A Review of the Predisposition to Child Abuse

Abstract

This present review focuses on evaluating works investigating potential risk factors for child abuse. Child abuse is a complex issue, which has many contributing risk factors. Child abuse encompasses physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and child neglect. Each component has its own consequence to a child's health and wellbeing. Theories have been developed to explain the causes of and the predisposition to child abuse. Several studies exist which investigate the relationship between child abuse and a variety of risk factors. Risk factors that have been shown to correlate with child abuse include parental problems and difficulties, prior sexual abuse victimization of a child or siblings, social isolation of a child and family, child drug use, poor social skills, parental substance abuse, and neighborhood risk factors. Focusing on these theories and risk factors can lead to a better understanding of the predisposition to child abuse.