This book examines the latest methodological advancements in child maltreatment research and practice. It addresses long-standing challenges when working with and serving the child maltreatment population, while offering pragmatic solutions for scientists, caseworkers, and providers. Chapters explore methodological innovations in such areas as screening and detecting child maltreatment, collecting objective data in longitudinal research, causal modeling of adverse health effects, and advancements in both preventive and clinical interventions. Key areas of coverage include methods for:

• Screening for child maltreatment at the point of contact.
• Reducing bias and promoting causal inference when examining health effects and etiological processes.
• Promoting representative samples, objective data collection, and integration of child welfare and medical records to enhance equitable access to care.
• Intervening with children and families at risk for and exposed to maltreatment. Innovative Methods in Child Maltreatment Research and Practice is a must-have reference for researchers, professors, and graduate students as well as clinicians, therapists, and other professionals in developmental, clinical child, and school psychology.

Autorentext

Chad Shenk, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Departments of Human Development & Family Studies and Pediatrics at Penn State. He is also a licensed clinical psychologist with specialty training in trauma exposure and pediatric psychology who actively sees patients exposed to child maltreatment through Penn State's Department of Pediatrics. Dr. Shenk's basic science research is centered on improving methods for causal estimation and target identification in prospective cohort studies of child trauma and adverse health across the lifespan. This work identifies biomarkers and mechanisms of various health conditions in the child trauma population using a multiple levels of analysis approach (e.g., biological, behavioral, environmental). His clinical trials and translational research therefore centers on the optimization of behavioral interventions applied following exposure to child trauma by engaging identified targets and mechanisms to treat psychiatric outcomes moreeffectively.