Treatment strategies for child physical abuse and neglect: a critical progress report

Abstract

Twenty-one studies reporting on treatment outcome with abusive and/or neglectful parents and their children are reviewed in terms of their success at addressing identified intervention needs of children, parents, and the situational context. Three sections comprise this review: (a) child-focused interventions (primarily therapeutic day-care programs), (b) parent-focused intervention (i. e., behavioral and cognitive-behavioral programs and social network interventions), and (c) comprehensive/multiservice programs (i. e., family-centered home-based intervention programs and ecobehavioral intervention programs). Findings support the significance of parent-focused interventions that include well-specified training components aimed at improving child-rearing competence and stress management. In addition, therapeutic programs for child victims show value in regaining some of the developmental milestones and peer competencies often lagging in maltreated children. Disappointing outcomes were found in many of the studies that address more comprehensive issues, due largely to a lack of adequate methodology and study. Conclusions concerning directions for intervention practice and research are raised.