences in the evaluation of pediatric fractures for physical abuse. JAMA, 288(13), 1603. doi:10.1001/jama.288.13.1603

  • Leventhal, J. M., Martin, K. D., & Gaither, J. R. (2012). Using US data to estimate the incidence of serious physical abuse in children. Pediatrics, 129(3), 458–464. doi:10.1542/peds.2011-1277

  • Lindberg, D. M., Blood, E. A., Campbell, K. A., Laskey, A. L., & Berger, R. P. (2013). Predictors of screening and injury in contacts of physically abused children. The Journal of Pediatrics, 163(3), 730–735.e3. doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2013.02.051

  • Loder, R. T., & Feinberg, J. R. (2007). Orthopaedic injuries in children with nonaccidental trauma. Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics, 27(4), 421–426. doi:10.1097/01.bpb.0000271328.79481.07

  • Ludwig, S., & Kornberg, A. E. (1992). Child abuse: A medical reference (2nd ed.). New York: Churchill Livingstone.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martin, J. A., & Elmer, E. (1992). Battered children grown up: A follow-up study of individuals severely maltreated as children. Child Abuse & Neglect, 16(1), 75–87.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Martin, A., & Volkmar, F. R. (2007). Lewis’s child and adolescent psychiatry: A comprehensive textbook (4th ed.). Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

    Google Scholar 

  • McGuigan, W. M., & Pratt, C. C. (2001). The predictive impact of domestic violence on three types of child maltreatment. Child Abuse & Neglect, 25(7), 869–883. doi:10.1016/s0145-2134(01)00244-7

  • Myers, J. E. B., Berliner, L., Briere, J., et al. (2002). The APSAC handbook on child maltreatment. In American professional society on the abuse of children (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Naidoo, S. (2000). A profile of the oro-facial injuries in child physical abuse at a children’s hospital. Child Abuse & Neglect, 24(4), 521–534. doi:10.1016/S0145-2134(00)00114-9

  • National Research Council (NRC). (1993). Understanding child abuse and neglect. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Norman, R. E., Munkhtsetseg, B., Rumma, D., Butchart, A., Scott, J., & Vos, T. (2012). The long-term health consequences of child physical abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS Medicine, 9(11), e10011349.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Panel on Research on Child Abuse and Neglect, National Research Council. (1993). Understanding child abuse and neglect. Washington, D.C: The National Academy of Sciences.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pence, D., & Wilson, C. (1994). Team investigation of child sexual abuse: The uneasy alliance. Thousand Oaks: Sage.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. (2013). The truth about aces. http://www.rwjf.org/en/library/infographics/the-truth-about-aces.html

  • Scribano, P. V., Makoroff, K. L., Feldman, K. W., & Berger, R. P. (2013). Association of perpetrator relationship to abusive head trauma clinical outcomes. Child Abuse & Neglect, 37(10), 771–777. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2013.04.011

  • Sedlak, A. J., Mettenburg, J., Basena, M., Petta, I., McPherson, K., Greene, A., & Li, S. (2010). Fourth National Incidence Study of child abuse and neglect (NIS–4): Report to congress. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schnitzer, P. G. (2005). Child deaths resulting from inflicted injuries: Household risk factors and perpetrator characteristics. Pediatrics, 116(5), e687–e693. doi:10.1542/peds.2005-0296

  • Sieswerda-Hoogendoorn, T., Bilo, R. A. C., Duurling, L. L. B. M., Karst, W. A., Maaskant, J. M., van Aalderen, W. M. C., & van Rijn, R. R. (2013). Abusive head trauma in the Netherlands; evidence for multiple incidents of abuse. Tijdschrift voor Kindergeneeskunde, 81(S1), 107–107. doi:10.1007/s12456-013-0104-0

  • Stirling, J., & Amaya-Jackson, L. (2008). Understanding the behavioral and emotional consequences of child abuse. Pediatrics, 122, 667–673.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tiapula, S., & Giardino, A. P. (2010). Legal issues and documentation. In A. P. Giardino, M. A. Lyn, & E. R. Giardino (Eds.), A practical guide to the Evalutation of child physical abuse and neglect (pp. 445–475). New York: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Children’s Bureau. (2016). Child maltreatment 2014. Available from http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/research-data-technology/statistics-research/child-maltreatment

  • Wang, C. T., & Holton, J. (2007). Total estimated cost of child abuse and neglect in the United States. Economic impact study. Chicago, IL: Prevent Child Abuse America http://www.preventchildabuse.org/about_us/media_releases/pcaa_pew_economic_impact_study_final.pdf

  • Widom, C. S., & Maxfield, M. G. (2001). An update on the “cycle of violence”. Washington, D.C: U.S. Department of Justice. Office of Justice Programs. National Institute of Justice. https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/184894.pdf

  • Widom, C. S., Czaja, S. J., & Paris, J. (2009). A prospective investigation of borderline personality disorder in abused and neglected children followed up into adulthood. Journal of Personality Disorders, 23(5), 433–446.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Widom, C. S., Czaja, S. J., Bentley, T., & Johnson, M. S. (2012). A prospective investigation of physical health outcomes in abused and neglected children: New findings from a 30-year follow-up. American Journal of Public Health, 102(6), 1134–1144.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, E. P. (1992). Multidisciplinary approach to child protection. In S. Ludwig & A. B. Kornberth (Eds.), Child abuse: A medical reference (2nd ed., pp. 79–84). New York: Churchill Livingstone.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Freddie Mac Foundation Child and Adolescent Protection Center, Children’s National Health System, Washington, DC, USA

    Tanya S. Hinds

  2. The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA

    Tanya S. Hinds

  3. Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA

    Angelo P. Giardino

  4. Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA

    Angelo P. Giardino

Authors
  1. Tanya S. Hinds
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Angelo P. Giardino
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2017 The Author(s)

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Hinds, T.S., Giardino, A.P. (2017). Fundamentals. In: Child Physical Abuse: Current Evidence, Clinical Practice, and Policy Directions. SpringerBriefs in Public Health(). Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-61103-7_1

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation