Although the present study’s results suggest that a small magnitude of variance in maltreatment may be associated with children’s genetic factors, this does not mean that children cause or are responsible for the maltreatment they experience. That is, difficult child behavior is not a justification for maltreatment. Rather, the results provide further evidence that interventions with adults intended to prevent maltreatment should include efforts to address how to respond to difficult child behavior. The results are also consistent with research documenting that parent training not only reduces problematic child behavior but also provides a variety of benefits to parents (Kazdin, 2005; Adams, 2001).
