included both maltreated children (n = 259) and nonmaltreated children (n = 156). The maltreatment groups were comparable in terms of gender, with 59.8% boys in the maltreatment group and 61.5% boys in the nonmaltreatment group, χ2 (1, N = 415) = 0.12, p > .05. The groups also were equivalent in the distribution of race, χ2 (2, N = 415) = 3.30, p > .05 (55.2% of the participants were African American, 31.6% were European American, and 13.3% were other racial groups), and ethnicity, χ2 (1, N = 415) = 1.15, p > .05 (11.8% Latino). The families of the children also were comparable on demographic characteristics. The families were impoverished; however, the groups were equivalent in terms of annual family income, t (389) = .84, p.>.05, average family income (M = $15,740, SD = $8,880), and history of receipt of public assistance, χ2 (1, N = 410) = 3.51, p > .05; 95.4% of families. The marital status of the primary caregiver in the families (primarily mothers) also was comparable across maltreatment groups, χ2 (2, N = 415) = 5.95, p > .05, with 34.7% never married, 29.4% married or living with partner, and 35.4% no longer married
