The Information Use Environments of Abused and Neglected Children

1. The Information Use Environments of Abused and Neglected Children Julie Hersberger Adam Murray Sandra Sokoloff Department of Library and Information Studies School of Education Research Symposium March 18, 2006

2. Child Abuse Statistics • According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services1, • 906,000 children were victimized in 2003 • 60.9% of these children experienced neglect • 18% experienced physical abuse • Children aged 0-3 years suffered the highest rate of victimization (16.3%), as well as 79% of an estimated 1500 cases of fatalities from abuse • 80% of abuse is perpetrated by a parent • The actual numbers of abused and neglected children whose maltreatment is not reported is suspected to be much higher. 1) U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Children’s Bureau. (2005) Child Maltreatment 2003. National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information.http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/pubs/cm03/index.htm

3. Definitions North Carolina defines physically abused and neglected children as follows2: Abused juveniles – Any juvenile whose parent, guardian, custodian, or caretaker: a.  Inflicts or allows to be inflicted upon the juvenile a serious physical injury by other than accidental means; b.  Creates or allows to be created a substantial risk of serious physical injury to the juvenile by other than accidental means; c.   Uses or allows to be used upon the juvenile cruel or grossly inappropriate procedures or cruel or grossly inappropriate devices to modify behavior. 2) North Carolina General Assembly. NC General Statutes, Chapter 7B: Juvenile Code. http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/gascripts/Statutes/StatutesTOC.pl?Chapter=0007B

4. Definitions continued • Neglected juvenile2 – • Does not receive proper care, supervision, or discipline from the juvenile's parent, guardian, custodian, or caretaker; • or who has been abandoned; • or who is not provided necessary medical care; • or who is not provided necessary remedial care; • or who lives in an environment injurious to the juvenile's welfare; • or who has been placed for care or adoption in violation of the law. 2) North Carolina General Assembly. NC General Statutes, Chapter 7B: Juvenile Code. http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/gascripts/Statutes/StatutesTOC.pl?Chapter=0007B

5. Information Use Environments • This pilot study utilizes the analytic framework developed in Taylor’s studies of information use environments (IUEs). • Focuses on the users andthe contexts within which those users make choices about useful information.4 • The four components of IUE’s are: • Sets of people • Setting • Problems • Problem resolution • 4) Taylor, R. S. (1991). Information use environments. In Progress in communication science (217-255). Norwood, NJ: Ablex Press.

6. Research Questions • Four research questions, based on Taylor’s four components of IUE’s guided the study: • 1) Sets of people: what factors concerning abused and/or neglected children distinguish them from the general population? • 2) Setting: what is the physical context and context description within which abused and/or neglected children live? • 3) Problems: what are the characteristics of typical problems with which abused and/or neglected children must cope? • 4) Problem resolution: given what emerges as the typical problem sets experienced by abused and/or neglected children, what responses are perceived as resolving these dilemmas?

7. Methodology Data was collected from observations, interviews, court reports and other court generated reports.Access to what is normally – and rightfully so – a highly protected research category (abused children) was facilitated by the lead researcher’s service as a court appointed special advocate for children (as a trained Guardian ad Litem). This status as a court insider allowed access to DSS caseworkers and therapists who were available to answer questions concerning data collection without harming the children in the study. Given that developmental age groups need to be distinguished due to variability in child behaviors, this pilot study focuses on a small number of children in each age group. The small number of children in a geographically bound location (one county in North Carolina) limits any generalizability of results. More research is needed into the variability in the behaviors and needs of the age developmental categories.

8. Findings 1) Sets of People • U.S. judicial system determines the legal thresholds and establishes the age range from birth to 17 years. • Taylor refers to this distinction as an a priori set classification (1991). • 2) Settings • There are three settings into which the court typically places children: • Foster Care • Relative placement • Group homes

9. Findings 2) Settings

10. Findings continued 3) Problems • There are three problem domains of information needs and seeking corresponding to the three phases of adjustment the children experience: • Adjustment • Maintenance • Case Closure

11. Findings continued 3) Problems continued • Preliminary IUE Problem Phase: Adjustment • During the adjustment phase questions of “what happened” and “why” are paramount • Children have questions regarding parental visiting rights • Questions also needing attention arise from the causes of the children coming into court custody • Secondary IUE Problem Phase: Maintenance • Questions of “what is going to happen to me” • Behavioral problems • School problems • Attachment issues

12. Findings continued 3) Problems continued

13. Findings continued 3) Problems continued • The Third IUE Problem Phase: Case Closure • The default plan for all families is reunification • If reunification efforts fail, the second alternative is relative placement • If relative placement is not an option, parental rights are terminated and adoption is pursued • Case closure potentially symbolizes the most critical problem resolution for children in the study; however it can also result in a new set of problems and problem resolutions.

14. Findings continued 4) Problem Resolutions • Most cases are fairly low affect experiences, due to children being placed with known family members. • Other cases were more complex due to stress of foster care and group home placements. • An unusual problem resolution is long-term court appointed custodial placements. • Attachment issues and behavioral problems (such as anger, frustration, trauma, alienation, anxiety) are often resolved through • Counseling • Medication • Counseling is also the primary method for dealing with the stress of case closure.

15. Conclusions This pilot study identified baseline factors that provide insights into the information use environment (IUE) of abused and/or neglected children. Information may result in eustress or distress depending on whether the information invoked a positive or negative response. The affective aspect of the information-seeking process provides a potential conceptual framework through which results might be examined in future work.

16. Definitions The federal definition of child abuse and neglect in the U.S. is, “at a minimum, any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker, which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation, or an act or failure to act which presents an imminent risk of serious harm,” where the child is less than 18 years old2. North Carolina defines physically abused and neglected children as follows3: Abused juveniles – Any juvenile whose parent, guardian, custodian, or caretaker: a.         Inflicts or allows to be inflicted upon the juvenile a serious physical injury by other than accidental means; b.         Creates or allows to be created a substantial risk of serious physical injury to the juvenile by other than accidental means; c.         Uses or allows to be used upon the juvenile cruel or grossly inappropriate procedures or cruel or grossly inappropriate devices to modify behavior. 2) U.S. House of Representatives. Office of the Law Revision Counsel. (2004) 42 USC Sec. 5106g. http://uscode.house.gov/lawrevisioncounsel.shtml 3) North Carolina General Assembly. NC General Statutes, Chapter 7B: Juvenile Code. http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/gascripts/Statutes/StatutesTOC.pl?Chapter=0007B