Describes an alternative perspective on the causes of child neglect, with implications for intervention. Although a link has been established between chronic impoverishment and families whose children experience high rates of psychological and physical neglect, the fact of poverty may neither fully explain nor cause neglect. Instead, socioeconomic failure and child neglect may both be the result of something else: severe difficulties sustaining interpersonal relationships. The theory rests on an understanding of how humans process information and explains 3 types of neglect: (1) disorganized neglect, in which children are parented inconsistently because family members organize their behavior in terms of feelings, not logical decision making; (2) emotional neglect, in which families have difficulty experiencing and expressing affect, or emotion, and rely exclusively on cognition, with the result that the home is highly structured but lacking warmth; and (3) depressed neglect, in which family members are withdrawn and dull, and parents are unable to perceive their children’s needs. Features of effective interventions depend on the type of neglect and include: establishing a structured, predictable environment; addressing parents’ feelings, fears, and sense of isolation; and, when necessary, teaching parents to engage emotionally with their children.
