The Risk of Abusive Violence among Children with Nongenetic Caretakers

Abstract

This article uses data from the Second National Family Violence Survey to examine whether nongenetic caretakers are more likely than genetic caretakers to use violence and abuse towards their children. The data reveal no significant differences between genetic and nongenetic parents in the rates of severe and very severe violence towards children. These results are discussed in terms of their implications both for diagnosing cases of child abuse and the biosocial theory of child maltreatment.