Rural Child Maltreatment: A Scoping Literature Review

Topic of Review: The current study sought to review the state of existing knowledge on rural maltreatment. Method of Review: We conducted a scoping literature review to answer two research questions: (1) Is maltreatment higher in rural areas compared to urban areas? and 2) Are there unique correlates of maltreatment in rural areas? Number of Research Studies Meeting the Criteria for Review: This review included studies that compared child maltreatment in rural and urban areas in the United States (9) and predictors of maltreatment in rural areas (7). Criteria for Inclusion: Studies that compared child maltreatment in rural and urban areas in the United States were included. For our second research question, related to understanding maltreatment in rural areas, we included those studies that exclusively examined rural areas, when maltreatment was the outcome variable. How Research Studies Were Identified: Studies were reviewed from relevant databases (Annual Reviews, PsychINFO, PubMed, Web of Science) between 1975 and 2019. Major Findings: Findings were mixed on whether rates of maltreatment were higher or lower in rural areas. While five studies reported higher rates of maltreatment in rural areas, four reported higher rates in urban areas. Overall, child maltreatment rates tended to be higher in urban areas among people of color and higher in rural areas among White people. One study found that community economic factors were not related to maltreatment in a rural area, in stark contrast to robust findings from urban areas.