This study describes the use of Child Neglect Index to identify cases of children neglected by their parents/caregivers in the Brazilian context. After initial adaptation to the Brazilian sociocultural reality, the instrument was applied in three different groups. Each group is composed of 30 dyads of children/parents, totaling 90 dyads of participants (n=180). They are: G1 (first group) = officially reported cases of child neglect; G2 (second group) = suspected cases of neglect, but not notified; G3 (third group) = unsuspected cases of neglect or otherwise abuse (comparison group). There is also a fourth group composed of the children's teachers (n=11). The results showed high scores on the index of neglect in G1 and G2, but low scores in G3, suggesting the presence of indicators of lack of parental supervision regarding the care of food, clothing, hygiene, physical health, mental health and education in the first two groups evaluated when compared to no suspicion of child maltreatment. The current empirical findings, although preliminary in terms of adaptation of Child Neglect Index to the Brazilian context, were promising to signal the potential of the instrument as a resource for detection/confirmation of child neglect. It stimulates further research and improvements in this technical resource to facilitate proper identification and intervention in these cases.
Child abuse; child development; parent-child relationship; child neglect; psychological assessment