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November 1984, Vol 138, No. 11 >
Article | November 1984

Reassessment of the Relationship of Perinatal Risk Factors and Child Abuse FREE

John M. Leventhal, MD; Susan A. Egerter, MPhil; Janet M. Murphy, MSW
[+] Author Affiliations

Read in part before the 52nd meeting of the Society for Pediatric Research, Washington, DC May 14, 1982.

Reprint requests to Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar St, New Haven, CT 06510 (Dr Leventhal).


Am J Dis Child. 1984;138(11):1034-1039. doi:10.1001/archpedi.1984.02140490034008.
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• We performed a case-control study to examine the relationship of child abuse to several perinatal risk factors. Cases were children who had been born at Yale—New Haven (Conn) Hospital and were reported for physical abuse to the Hospital's Child Abuse Committee. For each case, a control was chosen from the hospital's log of births and matched according to five demographic variables. We identified 117 case-control pairs. No relationship was found between either prematurity or low birth weight and child abuse. In contrast, there was an association between child abuse and young maternal age (both at the birth of the index child and at the birth of the first child). We conclude that prematurity and low birth weight are not risk factors for physical abuse but that young maternal age is related to abuse.

(AJDC 1984;138:1034-1039)

REFERENCES

1 +
Klein M, Stern L:  Low birth weight and the battered child syndrome . AJDC 1971;;122:15-18.
2 +
Lauer B, Broeck ET, Grossman M:  Battered child syndrome: Review of 130 patients with controls . Pediatrics 1974;;54:67-70.
3 +
Smith SM, Hanson R:  One hundred thirty-four battered children: A medical and psychological study . Br Med J 1974;;3:666-670.
4 +
Smith SM, Hanson R, Noble S:  Social aspects of the battered baby syndrome . Br J Psychiatry 1974;;125:568-582.
5 +
Corey EJB, Miller CL, Widlak FW:  Factors contributing to child abuse . Nurs Res 1975;;24:293-295.
6 +
Fomufod AK, Sinkford AK, Louy VE:  Mother-child separation at birth: A contributing factor in child abuse . Lancet 1975;;2:549-550.
7 +
Holman RR, Kanwar S:  Early life of the battered child . Arch Dis Child 1975;;50:78-81.
8 +
Lynch MA:  Ill-health and child abuse . Lancet 1975;;2:317-319.
9 +
Goldson E, Cadol RV, Fitch MJ, et al:  Nonaccidental trauma and failure to thrive . AJDC 1976;;130:490-492.
10 +
Lynch MA, Roberts J:  Predicting child abuse: Signs of bonding failure in the maternity hospital . Br Med J 1977;;1:624-626.
11 +
Sills JA, Thomas LJ, Rosenbloom L:  Nonaccidental injury: A two-year study in central Liverpool . Dev Med Child Neurol 1977;;19:26-33.
12 +
Goldson E, Fitch MJ, Wendell TA, et al:  Child abuse: Its relationship to birthweight, Apgar score, and developmental testing . AJDC 1978;;132:790-793.
13 +
Egeland B, Brunnquell D:  An at-risk approach to the study of child abuse: Some preliminary findings . J Am Acad Child Psychiatry 1979;;18:219-235.
14 +
Herrenkohl EC, Herrenkohl RC:  A comparison of abused children and their nonabused siblings . J Am Acad Child Psychiatry 1979;;18: 260-269.
15 +
 Child abuse in Georgia, 1975-1977 . MMWR 1979;;28:33-36.
16 +
Rowan JM:  Possible early warning signs of non-accidental injury to children . Child Abuse Neglect 1979;;3:767-776.
17 +
Cater JI, Easton PM:  Separation and other stresses in child abuse . Lancet 1980;;1:972-974.
18 +
Earp JA, Ory MG:  The influence of early parenting on child maltreatment . Child Abuse Neglect 1980;;4:237-245.
19 +
Kinard EM, Klerman LV:  Teenage parenting and child abuse: Are they related? Am J Orthopsychiatry 1980;;50:481-488.
20 +
