Reliability and Validity of the Mother-Child Neglect Scale

Abstract

The current study offers a new way to ascertain information about child neglect by evaluating a self-report measure of neglectful behaviors, the Mother-Child Neglect Scale (MCNS). The scale was modified from an existing self-report measure, the Neglect Scale (NS), which was originally designed to measure personal histories of neglect. One hundred adolescent mothers were administered the MCNS and NS in two occasions via phone interviews. In addition, maternal abuse potential and the quality of mother-child interactions were assessed when children were age 3 and 5 years. The MCNS had high internal consistency and moderate test-retest reliability. Convergent validity was found between the MCNS and maternal histories of neglect as well as observed parenting behaviors and child abuse potential; those relationships remained after social desirability was controlled. This research tool may prove useful, in conjunction with existing assessment instruments, in determining the type and severity of past neglectful behaviors.

Implementation and Randomized Controlled Trial Evaluation of Universal Postnatal Nurse Home Visiting

“…Mothers completed standard reliable and valid questionnaires assessing their parenting behaviors and knowledge, including the Mother-Child Neglect Scale, 14 the Parent-Child Conflict Tactics Scales, 15 the Knowledge of Infant Development Inventory (D. L. MacPhee, unpublished manuscript and manual, 1981), the Parenting Sense of Competence Scale, 16 and the Survey of New Parents. 17 We scored the following 5 variables: positive parenting behaviors (7 items, e.g., “comforted infant”), negative parenting behaviors (10 items, e.g., “shouted at infant”), knowledge of infant development (10 items, e.g., “6-month-olds know what ‘No’ means”), parenting sense of competence (17 items, e.g., “being a parent makes me tense and anxious”), and father–infant relationship quality (whether the biological father was involved with the infant; 10 items, e.g., “hugs or shows physical affection toward child”).…”

Does Maltreatment Beget Maltreatment? A Systematic Review of the Intergenerational Literature

“…Lounds et al (2006) found that being a victim of neglect did not significantly increase CAPI scores for mothers. They did find, however, that, controlling for respondents’ propensity to give more socially desirable responses (Paulhus, 1991), maternal history of victimization was significantly associated with higher scores on the Mother-Child Neglect Scale (Lounds, Borkowski, Whitman, and the Centers for Prevention of Child Neglect, 2004), which measures mothers’ potential to neglect children.…”

Child maltreatment, child protection and mental health

“…Lounds et al [15] developed a self-report measure [long (20-item) and short (8-item) versions] for mothers to measure child neglectful behaviour, with potential for screening. The population studied was adolescent mothers who, interestingly, themselves scored very high on reporting a history of child neglect in their own childhoods, and many had or currently lived in poverty.…”