Home > The Risk and Prevention of Maltreatment of Children with Disabilities > The Risk and Prevention of Maltreatment of Children with Disabilities : Is There a Relationship Between the Type of Maltreatment and Type of Disability?

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The Risk and Prevention of Maltreatment of Children with Disabilities
Bulletin for Professionals

Author(s):  Child Welfare Information Gateway

Year Published:  2001

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You are in section: Table of Contents 1 - What is the Scope of the Problem 2 - What are the Characteristics of… 3 - Is There a Relationship Between… 4 - Why are Children with Disabilities… 5 - What Can Be Done to Prevent… Conclusion References Endnotes

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Is There a Relationship Between the Type of Maltreatment and Type of Disability?

Some studies have explored the relationship between the type of maltreatment and type of disability. Child welfare agencies generally group maltreatment into four categories: physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, and emotional maltreatment. Table 2 shows findings from two studies that explored the likelihood that children with disabilities will experience a particular type of maltreatment.

These studies both found that neglect was the most common form of maltreatment for children with disabilities as well as for children without disabilities. Sullivan and Knutson (in press) also found that "children with disabilities tended to be maltreated multiple times and in multiple ways". (p. 9).

Both of these studies (Crosse et al. and Sullivan & Knutson) also explored which types of disabilities place children at greatest risk of maltreatment. Disabilities examined in both studies include mental retardation, speech/language impairments, emotional disabilities, learning disabilities, and physical health impairments. Sullivan and Knutson also included hearing and visual impairments. Both studies found that of all types of disabilities, emotional and behavioral disorders showed the highest prevalence rate of abuse and neglect. Sullivan and Knutson (in press) found that children with behavioral disorders were at highest risk, followed by children with speech/language disorders, mental retardation, and health impairments. Crosse et al. (n.d.) found that serious emotional disturbance puts children at the highest risk, followed by learning disabilities, speech/language impairments, and physical health problems. (To fully understand these findings, it is helpful to understand each study's methodology. See References for a complete list of citations.)

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You are in section: Table of Contents 1 - What is the Scope of the Problem 2 - What are the Characteristics of… 3 - Is There a Relationship Between… 4 - Why are Children with Disabilities… 5 - What Can Be Done to Prevent… Conclusion References Endnotes

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Updated on July 3, 2008