Research implications for the prevention of child abuse and neglect

Child abuse and neglect is a problem of vast proportions. Research on the effectiveness of child abuse and neglect prevention programs is critical for the provision of effective and efficient services. This article is a critical analysis of the research methodologies on child abuse and neglect prevention programs at the secondary and tertiary levels as represented in the empirical literature. The article describes child abuse and neglect prevention programs, describes and analyzes the research conducted on these programs, and suggests ways to improve and validity of future research. There is a need for greater quantity and quality of research on child abuse and neglect prevention programs, including the increased use of comparison groups, larger sample sizes, and follow-up measurement.