THE ROLE OF THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE ETIOLOGY OF CHILD MALTREATMENT

The role of the environment in the etiology of child maltreatment has long been debated. Child protection activities have typically focused on the character of alleged perpetrators to the virtual exclusion of t he broad social context in which abuse and neglect occurs. Evidence of the stressful effects of environmental circumstance on adults in disa dvantaged families is substantial. Overwhelming social forces that act on parents with few resources or skills with which to cope and adapt can produce violent tendencies that lead to the mistreatment of their children. There is established theory to guide the design and implemen tation of programs sensitive to the potentially strong environmental i nfluence of the behavior of abusive and neglectful family members. Cop yright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd