Child psychological/emotional abuse and neglect: A definitional conceptual framework.

Purpose: This study developed a definitional conceptual framework to clarify the nature of the definitions of psychological/emotional abuse and neglect (PEA) and to test the efficacy of this framework by applying it to three different types of definitions.

Methods: The definitional conceptual framework was developed from conceptual issues addressed by the previous literature. The framework was then applied to three types of definitions: (i) abstract definitions in the literature describing what PEA is, (ii) operational definitions in practice guidelines provided for professionals, and (iii) research studies on professionals' definitions of PEA.

Results: The framework was able to show that definitions of PEA were often not specific about their inherent definitional components or how the ways in which they were similar or different from other definitions. To the extent that the nature of the definitions was explicit, the framework was able to clearly distinguish the considerable variation in the nature of PEA definitions both within and across the three types of definitions.

Conclusions: Policy, practice, and research on PEA (and other forms of child abuse and neglect) are unlikely to progress without clarity about the definitions being used (in terms of their conceptual components) and the rationale for using the specific definitions chosen. The framework provided by the study is an effective tool for describing the components used in PEA definitions and thus distinguishing the differences between definitions. The framework should also be applicable for other types of child abuse and neglect.