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BEHAVIORAL TREATMENT OF CHILD ABUSE

NCJ Number
48617
Journal
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology Volume: 19 Issue: 1 Dated: (1975) Pages: 100-103
Author(s)
R L POLAKOW; D L PEABODY
Date Published
1975
Length
4 pages
Annotation
A CASE HISTORY OF EFFECTIVE TREATMENT OF CHILD ABUSE BEHAVIOR BY CONDITIONING POSITIVE PARENTAL CONTROL OF THE CHILD'S ACTING-OUT BEHAVIOR IS PRESENTED.
Abstract
BELIEVING THAT CHILD ABUSE IS OFTEN AN INAPPROPRIATE RESPONSE TO SEVERE ACTING-OUT BEHAVIOR IN CHILDREN, SEVERAL BEHAVIORAL TECHNIQUES WERE EMPLOYED TO PROVIDE MRS. A., A 28-YEAR-OLD WOMAN PLACED ON A 3-YEAR GRANT OF PROBATION FOR CHILD ABUSE, WITH THE BEHAVIORAL SKILLS NECESSARY TO EFFECTIVELY DEAL WITH HER 7-YEAR-OLD SON. THE TECHNIQUES EMPLOYED WERE CONTINGENCY CONTRACTING, ASSERTIVE TRAINING, AND DISCRIMINATION TRAINING. A COUNTERCONDITIONING MODEL WAS USED. BY THE 13TH WEEK OF TREATMENT, MOST OF THE ACTING-OUT BEHAVIORS OF THE SON HAD BEEN EXTINGUISHED, AND MRS. A. HAD LEARNED TO REINFORCE POSITIVE BEHAVIOR IN HER SON. BY THE 40TH-50TH WEEK, THE THERAPIST WITHDREW FROM THE CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE CLIENT, AND COMPLETE CONTROL WAS TRANSFERRED TO HER. AT THE END OF THE YEAR, MRS. A. WAS MOVED TO A MAINTENANCE PROGRAM WHICH PROVIDED FOR A ONCE-A-MONTH CONTACT TO DISCUSS ANY PROBLEMS THAT AROSE, AS WELL AS TO CHECK ON HER GENERAL PROGRESS. FOLLOWUP OVER A 1-YEAR PERIOD REVEALED THAT HER SON'S ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE WAS FAR SUPERIOR TO WHAT IT HAD BEEN BEFORE TREATMENT BEGAN. IN ADDITION, THE FOLLOWUP SHOWED THAT THE SON'S ACTING-OUT BEHAVIOR, BOTH AT HOME AND IN SCHOOL, HAD CEASED. POLICE REPORTS ON MRS. A. SHOWED NO RECURRENCE OF CHILD ABUSE. A FINAL FOLLOWUP AT 18 MONTHS REVEALED THAT THE SON'S BEHAVIOR AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE WERE BEING MAINTAINED. (RCB)

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