Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Parenting and the Prevention of Childhood Injuries

  • Chapter
Handbook of Injury and Violence Prevention

Injuries in childhood represent a serious public health problem in the United States. Unintentional injury is the most common cause of death and disability for children. For example, injuries are the cause of half the deaths that occur for children 1–4 years of age. Over 600,000 children are hospitalized annually for injuries, and approximately 16 million children yearly are seen in emergency rooms as a result of injury (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 1990). Injuries that are clearly unintentional are not the only sources of the problem. Child maltreatment adds to the number of injury-based fatalities, disabilities, and medical treatments. For example, in 2001 an estimated 903,000 children were confirmed by child protective agencies in the United States to have been maltreated (i.e., abuse and/or neglect), and an estimated 1,300 children died from abuse or neglect (a rate of 1.81 per 100,000 children in the population). Many more children suffered from nonfatal injuries (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [HHS], 2003).

Prevention of both unintentional and maltreatment-based injuries in childhood is obviously of utmost importance. This chapter focuses on parenting-related interventions aimed at the prevention of childhood injury. Parents and other family caregivers are logical contributors to prevention of childhood injuries, in part because the injuries often occur in the home or in close proximity to a parent. This chapter focuses only on the preadolescent age group (children from infancy to 12 years of age) and does not consider injury prevention among adolescents.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 69.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Bablouzian, L., Freeman, E. S., Wolski, K. E., & Fried, L. E. (1997). Evaluation of a community based childhood injury prevention program. Injury Prevention, 3, 14–16

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Barone, B. J. (1988). An analysis of well-child parenting classes: The extent of parent compliance with health care recommendations to decrease potential injury of their toddlers. Lawrence, KS: University of Kansas. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Lawrence

    Google Scholar 

  • Bilukha, O., Hahn, R., Crosby, A., Fullilove, M., Liberman, A., Moscicki, E., Snyder, S., Tuma, F., Corso, P., & Schofield, A. (2005). The effectiveness of early childhood home visitation in preventing violence: A systematic review. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 28, 11–39

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Britt, J., Silver, I., & Rivara, F. P. (1998). Bicycle helmet promotion among low-income preschool children. Injury Prevention, 4, 238–283

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (1990). Childhood injuries in the United States. American Journal of Diseases in Children, 144, 627–646

    Google Scholar 

  • Chaffin, M. (2004). Is it time to rethink healthy start/healthy families? Child Abuse & Neglect, 28, 589–595

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chronis, A. M., Chacko, A., & Fabiano, G. A. (2004). Enhancements to the behavioral parent training paradigm for families of children with ADHD: Review and future directions. Clinical Child & Family Psychology Review, 7, 1–27

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Corrarino, J. E., Walsh, P. J., & Nadel, E. (2001). Does teaching scald burn prevention to families of young children make a difference? A pilot study. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 16, 256–262

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • DiGuiseppi, C., & Roberts, I. G. (2000). Individual-level injury prevention strategies in the clinical setting. Future of Children, 10, 53–82

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Foss, R. (1989). Evaluation of a community-wide incentive program to promote safety restraint use. American Journal of Public Health, 79, 304–306

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gallagher, S., Hunter, P., & Guyer, B. (1985). A home injury prevention program for children. Pediatric Clinics of North America, 1, 95–112

    Google Scholar 

  • Gershater-Molko, R. M., Lutzker, J. R., & Sherman, J. A. (2002). Intervention in child neglect: An applied behavioral perspective. Aggression & Violent Behavior, 7, 103–124

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gershater-Molko, R. M., Lutzker, J. R., & Wesch, D. (2002). Using recidivism data to evaluate Project SafeCare: Teaching bonding, safety, and health care skills to parents. Journal of the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children, 7, 277–285

    Google Scholar 

  • Gershater-Molko, R. M., Lutzker, J. R., & Wesch, D. (2003). Project SafeCare: Improving health, safety, and parenting skills in families reported for and at risk for child maltreatment. Journal of Family Violence, 18, 377–386

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Griest, D. L., & Wells, K. C. (1983). Behavioral family therapy with conduct disorders in children. Behavior Therapy, 14, 37–53

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnston, B. D., Britt, J., D’Ambrosio, D., Mueller, B. A., & Rivara, F. P. (2000). A preschool program for safety and injury prevention delivered by home visitors. Injury Prevention, 6, 305–309

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Katcher, M. L., Landry, G. L., & Shapiro, M. M. (1989). Liquid-crystal thermometer use in pediatric office counseling about tap water burn prevention. Pediatrics, 83, 766–771

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kazdin, A. E. (Ed.). (2003). Evidence-based psychotherapies for children and adolescents. New York: Guilford

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelly, B., Sein, C., & McCarthy, P. L. (1987). Safety education in a pediatric primary care setting. Pediatrics, 79, 818–824

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • King, W. J., Klassen, T. P., LeBlanc, J., Bemard-Bonnin, C., Robitaille, Y., Pham, B., Coyle, D., Tenenbein, M., & Pless, I. B. (2001). The effectiveness of a home visit to prevent childhood injury. Pediatrics, 108, 382–388

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kitzman, H., Olds, D. L., Henderson, C. R., Hanks, C., Cole, R., Tatelbaum, R., McConnochie, K. M., Sidora, K., Luckey, D. W., Shaver, D., Engelhardt, K., James, D., & Barnard, K. (1997). Effect of prenatal and infancy home visitation by nurses on pregnancy outcomes, childhood injuries, and repeated childbearing: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of the American Medical Association, 278, 644–652

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liberator, C. P., Eriacho, B., Schmiesing, J., & Krump, M. (1989). Safesmart safety seat intervention project: A successful program for the medically indigent. Patient Education & Counseling, 13, 161–170

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lutzker, J. R., Bigelow, K. M., Doctor, R. M., Gershater, R. M., & Greene, B. F. (1998). An ecobehavioral model for the prevention and treatment of child abuse and neglect: History and applications. In J. R. Lutzker (Ed.), Handbook of child abuse research and treatment (pp. 239–266). New York: Plenum

    Google Scholar 

  • Lutzker, J. R., Campbell, R. V., Newman, M. R., & Harrold, M. (1989). Ecobehavioral interventions for abusive, neglectful, and high-risk families. In G. H. S. Singer & L. K. Irvin (Eds.), Support for caregiving families: Enabling positive adaptation to disability (pp. 313–326). Baltimore: Brookes

    Google Scholar 

  • Lutzker, J. R., Frame, R. E., & Rice, J. M. (1982). Project 12-Ways: An ecobehavioral approach to the treatment and prevention of child abuse and neglect. Education & Treatment of Children, 5, 141–155

    Google Scholar 

  • Lutzker, J. R., & Rice, J. M. (1984). Project 12-Ways: Measuring outcome of a large in-home service for treatment and prevention of child abuse and neglect. Child Abuse & Neglect, 8, 519–524

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lutzker, J. R., & Rice, J. M. (1987). Using recidivism data to evaluate Project 12-Ways: An ecobehavioral approach to the treatment and prevention of child abuse and neglect. Journal of Family Violence, 2, 283–290

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lutzker, J. R., Wesch, D., & Rice, J. M. (1984). Areview of Project 12-Ways: An ecobehavioral approach to the treatment and prevention of child abuse and neglect. Advances in Behaviour Research & Therapy, 6, 63–73

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mallonee, S., Istre, G., Rosenburg, M., Reddish-Douglas, M., Jordan, F., Silverstein, P., & Tunneil, W. (1996). Surveillance and prevention of residential-fire injuries. New England Journal of Medicine, 335, 27–31

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Metchikian, K. L., Mink, J. M., Bigelow, K. M., Lutzker, J. R., & Doctor, R. M. (1999). Reducing home safety hazards in the homes of parents reported for neglect. Child & Family Behavior Therapy, 21, 23–34

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miller, G. E., & Prinz, R. J. (1990). The enhancement of social learning family interventions for childhood conduct disorder. Psychological Bulletin, 108, 291–307

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Morris, B. P., & Trimble, N. E. (1991). Promotion of bicycle helmet use among schoolchildren: A randomized clinical trial. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 82, 92–94

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Morrongiello, B. A., & House, K. (2004). Measuring parent attributes and supervision behaviors relevant to child injury risk: Examining the usefulness of questionnaire measures. Injury Prevention, 10, 114–118

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Morrongiello, B. A., & Kiriakou, S. (2004). Mothers’ home-safety practices for preventing six types of childhood injuries: What do they do, and why? Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 29, 285–297

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Morrongiello, B. A., & Lasenby, J. (2006). Supervision as a behavioral approach to reducing child-injury risk. Chapter 18. In A. C. Gielen, D. A. Sleet, & R. DiClemente (Eds). Injury and violence prevention: Behavior change theories, methods and applications (pp 395–418). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass

    Google Scholar 

  • Morrongiello, B. A., Ondejko, L., & Littlejohn, A. (2004). Understanding toddlers’ in-home injuries: II. Examining parental strategies, and their efficacy for managing child injury risk. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 29, 433–446

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Olds, D. L., Henderson, C. R., Kitzman, H. J., Eckenrod, J. J., Cole, R. E., & Tatelbaum, R. C. (1999). Prenatal and infancy home visitation by nurses: Recent findings. The Future of Children, 9, 44–65