Rowe DS, Leonard MF, Seashore MR, et al:  A hospital program for the detection and registration of abused children . N Engl J Med 1970;;282:950-952.
21 +
Groothius JR, Altemeier WA, Robage JP, et al:  Increased child abuse in families with twins . Pediatrics 1982;;70:769-773.
22 +
Fleiss JL: Statistical Methods for Rates and Proportions . New York, John Wiley & Sons Inc, 1973;, pp 72-91.
23 +
Baker RJ, Nelder JA: The GLIM System, Release 3, Generalized Linear Interactive Modeling . Amsterdam, Numerical Algorithms Group, 1978;.
24 +
Holford TR, White C, Kelsey JL:  Multivariate analysis for case-control studies . Am J Epidemiol 1978;;107:245-256.
25 +
Schlesselman JJ: Case-Control Studies: Design, Conduct, Analysis . Oxford, England, Oxford University Press, 1982;, pp 160-163.
26 +
Leventhal JM:  Risk factors for child abuse: Methodologic standards in case-control studies . Pediatrics 1981;;68:684-690.
27 +
Newberger EH, Reed RB, Daniel JH:  Pediatric social illness: Toward an etiologic classification . Pediatrics 1977;;60:178-185.
28 +
JasonJ, Andereck ND, Marks J, et al:  Child abuse in Georgia: A method to evaluate risk factors and reporting bias . Am J Public Health 1982;;72:1353-1358.
29 +
Klaus MH, Kennell JH, Plumb N, et al:  Human maternal behavior at the first contact with her young . Pediatrics 1970;;46:187-192.
30 +
Blake A, Stewart A, Turcan D:  Parents of babies of very low birth weight: Long-term follow-up , in Porter R, O'Connor M (eds): Parent-Infant Interaction: Ciba Foundation Symposium 33 . Amsterdam, Associated Scientific Publishers, 1975;, pp 271-288.
31 +
Leifer AD, Leiderman PH, Barnett CR, et al:  Effects of mother-infant separation on maternal attachment behavior . Child Dev 1972;; 43:1203-1218.
32 +
Jeffcoate JA, Humphrey ME, Lloyd JK:  Disturbance in parent-child relationship following preterm delivery . Dev Med Child Neurol 1979;;21:344-352.
33 +
Collingwood J, Alberman E:  Separation at birth and the mother-child relationship . Dev Med Child Neurol 1979;;21:608-618.
34 +
Field TM:  Interaction patterns of premature and full-term infants , in Field TM (ed): Infants Born at Risk: Behavior and Development . New York, SP Medical & Scientific Books, 1979;, pp 333-356.
35 +
Goldberg S:  Prematurity: Effects on parent-infant interaction . J Pediatr Psychol 1978;;3: 137-144.
36 +
Lester BM, Zeskind PS:  Brazelton scale and physical size correlates of neonatal cry features . Infant Behav Devel 1978;;1:393-402.
37 +
Frodi A, Lamb M, Leavitt L, et al:  Fathers' and mothers' responses to the faces and cries of normal and premature infants . Dev Psychol 1978;;14:490-498.
38 +
Bidder RT, Crowe EA, Gray OP:  Mothers' attitudes to preterm infants . Arch Dis Child 1974;;49:766-770.
39 +
Boyle M, Griffen A, Fitzhardinge P:  The very low birthweight infant: Impact on parents during the preschool years . Early Hum Dev 1977;;1:191-201.
40 +
Leiderman PH, Seashore MJ:  Mother-infant neonatal separation: Some delayed consequences , in Porter R, O'Connor M (eds): Parent-Infant Interaction: Ciba Foundation Symposium 33 . Amsterdam, Associated Scientific Publishers, 1972;, pp 213-239.
41 +
McAnarney ER, Lawrence RA, Aten MJ:  Premature parenthood: A preliminary report of adolescent mother-infant interactions . Pediatr Res 1979;;13:328.
42 +
DeLissovoy V:  Child care by adolescent parents . Child Today 1973;;2:22-25.
43 +
Field TM, Widmayer SM, Stringer S, et al:  Teenage, lower-class, black mothers and their preterm infants: An intervention and developmental follow-up . Child Dev 1980;;51:426-436.
44 +
Oppel WC, Royston AB:  Teen-age births: Some social, psychological, and physical sequelae . Am J Public Health 1971;;61:751-756.
45 +
Altemeier WA, O'Connor S, Vietze PM, et al:  Antecedents of child abuse . J Pediatr 1982;;100:823-829.

