Child Maltreatment in the Military: Understanding the Research

Efforts to reduce child maltreatment among military families should be based in an understanding of the current research on preventative interventions and the factors that influence their effectiveness. This report summarizes an extensive review of the literature regarding preventative interventions developed to prevent child maltreatment and the negative consequences of maltreatment for military and civilian families. Background regarding child maltreatment, particularly military child maltreatment, is provided, followed by a review of risk and protective factors and existing preventative intervention programs. Ultimately, this research must inform the provision of high-quality preventative interventions and other efforts to reduce military child maltreatment, including future research, policies, and programs.