The first level of intervention is considered in this study as the decision-making process. This research examines the decision-making processes used by four of the disciplines integral to the child abuse multi-disciplinary team. Differences between the decision-making processes and recommended protocol were also noted in cases where guidelines are available.
Motivation for this Research
The decision-making processes used can partly be based on implicit theories about understanding the abused child and beliefs about how to help (lones & Ramchandani, 1999). While research findings describing decision-making processes in an individual discipline such as social work (Thoma, 1998) have been published, there appear to be few multidisciplinary studies in this area. The first level of intervention is considered in this study to be the decision-making process as it relates to suspected child sexual abuse.
Review of the Literature on Child Abuse
In view of the fact that sexual abuse of children mostly takes place in the home or in secret, and since it is. There appears to be no obligation to report abuse to the police and it is often assumed that child abuse investigations will not be in the child's best interests (Bagley & Thurston, 1996). More worrying is the way in which the child is treated in the legal system and the consequences thereof.
The goal was to create systemic changes in the legal process so that the perceived trauma to the child was minimized. To this end, the South African Police Service provides specialized training for officers involved in the Child Protection Unit.
Child Abuse in a South African Context
These reports are then submitted to the Minister of Justice for consideration and made public through official press releases and conferences (South African Law Commission, 1997(a)). While South Africa is a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, the practice of respecting these rights can pose complex dilemmas for government, policy makers and experts. On 16 June 1995 (Office of the President), President Nelson Mandela pledged to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Recent headlines confirm the concern about abused children from the highest levels of social authority to the general public. Judge Kenneth Mthiyane referred to the prevailing myth when he, during sentencing, said: "You may have done this in the foolish belief that after intercourse with a virgin. 1994 saw the release of Nelson Mandela and the dismantling of Apartheid which led to the first path.
Some writers have argued that past injustices have contributed greatly to current levels of crime against children. A 1992 International Children's Summit culminated in the drafting of the South African Children's Charter. The purpose of this position would be to investigate child abuse cases where other channels have failed and focus on the training and development of government departments and staff in the area. The increase in reporting levels of child abuse has been claimed to be partly the result of a police awareness strategy according to the National Detective Service spokesman, as reported in the media (Natal Witness, December 4,2000).
The media as a disseminator of information and opinion has been used to reflect suppressed public and political reactions to concern about child abuse, as well as to provide a forum for political parties to play out their conflicts.
Decision-making Models and Related Research
These main areas, which include a range of approaches to decision-making, have traditionally been the driving force of decision-making theory and research. The decision analysis paradigm assumes that preferences in decision making lend themselves to mathematical description and, by applying a set of rules, can be discovered and measured empirically. Recent interest in the role that emotions played in decision making seems to be attracting support (Finucane, Alhakami, Slovic&Johnson, 2000).
A fairly recent development in decision-making theorizing is Naturalistic Decision Making (referred to as NDM). Azar (1999) reports that NDM research focuses on expert, tactile decision making and the strengths that decision makers bring to the process. Specific models of decision making have been developed from the above theories to address many different and diverse areas.
Preferences refer to the inherent belief system and moral values of the decision-maker, which can influence the definition of the desired decision-making goal. Because the decision-making environment has been redefined: decisions made after the time limit can often be better than the original ones. The consequence of this decision context is that several variables combine so that the decision maker chooses or creates alternatives to problems within a particular one.
Summary, decision-making and related concepts and approaches have been described along with recent research.
Aims and Methods
They suggested that the method offered an alternative to the prevailing empiricism of the time. Different branches within Grounded Theory seem to agree on the basic tenets of the theory and differ on how to apply them in practice. Data analysis requires the researcher to go through a number of steps in a methodical and rigorous manner.
Axial coding resulted in a detailed definition of the categories highlighted in the open coding phase. However, a specific and narrowed literature review is not undertaken at the beginning of the research process (Dey, 1999). Four key players from each of the four disciplines were identified based on their current involvement in the field of child abuse.
However, in this case, the researcher's lack of experience in the grounded theory method meant that the procedures were undertaken with caution. In order to increase the reliability of the study, inter-rater reliability testing was also undertaken. This meant getting the help of an outsider to check the accuracy of the coding process.
The rationale behind the selection of the rater for this process lay in his lack of familiarity with the child abuse arena, which meant he had to rely on the themes that emerged from the data.
Results and Discussion
The expected outcome, according to prosecutors, was unanimous in that systemic interventions were deemed appropriate based on the best interests of the child victim and the youth of the perpetrator. The rationale underlying shared decision-making is respect for the wishes of the child and the wishes of the adult caregiver. Because the caregiver has knowledge of the child's environment and the specific context of the family, his involvement in decision-making is considered important.
At this stage the best interests of the child are taken into account in the light of the child's age. If it is not considered in the best interests of the child to initiate legal proceedings, the abuse will be reported to the child abuse register. The psychologist prefers to engage in a shared decision-making process with the child and family to assess the child's support systems and safety in the current environment.
Both social workers and psychologists prefer to participate in joint decision-making with the child and family in question. The differences in the treatment of each individual case of child sexual abuse appear to be directly related to theories of what actions are considered to be in the best interest of the child in question. The recommended protocol states that the best interests of the child must be safeguarded, although a shared decision-making process is not mentioned.
It seems to work in the child's favor anyway, if the 'best interests of the child' are defined as keeping the family unit together. The implication of this is that the child victim can be returned to the same abusive situation. If the best interests of the child are to be upheld in child protection, this strategy cannot achieve its goal.
Strenl:ths. Limitations and Personal Reflection
For the researcher whose intention is to investigate the underlying processes behind certain actions, Grounded Theory offers an interactive and structured approach. Although qualitative methods are known for lengthy and detailed analysis and Grounded Theory in this study was no different, the process was stimulating and worth the time and effort as the researcher interacts directly with the data at all times. Because Grounded Theory does not claim representativeness for a specific population, the results cannot be generalized.
The tendency to generalize the results had to be regularly addressed by this researcher. If the generalizability of results is important to the researcher, then grounded theory is not the process to use. However, since the focus in this study was on self-reported theories of decision-making and the motivation behind these theories, Grounded Theory was a valid method to use.
Although this study is a first step in decision making research, the theory behind the grounded theory analysis is that outcomes are never final. This may affect the validity of this study as the information cannot be verified by an external user. However, we hope that the information provided in the coding process and the supporting quotes will be sufficient.
An additional reason to keep the transcripts private is the information about individuals and organizations referenced therein. It seems ethically appropriate that the integrity of such individuals and organizations not be compromised by making the transcripts available.
Conclusion
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Mental Health Professionals and Suspected Cases of Child Abuse: An Examination of Factors Affecting Reporting. Available online: www.any-book.com/sourcesofpower.htm. www.ped.gu.se/biorn/phgraph/misc/constr/validity.html. Effective interventions for child abuse and neglect: an evidence-based approach to intervention planning and evaluation.
Association for Research and Education Annual Conference: Available online: www.aare.edu.au/98pap/mcc98197.htm. The Helping Hand Strikes Again: The Unintended Consequences of Reporting Child Abuse. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology. Compilation of definitions of child sexual abuse and related terms. www.focalpointngo.org/ngonews/defiChildAbuse.htm.
Psychological Society of South Africa (1999). www.uct.ac.za/depts/psychology/psyssa. www.hsforg.za/focusI8/childfocusI8.html. How teachers identify and respond to child abuse: The difference between theoretical and reportable cases. Child Abuse and Neglect: An International Journal. Factors associated with the development of posttraumatic stress disorder among child victims of sexual abuse. Child Abuse and Neglect: An International Journal.
