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Primary prevention of child physical abuse and neglect: a critical review. Part I
H L MacMillan1, J H MacMillan, D R Offord
1Department of Psychiatry, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Insights
This study reviewed interventions for preventing child physical abuse and neglect. Extended home visitation programs showed effectiveness in preventing maltreatment among disadvantaged families.
Area of Science:
- Child development
- Public health
- Social work
Background:
- Child maltreatment, including physical abuse and neglect, poses significant public health challenges.
- Primary prevention strategies are crucial for mitigating the incidence of child maltreatment.
- Existing literature on the effectiveness of various prevention interventions requires systematic review.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review the effectiveness of interventions for the primary prevention of child physical abuse and neglect.
- To identify and classify different types of perinatal and early childhood programs aimed at prevention.
- To evaluate the methodological rigor of prospective controlled trials in this field.
Main Methods:
- Systematic identification of prospective controlled trials published between January 1979 and May 1993.
- Quality assessment of identified studies based on methodological rigor criteria.
- Classification of interventions into six main categories within perinatal and early childhood programs.
Main Results:
- Many reviewed programs did not demonstrate a significant reduction in physical abuse or neglect.
- Extended home visitation emerged as a promising intervention.
- Evidence suggests effectiveness of home visitation for disadvantaged families.
Conclusions:
- While many primary prevention programs for child maltreatment lack demonstrated effectiveness, extended home visitation shows promise.
- Targeted interventions, such as home visitation for at-risk populations, are essential for preventing child physical abuse and neglect.
- Further research into effective primary prevention strategies is warranted.
Abstract:
This paper (Part I) and its companion paper (Part II) provide an overview of the primary prevention of child maltreatment. Part I reviews the effectiveness of interventions aimed at the primary prevention of child physical abuse and neglect. Prospective controlled trials published between January 1979 and May 1993 were systematically identified. The quality of each study was determined using criteria which assessed methodological rigor. Interventions aimed at the prevention of physical abuse and neglect were classified into six main categories within the broad group of perinatal and early childhood programs. While many of these programs did not show a reduction in physical abuse or neglect, there is evidence that extended home visitation can prevent physical abuse and neglect among disadvantaged families.