Opinions among mandated reporters toward child maltreatment reporting policies

Citation
S. Delaronde et al., Opinions among mandated reporters toward child maltreatment reporting policies, CHILD ABUSE, 24(7), 2000, pp. 901-910
Citations number
28
Categorie Soggetti
Social Work & Social Policy
Journal title
CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT
ISSN journal
01452134 → ACNP
Volume
24
Issue
7
Year of publication
2000
Pages
901 - 910
Database
ISI
SICI code
0145-2134(200007)24:7<901:OAMRTC>2.0.ZU;2-A
Abstract
Objective: This study investigates the opinions of social workers, pediatri cians, and physician assistants in their support for the existing child mal treatment mandated reporting policy and an alternative reporting policy. Di fferences in professional training, age, gender, reporting behavior, attitu des towards reporting, and level of certainty needed to report were conside red in determining which group of mandated reporters was most likely to sup port either the existing or an alternative policy. Method: A total of 382 social workers, pediatricians, and physician assista nts in Connecticut and Massachusetts completed a self-report questionnaire. This sample represented an overall adjusted response rate of 76%. Results: There was slightly more support for the existing reporting policy compared to the alternative policy. After controlling for age, attitudinal variables, and reporting behavior, social workers were significantly more l ikely to favor an alternative child maltreatment reporting policy than pedi atricians or physician assistants. Also, those mandated reporters who had n ot consistently reported all suspected cases of maltreatment were significa ntly more likely to favor the alternative policy than consistent reporters. Conclusions: Because the majority of mandated reporters do nor consistently report all suspected cases of maltreatment and support for an alternative reporting policy varies among different groups, consideration of alternativ e strategies and policies that address the concerns of different types of p rofessionals may be appropriate. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd.