Examining the Association between Severity of Child Neglect and Quality of Parenting

This study explored associations between severity of child neglect perpetration through coding of child protective services case records; and quality of observed parenting, using observational, mic ro-social coding of parenting behaviors. Regression analyses showed that high severity neglecting mothers displayed significantly less warm, affiliative parenting than lower severity neglecting and non-CM mothers, and more harsh, controlling parenting relative to their non-CM peers. Further, there w ere no differences between low severity neglect and non-CM mothers in the amount of warm, affiliative parenting observed. These findings advance our understanding of child neglect by revealing important differences in quality of observed parenting across the spectrum of neglect severity. Implication s for conceptualizing child neglect and targeted intervention strategies are discussed.
Source: Journal of Family Violence - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research