Title: AbuseWatch.NET
Headings: Factors that Contribute to Child Abuse and Neglect

Content: During the past decade, prenatal exposure of children to drugs and alcohol during their mother's pregnancy, and its potentially negative developmental consequences, has been an issue of particular concern. In the United States, the number of children born each year exposed to drugs or alcohol is estimated to be between 550,000 and 750,000. Child-Rearing Approaches
Negative attitudes about a child's behavior and inaccurate knowledge about child development may play a contributing role in child maltreatment. Some studies have found that mothers who physically abuse their children have both more negative and higher than normal expectations of their children, as well as less understanding of appropriate developmental norms. A parent's lack of knowledge about normal child development may result in unrealistic expectations and culminate in inappropriate punishment. Research on maltreating parents found that they were more likely to use harsh discipline strategies and less likely to use positive parenting strategies such as time outs, reasoning, and recognizing and encouraging the child's successes. Teen Parents
Some studies of physical abuse, in particular, have found that teenage mothers tend to exhibit higher rates of child abuse than did older mothers. Other factors, such as lower economic status, lack of social support, and high stress levels, may contribute to the link between adolescent mothers or young parents and child abuse. 2. Family Factors
Specific life situations of some families, such as single parenting, domestic violence, and stressful life events, can contribute to the likelihood of maltreatment.