Etiological models of child maltreatment. A behavioral perspective.

Fushimi (1990) pulled together research on why child abuse happens. The paper shows how parents learn harsh tactics through everyday rewards and punishments.

It maps out four main paths: watching others hit, getting temporary relief after lashing out, scarce support at home, and child behavior that escalates.

The review says maltreatment is learned behavior, not a character flaw. When yelling stops a tantrum, the parent is reinforced for yelling. Over time, yelling turns to hitting.

The same cycle explains neglect. If a baby cries and nothing changes, the parent stops responding. Silence feels better, so checking on the child drops out.

Mitteer et al. (2018) later tested the idea in a lab. They taught caregivers to use functional communication, then added a fake crying baby. Three of four adults slid back into harsh talk, proving the coercive loop is alive and strong.

Lattal (2004) widens the lens. That paper says biology also shapes how fast people learn. Some kids condition quicker, so maltreatment risk can rise even with mild stress. The views look different, yet both use learning rules; biology just speeds or slows the same process.

Lerman (2024) gives the next step. After showing why abuse starts, the field now needs to hand the tools to teachers, nurses, and police. The 2024 blueprint tells us how to package our training so non-behaviorists can use it.

You can spot coercion in any home or classroom. Look for short-term payoffs that keep bad behavior going: parent yells, child stops, parent yells more next time. Teach caregivers to wait, praise the pause, and walk away if needed. Replace the payoff, and you break the chain before it becomes abuse.