Treatments for child neglect: A scoping review

BACKGROUND: Unlike more active forms of abuse, child neglect involves the omission of care. It is one of the most prevalent forms of child maltreatment, yet there is no consensus on its definition. Because of its high prevalence and severe consequences, there is a need for evidence-based interventions.

OBJECTIVE: Despite this urgency, an up-to-date synthesis of research on the effectiveness of treatments for children who experienced neglect is lacking.

METHOD: This scoping review mapped the scope, nature, and characteristics of studies on the treatment of children who experienced neglect published in the past decade, by using methodology for scoping reviews by Arksey and O'Malley (2005).

RESULTS: A total of 31 studies met the inclusion criteria. We extracted information on publication year, study design, participant characteristics, type of maltreatment, measurement instruments, and treatment characteristics. Most studies employed experimental designs and originated from Western countries. Ethnic minority representation was generally low. The majority of studies included populations where neglect co-occurred with other forms of maltreatment. Among the interventions studied, the SafeCare Program and Multisystemic Therapy (MST-CAN) were most common. Treatments typically targeted families or parents, focusing on skills training and relationship enhancement.

CONCLUSIONS: Research into the effectiveness of treatments for neglected children remains scarce and displays many gaps. There is a limited range of interventions for children who experienced neglect, with limited trauma and child focused interventions available. Furthermore, gaps are prominent in external validity and generalizability, including underrepresentation of ethnic minority populations. Future studies should incorporate culturally sensitive recruitment practices for increasing ethnic minority groups and are encouraged to apply intensive, multicomponent interventions.