Figures

Tables

Interactive Graphics

Video

Country-Specific Mortality and Growth Failure in Infancy and Yound Children and Association With Material Stature

Use interactive graphics and maps to view and sort country-specific infant and early dhildhood mortality and growth failure data and their association with maternal

References

1 +
Klein M, Stern L:  Low birth weight and the battered child syndrome . AJDC 1971;;122:15-18.
2 +
Lauer B, Broeck ET, Grossman M:  Battered child syndrome: Review of 130 patients with controls . Pediatrics 1974;;54:67-70.
3 +
Smith SM, Hanson R:  One hundred thirty-four battered children: A medical and psychological study . Br Med J 1974;;3:666-670.
4 +
Smith SM, Hanson R, Noble S:  Social aspects of the battered baby syndrome . Br J Psychiatry 1974;;125:568-582.
5 +
Corey EJB, Miller CL, Widlak FW:  Factors contributing to child abuse . Nurs Res 1975;;24:293-295.
6 +
Fomufod AK, Sinkford AK, Louy VE:  Mother-child separation at birth: A contributing factor in child abuse . Lancet 1975;;2:549-550.
7 +
Holman RR, Kanwar S:  Early life of the battered child . Arch Dis Child 1975;;50:78-81.
8 +
Lynch MA:  Ill-health and child abuse . Lancet 1975;;2:317-319.
9 +
Goldson E, Cadol RV, Fitch MJ, et al:  Nonaccidental trauma and failure to thrive . AJDC 1976;;130:490-492.
10 +
Lynch MA, Roberts J:  Predicting child abuse: Signs of bonding failure in the maternity hospital . Br Med J 1977;;1:624-626.
11 +
Sills JA, Thomas LJ, Rosenbloom L:  Nonaccidental injury: A two-year study in central Liverpool . Dev Med Child Neurol 1977;;19:26-33.
12 +
Goldson E, Fitch MJ, Wendell TA, et al:  Child abuse: Its relationship to birthweight, Apgar score, and developmental testing . AJDC 1978;;132:790-793.
13 +
Egeland B, Brunnquell D:  An at-risk approach to the study of child abuse: Some preliminary findings . J Am Acad Child Psychiatry 1979;;18:219-235.
14 +
Herrenkohl EC, Herrenkohl RC:  A comparison of abused children and their nonabused siblings . J Am Acad Child Psychiatry 1979;;18: 260-269.
15 +
 Child abuse in Georgia, 1975-1977 . MMWR 1979;;28:33-36.
16 +
Rowan JM:  Possible early warning signs of non-accidental injury to children . Child Abuse Neglect 1979;;3:767-776.
17 +
Cater JI, Easton PM:  Separation and other stresses in child abuse . Lancet 1980;;1:972-974.
18 +
Earp JA, Ory MG:  The influence of early parenting on child maltreatment . Child Abuse Neglect 1980;;4:237-245.
19 +
Kinard EM, Klerman LV:  Teenage parenting and child abuse: Are they related? Am J Orthopsychiatry 1980;;50:481-488.
20 +
Rowe DS, Leonard MF, Seashore MR, et al:  A hospital program for the detection and registration of abused children . N Engl J Med 1970;;282:950-952.
21 +
Groothius JR, Altemeier WA, Robage JP, et al:  Increased child abuse in families with twins . Pediatrics 1982;;70:769-773.
22 +
Fleiss JL: Statistical Methods for Rates and Proportions . New York, John Wiley & Sons Inc, 1973;, pp 72-91.
23 +
Baker RJ, Nelder JA: The GLIM System, Release 3, Generalized Linear Interactive Modeling . Amsterdam, Numerical Algorithms Group, 1978;.
24 +
Holford TR, White C, Kelsey JL:  Multivariate analysis for case-control studies . Am J Epidemiol 1978;;107:245-256.
