Methodological issues in child maltreatment research

The extensive body of research on the etiology and effects of child maltreatment is characterized by flawed methodology, marked by inadequate definitions, lack of a sound theoretical foundation, cross-sectional design limitations, sampling gaps, Inadequate or missing control groups, and unidimensional measures. As a result, far-reaching decisions in the field of child welfare have been based on questionable findings. The authors examine a range of Issues that researchers must grapple with to advance social workers' understanding of child abuse and neglect. Innovative approaches to Identified problems are discussed and specific suggestions for future research are presented.