Abstract
The aim of this study was to provide preliminary findings on the cross-cultural validation and reliability of the Brief Child Abuse Potential Inventory (BCAP) developed by Ondersma et al. (Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 2005). A community sample of 324 parents was recruited through schools from a range of socioeconomic areas in a large UK city. The BCAP appears to be a reliable instrument that is easy to use and shows promise as a brief screening tool for parental child abuse potential within the UK. Modifications are suggested to the validity scales and the conceptual structure based on this sample, however, detailed testing of the utility of this scale for clinical practice outside the US should be pursued.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abidin, R. R. (1983). Parenting stress index: Manual. Charlottesville: Pediatric Psychology.
Azar, S. T., & Wolfe, D. A. (1998). Child physical abuse and neglect. In E. J. Mash & R. A. Barkley (Eds.), Treatment of childhood disorders (2nd ed., pp. 501–544). New York: Guilford Press.
Barrett, P., & Kline, P. (1981). The observation to variable ratio in factor analyses. Journal of Personality and Group Behaviour, 1, 23–33.
Black, D. A., Heyman, R. E., & Smith-Slep, A. M. (2001). Risk factors for child physical abuse. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 6(2–3), 121–188.
Brewer, M., Muriel, A., Phillips, D., & Sibieta, L. (2008). Poverty and inequality in the UK: 2008. London: Institute of Fiscal Studies.
Cawson, P., Wattam, C., Brooker, S., & Kelly, G. (2000). Child maltreatment in the United Kingdom: A study of the prevalence of abuse and neglect. London: National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.
Cicchetti, D., & Toth, S. L. (1995). A developmental psychopathology perspective on child abuse and neglect. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 34, 541–565.
Emery, R. E., & Laumann-Billings, L. (1998). An overview of the nature, causes, and consequences of abusive family relationships: toward differentiating maltreatment and violence. American Psychologist, 53(2), 121–135.
Gershoff, E. T. (2002). Corporal punishment by parents and associated child behaviors and experiences: a meta-analytic and theoretical review. Psychological Bulletin, 128, 539–579.
Hair, J. F., Anderson, R. E., Tatham, R. L., & Black, W. C. (1995). Multivariate data analysis (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River: Prentice-Hall.
Heinze, M. C., & Grisso, T. (1996). Review of instruments assessing parenting competencies used in child custody evaluations. Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 14, 293–313.
Helfer, R. E., Hoffmeister, J. K., & Schneider, C. J. (1978). MSPP: A manual for the use of the Michigan Screening Profile of Parenting. Boulder: Express.
Kolko, D. J. (2002). Child physical abuse. In J. E. B. Myers, L. Berliner, J. Briere, C. T. Hendrix, C. Jenny, & T. A. Reid (Eds.), The APSAC handbook on child maltreatment (2nd ed., pp. 21–54). Thousand Oaks: Sage.
Larzelere, R. E. (2000). Child outcomes of nonabusive and customary physical punishment by parents: an updated literature review. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 3(4), 199–221.
Milner, J. S. (1986). The Child Abuse Potential Inventory manual (2nd ed.). Webster: Psytec.
Milner, J. S. (1994). Assessing physical child abuse risk: the Child Abuse Potential Inventory. Clinical Psychology Review, 14, 547–583.
Milner, J. S., & Wimberley, R. C. (1980). Prediction and explanation of child abuse. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 36, 875–884.
Milner, J. S., Gold, R. G., & Wimberley, R. C. (1986). Prediction and explanation of child abuse: cross-validation of the Child Abuse Potential Inventory. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 54, 865–866.
Office for National Statistics (2012). Labor market profile, Great Britain. Retrieved from http://www.nomisweb.co.uk/reports/lmp/gor/2092957698/report.aspx
Ondersma, S. J., Chaffin, M. J., Mullins, S. M., & Lebreton, J. M. (2005). A brief form of the Child Abuse Potential Inventory: development and validation. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 34(2), 301–311.
Read, J., van Os, J., Morrison, A. P., & Ross, C. A. (2005). Childhood trauma, Psychosis, and schizophrenia: a literature review with theoretical and clinical implications. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 112, 330–350.
Runyon, M. K., Deblinger, E., Ryan, E. E., & Thakkar-Kolar, R. (2004). An overview of child physical abuse: developing an integrated parent-child cognitive-behavioral treatment approach. Trauma, Violence & Abuse, 5(1), 65–85.
Schneider, C. J. (1982). The Michigan screening profile of parenting. In R. Starr (Ed.), Child abuse prediction (pp. 157–174). Cambridge: Ballinger.
Sheffield City Council. (2011). Average household incomes 2006. Retrieved from https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/your-city-council/sheffield-profile/sheffield-economy/income--wealth.html
Sheffield National Health Service. (2011). Index of multiple deprivation 2010: 2007–2010 change analysis. Retrieved from http://www.sheffield.nhs.uk/healthdata/resources/imd2010.pdf.
Speight, N. (2006). Child abuse. Current Paediatrics, 16(2), 100–105.
Straus, M. A. (1979). Measuring intrafamily conflict and violence: the Conflict Tactics Scale. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 41(1), 75–88.
Tabachnick, B. G., & Fidell, L. S. (1996). Using multivariate statistics. New York: Harper Collins.
Trickett, P. K., & McBride-Chang, C. (1995). The developmental impact of different forms of child abuse and neglect. Developmental Review, 15, 311–337.
Walker, C. A., & Davies, J. (2010). A critical review of the psychometric evidence base of the Child Abuse Potential Inventory. Journal of Family Violence, 25(2), 215–227.
Winchester, R. (2001). Child protection: is the child protection system good enough? Community Care, 1357, 10–11.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Walker, C.A., Davies, J. A Cross-cultural Validation of the Brief Child Abuse Potential Inventory (BCAP). J Fam Viol 27, 697–705 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-012-9458-9
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-012-9458-9