Stressed Parents With Infants: Reassessing Physical Abuse Risk Factors

Citation:

Cadzow SP, Armstrong KL: Stressed parents with infants: reassessing physical abuse risk factors. Child Abuse & Neglect 23(9):845-853, September 1999.

Abstract

Notes:

• There is no strong single risk factor for physical abuse.
• Some of the markers include young maternal age, poverty, sole parenthood, social isolation, parental substance abuse, psychiatric illness, and history of childhood abuse.
• Financial stress, independent of income level, was the most powerful predictor of child physical abuse potential.
• Most parents who were abused are not abusive.
• It is important to assess an individual's coping skills.