title: Reliability of family maltreatment diagnostic criteria: 41 site dissemination field trial.
abstract: R. E. Heyman and A. M. S. Slep developed and conducted an effectiveness trial of a diagnostic system for child and partner maltreatment. The current investigation tested the widespread dissemination of the diagnostic system at 41 child and partner maltreatment services sites (n = 549 partner maltreatment cases and n = 342 child maltreatment cases). Agreement between field and master reviewers' decisions was good for partner physical and emotional abuse (kappa = 0.83-0.84). Agreement was also good for child physical, emotional, and sexual abuse (kappa = 0.73-0.89) but lagged slightly for child neglect (kappa = 0.66). Thus, multifaceted and content valid family maltreatment diagnostic criteria can be disseminated reliably. Replication studies of interrater agreement of the diagnostic system in typical clinical and agency settings are necessary; however, the high levels of agreement in myriad field sites imply that consistency of maltreatment determinations is achievable in widespread use.
authors.affiliation: Family Translational Research Group.
authors.forename: Richard E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Heyman
authors.affiliation: Family Translational Research Group.
authors.forename: Amy M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Smith Slep
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000523:psychology*; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires