Maltreatment in Daycare Settings: A Review of Empirical Studies in the Field
Date
2023
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Trauma, Violence, & Abuse
Abstract
Daycare maltreatment refers to abusive and/or neglectful acts perpetrated by teachers, directors, non-professionals or
volunteers, family members of staff, and peers in a daycare setting. Despite growing evidence of its occurrence, the prevalence
and consequences of daycare maltreatment for the child, the parent(s), and their dyad are largely unknown. This qualitative
systematic literature review was conducted to synthesize the existing literature referring to daycare maltreatment, using
Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. In order to be included in the analysis, the
manuscripts needed to report empirical findings regarding maltreatment in daycare settings, be written in English, be published
in a peer-reviewed journal or a dissertation, and be accessible by our research team. In all, 25 manuscripts met the above
criteria and were included in the review. Our results indicate that reports of daycare maltreatment are characterized by early
age of abused children, inferring mainly to sexual, physical, and emotional abuse. The majority of these manuscripts reported
caregivers’ and teachers’ abuse, while peer victimization was reported much less. In addition, the findings demonstrated a
higher representation of female perpetrators compared to abuse in other scenarios. Although some indications of long-term
implications are reported in the manuscripts, a well-validated measure for assessment of daycare maltreatment seems to be
lacking. These findings contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the complex experience and ramifications of daycare
maltreatment, providing insight into its multi-faceted implications.
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Keywords
child abuse, caregivers, attachment trauma, systematic review, daycare, International Resources, Israel
Citation
Talmon, A., Ditzer, J., Talmon, A., & Tsur, N. (2023). Maltreatment in Daycare Settings: A Review of Empirical Studies in the Field. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 15248380231155528.