The Empirical Development of an Early Child Maltreatment Prevention
Program
Principal Investigator: Neil B. Guterman, PhD (CUSSW)
Project Steering Committee: Robert Abramovitz, MD; Bruce Grellong, PhD;
Jackie Miller, MSW, CSW; Alan Siskind, PhD
(JBFCS)
While programs are in place which detect and treat child abuse after
it occurs, little is known about how to effectively address the problem
proactively -- before it ever occurs. While early child abuse prevention
gives great hope, potentially alleviating the tremendous social and economic
consequences of child abuse, the promise of early intervention has, as
yet, not been rigorously tested. This study is evaluating a state-of-the-science
program which targets high-risk families transitioning into parenthood
for the first time. The program addresses the underlying risk and
protective factors typically found in abuse and neglect cases including:
parents knowledge of child development and the demands of parenting; bonding,
attachment, and communication between parent and child; parents' coping
skills in caring for an infant or child, including caring for children
with special needs; managing the burdens of child care; family isolation
and resource deprivation; access to appropriate social and health services
for family members; and, history of abuse and neglect in first-time parents.
The program incorporates those components found to be supported by
researchers and practitioners in the field. Accordingly, the program
components include: differential screening and assessment, prior to or
at birth; hi-intensity services; provision of home-based and community-based
services; medium to long-term duration of services; integrating and complementing
existing support services and programs; ethnically responsive and empowerment
oriented; linked to a medical home for screening and referral of cases,
and coordination of medical support services; and complimentary components
of parent support and education, social support, assertive case management,
and referral.
The program development and research uses a developmental research
approach which incorporates a scientific approach to program problem analysis,
design, development, evaluation, and diffusion and adoption.
The Principal Investigator is Dr. Neil B. Guterman. The study
is being funded through the Center's research development program with
additional support by JBFCS. The developmental work for the program
began in September, 1993 and the research is planned for three years.
The study was described in the 1994
issue of
Practice & Research.