An Ecological-Transactional Model of Child Maltreatment

Abstract

(from the chapter) In this chapter, we provide a perspective on child maltreatment that is derived from a developmental psychopathology framework. After addressing epidemiological and definitional aspects of child maltreatment, we describe an organizational perspective on development and its application to conceptualizing the impact of maltreatment experiences on the developmental process. In so doing, we present an ecological-transactional model to guide our review of the maltreatment literature. Specifically, we discuss how forces from each level of the ecology (i.e., macrosystem, exosystem, and microsystem), as well as characteristics of the individual, influence the development of adaptive and maladaptive developmental outcomes in maltreated children. By highlighting the risk and protective factors associated with each level of an ecological-transactional model, multiple pathways toward diverse developmental outcomes among maltreated children begin to emerge. The ecological-transactional model of child maltreatment provides an integrative framework that will assist intervention and prevention efforts, as well as suggest necessary directions for social policies on behalf of children and families. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved).