The fact that much child maltreatment is attributable to lower-class families may be a reflection of surveillance bias and not the higher prevalence reflected in statistics.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Surveillance bias occurs when individuals or families are more closely monitored and therefore more likely to be reported for child maltreatment. Research has shown that lower-income families are more likely to be surveilled by child protective services and other agencies, leading to a potential over-representation in official statistics of child maltreatment. Therefore, the higher prevalence of child maltreatment in lower-class families may be partly or entirely due to surveillance bias rather than actual higher rates of maltreatment.

The Fact That Much Child Maltreatment Is Attributable to Lower-Class