Introduction

This introductory chapter provides definitions for central terms used throughout the book (child maltreatment, child abuse, and child neglect). It then provides a brief history of child maltreatment from Ancient Times to the present day and the societal responses to the problem over time. The chapter highlights the case of Mary Ellen as in an indication of the public recognition of child maltreatment in the United States in the 1870s. Finally, the chapter concludes by examining research on child maltreatment, including how it got started, how plentiful it is today, and common methodological problems that are inherent in the field. The research section addresses issues such as the difficulty inherent in separating the effects of different forms of maltreatment, the lack of operational definitions in the field, the secrecy surrounding child maltreatment, the fact that the effects of maltreatment may not be immediately obvious, and the difficulties with separating the effects of poverty from those of maltreatment.