The Etiology of Child Abuse

In summary, we must recognize the total situation long before abuse occurs. The way this is done is to recognize the potential: how they were reared, how they used other people, how the marriage or the interspouse relationship is working, and most important, how they see their child. What do they expect of their child? Are these expectations realistic? Then try to identify in a given family whether there might be or is indeed a child who could be abused. Finally, crises should be recognized and something be done about them so they don't recur. Solving the crisis alone is not enough; this will only put out the fire for a short period of time.