Cognitive and Academic Functioning in Maltreated Children

This study examines cognitive functioning and academic achievement in maltreated children. The data are from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being, a national probability study of children receiving child welfare services due to alleged child maltreatment. Assessments of the cognitive and academic functioning of school-age participants (N = 2,368) as well as family risk factors indicate that, on average, maltreated children score significantly below national norms on standardized tests of cognitive functioning and academic achievement. Consistent with the proposed pathways, risk factors act cumulatively to predict decreased cognitive and academic performance, so that children possessing the greatest number of risk factors were more likely to perform poorly on the cognitive and academic measures. Pupil personnel service providers may benefit from information available to child welfare agencies to better shape the education of maltreated children. Additions to school-based methods that address parental risks need development.