25 +
Schlesselman JJ: Case-Control Studies: Design, Conduct, Analysis . Oxford, England, Oxford University Press, 1982;, pp 160-163.
26 +
Leventhal JM:  Risk factors for child abuse: Methodologic standards in case-control studies . Pediatrics 1981;;68:684-690.
27 +
Newberger EH, Reed RB, Daniel JH:  Pediatric social illness: Toward an etiologic classification . Pediatrics 1977;;60:178-185.
28 +
JasonJ, Andereck ND, Marks J, et al:  Child abuse in Georgia: A method to evaluate risk factors and reporting bias . Am J Public Health 1982;;72:1353-1358.
29 +
Klaus MH, Kennell JH, Plumb N, et al:  Human maternal behavior at the first contact with her young . Pediatrics 1970;;46:187-192.
30 +
Blake A, Stewart A, Turcan D:  Parents of babies of very low birth weight: Long-term follow-up , in Porter R, O'Connor M (eds): Parent-Infant Interaction: Ciba Foundation Symposium 33 . Amsterdam, Associated Scientific Publishers, 1975;, pp 271-288.
31 +
Leifer AD, Leiderman PH, Barnett CR, et al:  Effects of mother-infant separation on maternal attachment behavior . Child Dev 1972;; 43:1203-1218.
32 +
Jeffcoate JA, Humphrey ME, Lloyd JK:  Disturbance in parent-child relationship following preterm delivery . Dev Med Child Neurol 1979;;21:344-352.
33 +
Collingwood J, Alberman E:  Separation at birth and the mother-child relationship . Dev Med Child Neurol 1979;;21:608-618.
34 +
Field TM:  Interaction patterns of premature and full-term infants , in Field TM (ed): Infants Born at Risk: Behavior and Development . New York, SP Medical & Scientific Books, 1979;, pp 333-356.
35 +
Goldberg S:  Prematurity: Effects on parent-infant interaction . J Pediatr Psychol 1978;;3: 137-144.
36 +
Lester BM, Zeskind PS:  Brazelton scale and physical size correlates of neonatal cry features . Infant Behav Devel 1978;;1:393-402.
37 +
Frodi A, Lamb M, Leavitt L, et al:  Fathers' and mothers' responses to the faces and cries of normal and premature infants . Dev Psychol 1978;;14:490-498.
38 +
Bidder RT, Crowe EA, Gray OP:  Mothers' attitudes to preterm infants . Arch Dis Child 1974;;49:766-770.
39 +
Boyle M, Griffen A, Fitzhardinge P:  The very low birthweight infant: Impact on parents during the preschool years . Early Hum Dev 1977;;1:191-201.
40 +
Leiderman PH, Seashore MJ:  Mother-infant neonatal separation: Some delayed consequences , in Porter R, O'Connor M (eds): Parent-Infant Interaction: Ciba Foundation Symposium 33 . Amsterdam, Associated Scientific Publishers, 1972;, pp 213-239.
41 +
McAnarney ER, Lawrence RA, Aten MJ:  Premature parenthood: A preliminary report of adolescent mother-infant interactions . Pediatr Res 1979;;13:328.
42 +
DeLissovoy V:  Child care by adolescent parents . Child Today 1973;;2:22-25.
43 +
Field TM, Widmayer SM, Stringer S, et al:  Teenage, lower-class, black mothers and their preterm infants: An intervention and developmental follow-up . Child Dev 1980;;51:426-436.
44 +
Oppel WC, Royston AB:  Teen-age births: Some social, psychological, and physical sequelae . Am J Public Health 1971;;61:751-756.
45 +
Altemeier WA, O'Connor S, Vietze PM, et al:  Antecedents of child abuse . J Pediatr 1982;;100:823-829.

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