3 Review(s)

First published in 1996. With so much information available today in the area of child abuse, figuring out where to begin quickly becomes overwhelming. But the Spectrum of Child Abuse stands out from current literature in its comprehensiveness and balance. Dr. Oates presents a detailed, thoroughly referenced overview of the entire field- rather than focusing exclusively on one particular professional viewpoint or facet of the problem. The chapters encompass physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse and neglect. For each of these areas, the text offers a clear historical perspective in addition to pertinent data on incidence and epidemiology, contributing factors, assessment, treatment and prevention. Moreover, a wealth of case studies underscores the important and meaning of various intervention strategies.