ABSTRACT
This chapter examines child abuse from a social learning perspective and outlines an intervention model based on behavioral methods and systematic collection of data. Child abuse, a long-standing problem, claims increasing public and professional attention. The Empirical investigations have now begun to test if existing hypotheses of child abuse are supported by research findings. Workers may then observe initial indicators of whether or not the family is abusive and if family members are willing to accept the child abuse as a problem. As in most behavioral intervention, contracts in child abuse counseling represent a building block for later work. Children's Home Society records show behavioral intervention effective in ameliorating child abuse. Empirically based approaches to child abuse intervention must be accompanied by contributions to the child protection literature. Practitioners able to generate research and theory about child abuse can no longer leave this responsibility to academicians.
