Let it go, let it go: Stop measuring child maltreatment as a binary yes/no

被引:5
作者
McGuire, Austen [1 ]
Singh, A. [2 ]
Jackson, Yo [3 ]
机构
[1] Med Univ South Carolina, Natl Crime Victims Res & Treatment Ctr, Dept Psychiat & Behav Sci, Charleston, SC 29425 USA
[2] Univ Kansas, Clin Child Psychol Program, Dole Human Dev Bldg,1000 Sunnyside Ave, Lawrence, KS 66045 USA
[3] Penn State Univ, Dept Psychol, University Pk, PA 16802 USA
关键词
Child maltreatment; Youth; Measurement; Trauma; NATIONAL-SURVEY; SEXUAL-ABUSE; VIOLENCE; VICTIMIZATION; ASSOCIATION; ADOLESCENTS; EXPERIENCES; VALIDATION; DIMENSIONS; SEVERITY;
D O I
10.1016/j.chiabu.2024.106994
中图分类号
D669 [社会生活与社会问题]; C913 [社会生活与社会问题];
学科分类号
1204 ;
摘要
Numerous methods are used in the measurement of child maltreatment (CM) exposure. As a science, it is necessary that the field of CM research evaluate its measurement approaches periodically to ensure that the common approaches are the best approaches. A prominent method for measuring CM in research as a predictor variable is to conceptualize CM as a two-level, yes/no binary variable (e.g., 0 = No CM exposure, 1 = CM exposure). While there is no consensus on what method is the best approach for measuring CM, empirical evidence suggests that the binary measurement approach to CM has significant limitations. The current paper sought to progress the field of CM and trauma research forward by reviewing several lines of research demonstrating why the use of a binary yes/no CM measurement approach is problematic. As evidence for why a binary measurement of CM should be halted, this paper reviews research on: why the characteristics or details of CM exposure matter, risk of CM "contamination," and CM's relation with environmental or systemic factors. The ethical and clinical implications of a CM binary measurement approach are also discussed. Several recommendations for the field are provided on how researchers can improve the measurement of CM and ensure accurate and replicable studies are being published.
引用
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页数:11
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