Parental & Familial Risk Factors
A parent who experienced abuse in their own childhood is at higher risk of repeating the pattern.
What is a history of childhood abuse or neglect?
Children are at higher risk when they live in neighborhoods with high levels of this issue.
What is community violence?
Children in this age group experience the highest rates of maltreatment.
Who are children under 4 years old?
Survivors of childhood maltreatment often struggle with this common mental health outcome.
What is depression?
Children benefit when they have supportive adults such as teachers, relatives, or mentors.
What is social support?
This mental health issue in parents, including depression, increases risk for child maltreatment.
What are parental mental health problems?
Areas with widespread financial hardship show higher maltreatment rates.
What is community poverty?
Children who often require more care and may unintentionally increase stress on caregivers.
What are children with disabilities or special needs?
Adults who experiences abuse as children have higher rates of heart, lung, and metabolic problems.
What are long term physical health problems?
The ability to cope well despite challenges is an important protective factor.
What is resilience?
Caregiver use of drugs or alcohol is widely recognized as a major risk factor.
What is substance abuse?
Moving frequently or lacking stable housing raises stress for families.
What is residential instability?
Children with behavior regulation problems are at increased risk.
What is difficult temperament?
Adults who were abused as children may experience lower earnings and job instability?
What is reduced economic well-being?
Caregivers who understand child development and use nurturing strategies reduce risk.
What is positive parenting?
High levels of family conflict or isloation increase the likelihood of abuse or neglect.
What is family stress or conflict?
When these substances are easy to access, communities see higher rates of child maltreatment.
What is easy access to drugs and alcohol?
When parents did not plan or want a pregnancy, risk of neglect increases.
What is an unplanned pregnancy?
Childhood maltreatment significantly increases the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors.
What is suicidal behavior?
What is a positive school environment?
Young parents with few financial resources face additional challenges that increase risk.
Who are young or low income parents?
Low community connectedness means fewer adults looking out for children.
What is lack of social cohesion?
Poor bonding or lack of attachment between caregiver and child raises maltreatment risks.
What are attachment problems?
Abuse can alter brain development and affect cognition and emotional regulation throughout life.
What is neurodevelopmental impairment?
Policies and cultural norms that support families reduce overall rates of maltreatment.
What are societal protective factors?