Exploring the interrelatedness of risk factors for child maltreatment: A network approach

Theories on the etiology of child maltreatment generally focus on the interaction between multiple risk and protective factors. Moreover, the quadratic model of cumulative risk describes a threshold at which the risk of child maltreatment increases exponentially, suggesting a synergistic effect between risk factors. This study explored the interrelatedness of risk factors for child maltreatment. The sample consisted of risk assessments performed for both high-risk families (n = 2,399; child protection services) and lower risk families (n = 1,904; community outreach services). Network analyses were performed on parental risk factors. Three networks were constructed: a cross-sample network, a high-risk network, and a lower risk network. The relations between risk factors were examined, as well as the centrality of each risk factor in these networks. Additionally, the networks of the two samples were compared. The networks revealed that risk factors for child maltreatment were highly interrelated, which is consistent with Belsky’s multi-dimensional perspective on child maltreatment. As expected, risk factors were generally stronger related to each other in the high-risk sample than in the lower risk sample. Centrality analyses showed that the following risk factors play an important role in the development of child maltreatment: “Caregiver was maltreated as a child”, “History of domestic violence”, and “Caregiver is emotionally absent”. We conclude that studying the interrelatedness of risk factors contributes to knowledge on the etiology of child maltreatment and the improvement of both risk assessment procedures and interventions for child maltreatment.