Fourth National Incidence Study of Child Abuse and Neglect (NIS–4)

Changes since the NIS–3 in the Distribution of Endangerment StandardMaltreatment Related to Child’s AgeChild’s age was related to changes since the NIS–3 in the incidence of overallEndangerment Standard maltreatment, neglect, emotional neglect, and in the incidence ofchildren who were endangered by Endangerment Standard maltreatment.Overall Endangerment Standard maltreatment. As Chapter 3 reported,the overall incidence of Endangerment Standard maltreatment decreased significantlysince the NIS–3. Child’s age is significantly related to the change since the NIS–3,meaning that the decrease was not uniform across ages. Figure 4–12 displays the percentchanges in incidence rates for the different age groups.Incidence rates decreased for all but the 0 to 2 age group, where the incidenceof Endangerment Standard maltreatment increased by 28% between the studies. Theother age groups all exhibited overall declines in risk of Endangerment Standardmaltreatment, but children ages 6 to 8 showed the largest decrease (by 30%). Childrenages 9 to 11 and those ages 12 to 14 experienced moderate declines in risk, 17% and15%, respectively. Children ages 3 to 5 years showed a more modest decrease in risk of9%, whereas the incidence rate for children ages 15 to 17 years revealed only a negligiblechange since the previous NIS.Neglect. The relation between child’s age and the between-study changes inrates of Endangerment Standard neglect was statistically marginal. Four age groupsshowed increases in risk of neglect, whereas two age groups evidenced declines, asdisplayed in Figure 4–13.4-18