UC Davis

In this study, I investigated the maltreatment profiles of child welfare–involved children in special education and examined how those profiles influenced their internalizing and externalizing behaviors. I analyzed data on a sample of 290 children (63% male, 37% female, Mage = 11 years) from the National Survey on Child and Adolescent Well-Being II. When weighted, this sample represented approximately 233,000 children involved in the child welfare system and in special education. Results from latent class analyses revealed four maltreatment classes, listed by predominance: supervisory neglect, physical abuse, other forms of maltreatment, and sexual abuse. Relative to children in the sexual abuse class, children had higher teacher-reported internalizing problem behaviors if their predominate maltreatment class was either supervisory neglect or physical abuse. Understanding maltreatment and its consequences for child welfare–involved children in special education can help better inform ways to promote their educational success.