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CLASS ORIENTATIONS TO CHILD NEGLECT DEPARTMENT - ANNUAL REPORT, FISCAL YEAR 1977 - 78

NCJ Number
50980
Journal
Social Work Volume: 23 Issue: 5 Dated: (SEPTEMBER 1978) Pages: 397-401
Author(s)
N A POLANSKY; D P WILLIAMS
Date Published
1978
Length
5 pages
Annotation
A STUDY EXPOSING THE PREDOMINANT CAUSES OF CHILD NEGLIGENCE IS REVIEWED. DURING FISCAL YEAR 1977 - 1978.
Abstract
PREVIOUS STUDIES OF CLASS-RELATED VALUES IN THE AREA OF CHILD-CARING HAVE NOT BEEN PROVEN STATISTICALLY FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS: RESULTS OF STUDIES HAVE BEEN IN CONFLICT, AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH HAS NOT FULLY EXAMINED THE CRITICAL PHENOMENA. AN ORIGINAL QUESTIONNAIRE USING THE CHILDHOOD LEVEL OF LIVING SCALE (CLL) WAS DEVELOPED FOR THIS RESEARCH THAT INCLUDED CHILDREN FROM 4 TO 7 YEARS OF AGE. THE ITEMS ON THE SCALE CLASSIFIED AS POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE DEAL WITH PHYSICAL AS WELL AS COGNITIVE AND EMOTIONAL CARE. THIS SERIES OF STUDIES COMPARED 57 WORKING-CLASS MOTHERS WITH 58 MIDDLE-CLASS MOTHERS ON DIFFERENCES IN FAMILY INCOME AND EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT. THE HOLLINGSHEAD TWO-FACTOR INDEX OF SOCIAL POSITION PROVIDES A CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM BASED ON WEIGHTING EDUCATION AND THE OCCUPATION OF THE HEAD OF THE FAMILY. THE URBAN VERSION OF THE CLL GENERALLY REVEALED SIMILARITIES AMONG AVERAGE JUDGMENTS IN BOTH GROUPS, HOWEVER, THE WORKING-CLASS SUBJECTS PLACED GREATER EMPHASIS ON PHYSICAL CARE, AND THE MIDDLE-CLASS SUBJECTS FOCUSED ON PSYCHOLOGICAL AND INTERNAL FACTORS. IT IS, THEREFORE CONCLUDED, THAT PARENTS WITH LOW STANDARDS OF CHILD CARE ARE DEMONSTRATING AN INCAPACITY TO PROVIDE BETTER CARE RATHER THAN FOLLOWING FORMS SANCTIONED BY A REFERENCE GROUP. TABULAR DATA, NOTES, AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (JCP)