Reported maltreatment among clinic-referred children: implications for presenting problems, treatment attrition, and long-term outcomes.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the treatment implications of a reported history of maltreatment in a sample of 343 children referred to Los Angeles area mental health clinics for emotional and behavioral problems.


METHODS
Child Protective Service records identified 161 of the 343 families as having a documented history of maltreatment. Parent reports of child behavior problems were obtained following clinic intake and at 2-year follow-up, and attrition was assessed via medical records. The authors examined the associations between a history of maltreatment and severity of child presenting problems, treatment attrition, and long-term mental health outcomes.


RESULTS
Compared to other clinic-referred children, youngsters with a history of maltreatment entered treatment with more externalizing behavior problems, were more likely to exit treatment early and without therapist consent, and continued to show greater externalizing problems 2 years later.


CONCLUSIONS
Maltreated children have significant mental health needs that may not be well addressed currently in community mental health clinics.
Lau
Anna S
AS
Department of Psychology, University of California at Los Angeles, 1285 Franz Hall, Box 951563, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563, USA. alau@psych.ucla.edu
Weisz
John R
JR
D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D019958:Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003156:Community Mental Health Services; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012017:Referral and Consultation