Child abuse and neglect in military and civilian families

Patterns and correlates of child maltreatment were investigated both within the military and between military and civilian families. The results revealed that certain patterns and correlates emerged within the military that were significant. For example, loss of control and lack of tolerance were two major reasons given for abuse by military perpetrators . Also the stresses of family discord, new baby and continuous child care along with relocation and isolation played important roles in the occurrence of abuse within the military. When comparisons were made between military and civilian families, some differences were discovered but many more similarities were found. As an example, the analysis revealed that the stress of broken family was a more important correlate of abuse in civilian than in military cases of abuse. For all the other kinds of stresses (e.g., family discord and isolation), however, one was no more important for military than for civilian perpetrators . Although the patterns and correlates of child abuse and neglect may not be unique to the military, this does not minimize the importance of the problem in the armed forces. Programs of treatment and prevention must be developed and implemented to fit the needs and life styles of military families.