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Key Words definition, etiology, sequelae, intervention, policy
* Abstract Child maltreatment exemplifies a toxic relational environment that poses significant risks for maladaptation across biological and psychological domains of development. Research on child maltreatment can inform developmental theory, but more importantly, it can enhance the quality of clinical, legal, and policy-making decisions for maltreated children. This chapter addresses definitional, epidemiological, and etiological aspects of child maltreatment. A developmental psychopathology perspective is directed toward the discussion of the psychological and neurobiological sequelae of child maltreatment. Implications for prevention, intervention, and social policy are discussed, and recommendations for future research are proffered.
INTRODUCTION
Research on maltreated children provides an opportunity to examine contextual experiences that far exceed normative experiences of caregiving. Child maltreatment exemplifies a toxic relational environment that poses considerable risk for maladaptation across diverse biological and psychological domains of development (Cicchetti 2002). Beyond the contributions that research on child maltreatment can make to inform developmental theory, it also is extremely important for enhancing the quality of clinical, legal, and policy-making decisions for maltreated children (Cicchetti & Toth 1993, Toth & Cicchetti 1993).
In this chapter, we provide a selective review of theory and research in the area of child maltreatment. We begin by addressing definitional, epidemiological, and etiological aspects of child maltreatment. Our discussion is guided by a developmental psychopathology perspective, which we describe. We then direct our attention toward the extant research on the effects of child maltreatment on the developmental process, addressing both psychological and neurobiological sequelae. In the penultimate section of the chapter, implications for prevention, intervention, and social policy are explored. We conclude with recommendations for future research to continue to advance the understanding of, and intervention for, this societal problem.
DEFINITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS
In the last decade, the maltreatment literature has profited from methodological advances devoted to the operationalization of child maltreatment. In general, four categories of child maltreatment have been distinguished: (a) physical abuse, which involves the infliction of bodily injury on a child by nonaccidental means; (b) sexual abuse, which includes sexual contact or attempted contact between a child and a caregiver or other adult for purposes of the caregiver's sexual gratification or financial gain; (c) neglect, which pertains to both the failure to provide minimum care and...