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A note on the knowledge and attitudes of professional groups toward child abuse
Author(s) -
Hazzard Ann,
Rupp Gary
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
journal of community psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.585
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 1520-6629
pISSN - 0090-4392
DOI - 10.1002/1520-6629(198604)14:2<219::aid-jcop2290140213>3.0.co;2-t
Subject(s) - mental health , psychology , health professionals , child abuse , psychiatry , medicine , clinical psychology , suicide prevention , poison control , health care , medical emergency , economics , economic growth
This study compares the child abuse‐related knowledge and attitudes of pediatricians ( n = 47), mental health professionals ( n = 53), teachers ( n = 104), and college students ( n = 68). Mental health professionals were better informed than pediatricians; teachers and college students were the least knowledgeable. Knowledge was related significantly to amount of professional education and experience with abuse cases and was associated with less negative emotional reaction to abusive parents. On the basis of study results, additional abuse‐related education is recommended for pediatricians and particularly for teachers.