The Role of Race and Severity of Abuse in Teachers' Recognition or Reporting of Child Abuse

摘要: In the United States, reported child abuse rates vary dramatically with race. We employed a scenario methodology to examine whether teachers, whose professional obligations include reporting suspected instances of abuse, exhibit bias in evaluating possibly abused child. Each teacher (180 White, 180 Black, and Hispanic) read one six profiles about hypothetical elementary school student then expressed extent agreement either statement that is being physically or should be as abused. Within set profiles, race severity were manipulated. When profile was severely abused, responses for two judgmental tasks comparable. However, when moderately teachers asked gave higher than their counterparts who reported. No effects observed.