Publication year
2010
Citation Title
Substantiation of spouse and child maltreatment reports as a function of referral source and maltreatment type
Journal Name
Military Medicine
Journal Volume
175
Issue Number
8
Page Numbers
560-566
DOI
10.7205/MILMED-D-10-00035
Summary
Data from the Air Force Family Advocacy System of Records were obtained to examine the rate of substantiated spouse and child maltreatment reports, and explore whether maltreatment type or referral source influenced the rate of substantiation. Differences between maltreatment type and referral source were observed for both child and spouse maltreatment.
Key Findings
For spouses, reports were more likely to be substantiated if they involved alleged physical abuse or multiple forms of abuse; sexual abuse and neglect were the least likely to be substantiated.
Child abuse reports alleging emotional abuse or neglect were most likely to be substantiated, while physical abuse allegations were the least likely to be substantiated.
Referrals made by military professionals were more likely to be substantiated than those made by civilian professionals or nonprofessional.
Referral sources such as law enforcement agencies, commands, military chaplains, and family advocacy program staff had the highest rates of substantiated maltreatment reports for both children and spouses.
Implications for Program Leaders
Continue to provide training to military providers on how to identify and report incidences of spouse and child maltreatment
Provide education to military spouses and children regarding recognizing signs of abuse and identifying resources that support victims of abuse
Provide education to Service members and their families to enhance resilience and the use of healthy coping mechanisms to prevent child and spouse maltreatment
Implications for Policy Makers
Continue to support programs that identify and prevent child and spouse maltreatment in military families
Promote the use of a structured process for identifying and substantiating cases of child and spouse maltreatment
Encourage collaboration among DoD programs and community-based services that work with victims of maltreatment
Methods
Alleged maltreatment records from January 1, 2000 through December 31, 2007 were obtained from the Air Force Family Advocacy System of Records.
Alleged maltreatment reports from 77 Air Force bases were included in the records.
There were 33,787 reports of alleged spouse maltreatment and 31,986 reports of alleged child maltreatment (n = 65,773).
Participants
The majority of spouse maltreatment allegations involved allegations of physical (59%) or emotional abuse (27%).
Neglect (40%), physical abuse (24%), and emotional abuse (20%) were the most common types of child maltreatment allegations.
Demographic data for the sample were not provided.
Limitations
Alleged maltreatment reports only included those reports made on Air Forces bases, limiting the applicability of results to other branches of the military.
Data from the years of 2000-2007 were utilized and may not reflect current rates of substantiated maltreatment reports.
A relatively low number of allegations for spouse sexual abuse and neglect were reported so results should be interpreted with caution.
Avenues for Future Research
Examine the rate of substantiated maltreatment reports for military spouses and children within other branches of the military
Explore why rates of substantiation for child maltreatment reports were lowest among civilian professionals (e.g., child care and school referrals) and highest for military professionals
Explore why the rates of substantiated maltreatment reports have decreased over time for both the Air Force and general U.S. population
Focus
Air Force
Target Population
Population Focus
Military Branch
Abstract
Substantiation rates for alleged incidents of spouse (N = 33,787) and child (N = 31,986) maltreatment reported to the U.S. Air Force (AF) Family Advocacy Program between 2000 and 2007 were examined. For spouse maltreatment, physical abuse and multiple forms of maltreatment were most likely to be substantiated and neglect was least likely to be substantiated. For child maltreatment, emotional abuse was most likely to be substantiated and physical abuse was least likely to be substantiated. Substantiation rates were higher for referrals by military professionals than for referrals by civilian professionals or nonprofessionals; considerable variation in substantiation rates were higher for spouse than for child maltreatment, and substantiation rates for child maltreatment were higher in the AF than in the general U.S. population. Substantiation rates have declined over time in both the AF and the United States.
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