Violence within the family: risk factors associated with child maltreatment

Identification of risk factors for child maltreatment is paramount to child protection. An understanding of these factors is an important step, with implications for the design of interventions for vulnerable families. The thesis is divided into five chapters, guiding the reader through an ecological understanding of individual, familial and societal factors related to perpetration of child maltreatment. An overview of literature and thesis aims are detailed in the introductory chapter. Chapter two presents a systematic literature review of child maltreatment and intimate partner violence (IPV); the results of which highlight evidence of co-occurrence. The review recognises associated risk variables, however methodological limitations point to a gap in the literature. Chapter three focuses on parental intellectual developmental disorder (IDD). An ecological perspective is taken, examining differences in risk factors for child maltreatment between parents with and without IDD. Results highlight differences between groups, indicating that parents with and without IDD may warrant different clinical attention and support. Chapter four is focused on parental stress. This chapter consists of a critique of the Parenting Stress Index (PSI), examining its applicability, taking into consideration reliability and validity, as well as its limitations. In the final chapter, the implications of the thesis are discussed