Co-occurring Risk Factors

Many risk factors occur simultaneously and place children at a greater risk for maltreatment. These factors include parent and child characteristics, family factors, and community conditions.

Alcohol, Child Maltreatment, and Parenting Stress in the Lives of Birth Mothers
Harris
Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 18(2), 2008
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Examines parenting stress and substance abuse as risk factors for child maltreatment. Results showed that parents who had more self-confidence and were less bothered by their child's temperament were less likely to maltreat their children.

Characteristics Differentiating Neglected Children From Other Reported Children
Mayer, Lavergne, Tourigny, & Wright
Journal of Family Violence, 22(8), 2007
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Explains the co-occurrence of child age and parental factors that place a child at risk for neglect.

Cumulative Stress and Substantiated Maltreatment: The Importance of Caregiver Vulnerability and Adult Partner Violence
Wekerle, Wall, Leung, & Trocme
Child Abuse & Neglect, 31(4), 2007
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Examines caregiver vulnerabilities such as demographics, socioeconomic factors, cycle of abuse, and domestic violence. Results found that the co-occurrence of substance abuse and partner violence was useful in predicting substantiated child abuse cases.

Distinguishing Maltreating Versus Nonmaltreating At-Risk Families: Implications for Foster Care and Early Childhood Education Interventions
Curenton, McWey, & Bolen
Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Services, 90(2), 2009
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Relates parenting stress and low socioeconomic factors as risk factors to child maltreatment. Examines parents' poverty, education, and employment as they relate to parenting stress and abuse or neglect.

Early Childhood Maltreatment: Substantiation Related to Family Risk and Intervention Factors
Chen & Scannapieco
Child and Adolescent Social Work, 23(3), 2006
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Explores data on the co-occurrence of domestic violence, parental factors, and child maltreatment. Results showed that parent-child connection and caregiver skills are protective factors for child maltreatment.

'Failure to Thrive' Revisited
Batchelor
Child Abuse Review, 17(3), 2008
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Examines child, parent, family, and environment factors that may affect a child's failure to grow, and supports the use of a multifactored assessment for all at-risk children.

Hard Times Made Harder: Struggling Caregivers and Child Neglect (PDF - 462 KB)
Walsh (2010)
Analyzes the effect of substance abuse and mental health problems on neglected children and the risk for out-of-home placement. The issue brief also discusses a multifaceted approach to services to prevent neglect and out-of-home placement.

Helping St. Louis County Families: A Guide for Court Professionals on the Co-Occurrence of Domestic Violence and Child Abuse/Neglect (PDF - 1140 KB)
Litton (2007)
Directs judges and attorneys how to handle the co-occurrence of domestic violence and child abuse.

The Impact of Domestic Violence on Infant Health Factors and Child Maltreatment
McGuigan
APSAC Advisor: American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children, 19(1-2), 2007
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Investigates the impact of domestic violence on 12 health factors that place a child at risk for child maltreatment. Results showed the co-occurrence of health problems and domestic violence place a child at high risk for maltreatment.

Loosening the Soil of Their Thinking: A Theoretical Integration for Contracting with Low-Income Single Mothers to Stop Physical Aggression Toward Their Children
Tempel
Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 26(1), 2009
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Assesses social workers' interactions with low-income mothers who are at risk of physically abusing their children to develop a theoretical framework for serving the mothers.

Mothers of Children with Externalizing Behavior Problems: Cognitive Risk Factors for Abuse Potential and Discipline Style and Practices
McElroy & Rodriguez
Child Abuse and Neglect: The International Journal, 32(8), 2008
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Examines children who have behavior problems and their parents' responses as risk factors for child maltreatment.

Spouse Abuse, Child Abuse, and Substance Abuse Among Army Families: Co-Occurrence, Correlates and Service Delivery Issues (PDF - 332 KB)
Gibbs (2006)
Identifies an overlap in child abuse, domestic violence, and/or substance abuse in Army families and examines the services provided to these families.