6533b85efe1ef96bd12bfab9

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Child Abuse Potential

subject

description

Twenty-five mothers whose children had been under the supervision of the Child Protection Services (CPS group) primarily for neglect and 25 comparison mothers were compared with respect to their child abuse potential as assessed by Milner's Child Abuse Potential Inventory (CAPI). We examined whether the CPS mothers' child abuse potential would still be elevated 7 years after the reported maltreatment of their child. Second, an attempt was made to predict the CAPI scores with the mothers' childhood abuse experiences, adulthood social problems, and socioeconomic status. The CPS mothers scored significantly higher than the comparison mothers on most of the CAPI scales, indicating their persistent elevated child abuse potential. No significant differences between the groups were found, however, in risk for child abuse. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that the CAPI Abuse scale scores were best predicted by maternal social problems. Childhood abuse experienced by the mothers and socioeconomic status failed to predict the CAPI Abuse scale scores.