Beyond psychotherapy: Treating abused children by changing their social ecology

Historically, the child abuse field has approached intervention through individually focused child or adult psychotherapy. A more comprehensive understanding of current research indicates that the field is moving beyond individually focused models. Existing research on child sexual abuse, physical abuse, and neglect suggests that multiple factors within the child's social ecology relate to the occurrence of abuse and to its mental health impact. This article reviews the literature on child sexual abuse, physical abuse, and neglect with an emphasis on social ecological factors related to abuse, recovery and interventions. An approach to intervention is suggested that emphasizes potential target areas and interventions from across multiple systems (e.g., individual, family, school, child protection system).