ABSTRACT
There are many factors to consider when attempting to figure out why child maltreatment occurs. We are not able to simply say, “If x is true, then abuse will occur.” If it were determined that x caused child maltreatment, child protective services (CPS) would have a much easier job. First, professionals could work to prevent or fix x. Second, if x was present, CPS would know a child was at risk; and if x was absent, they would know the child was safe from maltreatment. Sadly, the picture that has emerged from research is not nearly so clear-cut. There does not seem to be any one factor that will cause maltreatment or prevent it from occurring. Instead, there are a multitude of factors that increase the likelihood that a particular child will be the victim of maltreatment. In trying to understand the complex phenomenon of child abuse, many researchers have found it helpful to keep the work of Bronfenbrenner in mind. This well-known psychologist says that in any attempt to understand human behavior, we must consider many levels of influence. We cannot look only at the child or even only at the family if we want to truly understand the problem. We must consider the broader social contexts in which these families exist. Researchers must examine the roles played by communities, local and federal government, the media, and even the time in which we live (Bronfenbrenner, 2000). Factors that increase the risk for child maltreatment have been identified in all of these contexts. While none of the factors discussed in this chapter means that a child will definitely be maltreated, each increases the likelihood that maltreatment will occur.