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Paul, C., Sanson-Fisher, R., Redman, S., & Carter, S. (1994). Preventing accidental injury to young children in the home using volunteers. Health Promotion International, 9, 241–249

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peterson, L. (1994). Child injury and abuse-neglect: Common etiologies, challenges, and courses toward prevention. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 3, 116–120

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peterson, L., DiLillo, D., Lewis, T., & Sher, K. (2002). Improvement in quantity and quality of prevention measurement of toddler injuries and parental interventions. Behavior Therapy, 33, 271–297

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peterson, L., Mori, L., Selby, V., & Rosen, B. N. (1988). Community interventions in children’s injury prevention: Differing costs and differing benefits. Journal of Community Psychology, 16, 188–204

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peterson, L., Tremblay, G., Ewigman, B., & Saldana, L. (2003). Multilevel selected primary prevention of child maltreatment. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 71, 601–612

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Prinz, R. J., & Dumas, J. E. (2003). Prevention of oppositional-defiant disorder and conduct disorder in children and adolescents. In P. Barrett & T. H. Ollendick (Eds.), Handbook of interventions that work with children and adolescents: From prevention to treatment (pp. 475–488). West Sussex, Great Britain: Wiley

    Google Scholar 

  • Prinz, R. J., & Jones, T. L. (2003). Family-based interventions. In C. A. Essau (Ed.), Conduct and oppositional defiant disorders: Epidemiology, risk factors, and treatment (pp. 279–298). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum

    Google Scholar 

  • Roberts, M. C., & Fanurik, D. (1986). Rewarding elementary school children for their use of safety belts. Health Psychology, 5, 185–196

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Roberts, M. C., Fanurik, D., & Wilson, D. (1988). A community program to reward children’s use of seat belts. American Journal of Community Psychology, 16, 395–407

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Roberts, M. C., & Turner, D. S. (1986). Rewarding parents for their children’s use of safety seats. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 11, 25–36

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sanders, M. R., Pidgeon, A. M., Gravestock, F., Connors, M. D., Brown, S., & Young, R. W. (2004). Does parental attributional retrainng and anger management enhance the effects of the Triple P-Positive parenting program with parents at risk of child maltreatment? Behavior Therapy, 35, 513–535

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sanders, M. R., Turner, K. M. T., & Markie-Dadds, C. (2003). The development and dissemination of the Triple P—Positive Parenting Program: A multilevel, evidence-based system of parenting and family support. Prevention Science, 3, 173–189

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schwarz, D. F., Grisso, J. A., Miles, C., Homes, J., & Sutton, R. (1993). An injury prevention program in an urban African American community. American Journal of Public Health, 83, 675–680

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stuy, M., Green, M., & Doll, J. (1993). Child care centers: A community resource for injury prevention. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, 14, 224–229

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Taban, N., & Lutzker, J. R. (2001). Consumer evaluation of an ecobehavioral program for prevention and intervention of child maltreatment. Journal of Family Violence, 16, 323–330

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, T. K., & Biglan, A. (1998). Behavioral family interventions for improving child-rearing: A review of the literature for clinicians and policy makers. Clinical Child & Family Psychology Review, 1, 41–60

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Thomas, K. A., Hassanein, R. S., & Christophersen, E. R. (1984). Evaluation of group well-child care for improving burn prevention practices in the home. Pediatrics, 74, 879–882

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2003). Child maltreatment 2001. Washington, DC: Administration on Children, Youth and Families

    Google Scholar 

  • Wesch, D., & Lutzker, J. R. (1991). A comprehensive 5-year evaluation of Project 12-Ways: An ecobehavioral program for treating and preventing child abuse and neglect. Journal of Family Violence, 6, 17–35

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zaza, S., Sleet, D. A., Thompson, R. S., Sosin, D. M., & Bolen, J. C. (2001). Task Force on Community Preventive Services. Reviews of evidence regarding interventions to increase the use of child safety seats. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 21 (4S), 31–47

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Psychology Department, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, 29208

    Ronald J. Prinz PhD (Carolina Distinguished Professor)

Authors
  1. Ronald J. Prinz PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ronald J. Prinz PhD .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Atlanta, GA, 30341, USA

    Lynda S. Doll , Sandra E. Bonzo , David A. Sleet  & James A. Mercy , ,  & 

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2008 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Prinz, R.J. (2008). Parenting and the Prevention of Childhood Injuries. In: Doll, L.S., Bonzo, S.E., Sleet, D.A., Mercy, J.A. (eds) Handbook of Injury and Violence Prevention. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-29457-5_18

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-29457-5_18

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-387-85769-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-0-387-29457-5

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation