Co-Occurrence of Child and Partner Maltreatment Definitions, Prevalence, Theory, and Implications for Assessment

This paper addresses issues in the literature regarding the co-occurrence of partner and child physical maltreatment in the United States and in Europe. Design issues including operationalizations, representativeness of samples, data collection methods, and reference periods are discussed in the context of prevalence studies. Next, possible explanations for the pervasiveness of co-occurring maltreatment are explored with an emphasis on theoretical models and mechanisms of co-occurrence. Finally, we offer assessment implications for clinicians and agencies dealing with partner and child maltreatment.