Anonymous reports (n=155) of child physical abuse in Baltimore (MD) were compared with reports made by professionals (n=588) and nonprofessionals (n=262) in terms of substantiation rate, seriousness of substantiated incidents, and severity of allegations. While anonymous reports were more likely to be unfounded, those that were substantiated were…

Fifty-two physicians were surveyed to determine physician, parent, and disease variables that may influence child neglect recognition and reporting. Variables examined included the presence of initial symptoms, symptoms from failure to provide treatment, symptoms from treatment failure, adverse outcome without symptoms, parental mental…

This study examined the relationship between judgments about child abuse case vignettes and the reporting intentions of over 700 mandated reporters. The judgments included seriousness of the incident; labeling of the incident as "abuse" or "neglect"; legal requirements for reporting; and potential child and family benefits from…

This paper offers an overview of the multistep, multibehavior process of identification and reporting of physical abuse; presents a literature review examining factors influencing the identification and reporting of physical child abuse by physicians; and outlines future directions for research. (Author/JDD)

Proposed is a system of flexible options for the mandated reporting of child abuse and neglect, to improve compliance with and reduce burdens on the child protective system. Potential benefits and drawbacks of the plan, which would identify and train "registered reporters" and offer the option of explicit deferred investigation, are…

This study of the reporting practices of 91 Guardians Ad Litem to Florida judges in child abuse and neglect cases found that information reported most often concerned the child's physical safety, interaction between parent and child, and parents' personality characteristics. Less frequently reported was information regarding conflict in the home…

A sample of 796 New York sexual abuse reports was studied to explore factors associated with substantiation of the reports following an investigation. Substantiation rates increased with the child's age, and reports were more likely to be substantiated when they involved female children or came from a mandated source. (Author/JDD)

Information collected from 264 elementary teachers and 47 principals demonstrated that teachers included a broad range of behaviors in their own "theoretical" definitions of child abuse but preferred informal intervention over formal reporting. The decision to report involved the interplay of definitions, institutional response, and…

Evaluation of effects of mandating educators to report suspected cases of child sexual assault in New South Wales, Australia, found a significant increase in the number of such reports by teachers but no change in the percentage of reported eventually verified. (Author/DB)

This study of 63 children who reported sexual and ritualistic abuse in preschool settings found that recantation occurred in 17 cases, and 15 children who recanted redisclosed abuse after the initial recantation. Subjects made vague disclosures before revealing more specific acts and revealed less intrusive sexual abuse before more intrusive…

This review examines factors impacting on substantiation rates for central registries of child abuse and neglect cases. Technical factors were not found to affect substantiation rates, though certain legal factors were somewhat associated with lower substantiation rates. The use of risk assessment models is recommended to improve rates without…

The existence of maltreatment reports for 500 children with multiple disabilities was examined. The profiles of demographic and family characteristics associated with child maltreatment reporting were consistent with the literature, but child functional and developmental characteristics were not confirmed as risk factors. (Author/JDD)

Reports (n=3228) of suspected child abuse and neglect in South Australia for 1988-89 were studied to identify determinants of child protection workers' decisions to register a reported incident as being child abuse and neglect. Registration was predictable from two variables: age of the alleged victim and caseworker's estimate of severity.…

Vignettes depicting the physical mistreatment, psychological mistreatment, and neglect of children were used to examine perception and reportage of child abuse with 160 jurors and 176 child protective service/police personnel. Jurors born before 1945 were less critical of mistreatment than those born later, and female jurors pledged to report…

This article reviews research on child development relevant to the question of the veracity of mistreatment allegations made by children ages two to five years. The article covers research on thought and language, memory and learning, fears, fantasy, play, and television's effects. It is concluded that preschoolers base their play on the reality…