Conceptualización de las pautas de crianza de buen trato y maltrato infantil, en familias del estrato socioecon ómico bajo: Una mirada Cualitativa

Child abuse is a complex and multidimensional phenomenon, which is influenced by variables from the family system and the social context. One of the central problems of research on child abuse is conceptualizing the phenomenon. This article presents and discusses results of a qualitative study on child abuse conceptualization. The first part includes a review of the main difficulties involved in defining what is meant by “child abuse” that have been reported in the literature. Specifically, the following issues are analyzed: (a) methodological difficulties, (b) historical and cultural issues, (c) viewpoints from different disciplines, and (d) implications for assessing the problem’s magnitude. The second part includes a description of the qualitative method used and the main findings of the study, which was targeted at inquiring about child rearing patterns and conceptualizations of child abuse in Temuco; as perceived from the perspective of professionals and community members. The main findings are presented in five categories: (a) child rearing patterns of good treatment, (b) prevailing values, (c) physical abuse, (d) emotional abuse, and (e) sexual abuse. Lastly, the findings are discussed taking into account results from international research in the area and implications from social intervention policies.