School-age and adolescent children’s perceptions of family functioning in neglectful and non-neglectful families

Abstract

Objective: Examined the question, do neglected children’s perceptions of their own family’s functioning acknowledge the differences that exist between neglectful and non-neglectful families? Method: An inter-rater consistency design was used; child and caseworker reports of family functioning in neglectful ( n = 33) and non-neglectful families ( n = 34) were compared. Results: After establishing significant differences between the socioemotional and physical environment provided by neglectful and non-neglectful families, the results indicated that children from neglectful families perceived a higher level of quality in family functioning that was not reported by caseworkers or supported by other measures. Conclusions: Implications for designing effective interventions for school-age and adolescent children from neglectful families are discussed.