Because maltreated children are predominantly from low socioeconomic status families, demographically comparable nonmaltreated children were recruited from families receiving Aid to Families with Dependent Children. DHS record searches were completed for these families to verify the absence of any record of child maltreatment. Trained research assistants also interviewed mothers of children recruited for the nonmaltreatment group to confirm a lack of DHS involvement and prior maltreatment experiences (Cicchetti, Toth, & Manly, 2003). In addition, families who had received preventive services through DHS because of concerns over risk for maltreatment also were excluded from the nonmaltreated comparison group to reduce the potential for unidentified maltreatment existing within this group.
