THE INFLUENCE OF CASE AND PROFESSIONAL VARIABLES ON THE IDENTIFICATION AND REPORTING OF CHILD MALTREATMENT - A STUDY OF LICENSED PSYCHOLOGISTS AND CERTIFIED MASTERS SOCIAL-WORKERS

All 50 states have laws requiring mental health and other professional s to report suspected maltreatment. Unfortunately, many professionals who are mandated to report suspicions of child maltreatment often fail to recognize potential maltreatment or fail to report their suspicion s. The present study examines several factors that may influence ident ification and reporting of child maltreatment Subjects were licensed p sychologists in the Midwest and certified Masters social workers in Ne braska. Child maltreatment included neglect, physical abuse, psycholog ical maltreatment, and sexual abuse. Characteristics associated with t he family or ''case'' (race, socioeconomic status of family, age of vi ctim, type of maltreatment) were manipulated and presented in hypothet ical case vignettes. Characteristics of the professional (e.g., traini ng and experience with identification and reporting personal history o f maltreatment and violence) were also investigated. Ratings of the se verity of the potential maltreatment situation, suspiciousness that ma ltreatment is occurring and likelihood of reporting maltreatment were completed after reading each case vignette. The results indicate that a variety of case and professional factors may influence identificatio n and reporting of maltreatment. Implications for training professiona ls and further research are discussed.