SRO Child Abuse & Neglect Recognition 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following is a physical indicator most strongly associated with child physical abuse?
- Poor hygiene and dirty clothing
- Unexplained bruises in various stages of healing (Correct answer)
- Frequent tardiness to school
- Declining academic performance
Correct answer: Unexplained bruises in various stages of healing
Bruises in multiple stages of healing indicate repeated trauma over time, which is inconsistent with a single accidental injury.
Question 2: What is the broad legal term that encompasses acts or failures to act that cause harm or risk of harm to a child?
- Child endangerment
- Child maltreatment (Correct answer)
- Juvenile delinquency
- Parental negligence
Correct answer: Child maltreatment
Child maltreatment is the umbrella term used by child protective services and law to include physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect.
Question 3: Which type of abuse involves a persistent pattern of behavior that damages a child's emotional development and sense of self-worth?
- Physical abuse
- Sexual abuse
- Neglect
- Emotional abuse (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Emotional abuse
Emotional abuse involves chronic behaviors such as belittling, threatening, or rejecting a child that impair emotional and psychological development.
Question 4: A child arrives at school with burns shaped like a circular object consistent with a cigarette tip. This patterned injury is most indicative of:
- An accidental cooking burn
- Self-inflicted injury
- Physical abuse (Correct answer)
- Neglect
Correct answer: Physical abuse
Burns that match specific objects such as cigarettes, irons, or cords are classic indicators of intentional physical abuse rather than accidental injury.
Question 5: Which behavioral indicator is a significant red flag for possible sexual abuse in a school-age child?
- Increased interest in sports
- Age-inappropriate sexual knowledge or behavior (Correct answer)
- Higher academic performance
- Making many new friends quickly
Correct answer: Age-inappropriate sexual knowledge or behavior
Age-inappropriate sexual knowledge or acting out sexual behaviors is a key behavioral indicator that may suggest a child has been exposed to or experienced sexual abuse.
Question 6: How is child neglect distinguished from poverty in a legal and investigative context?
- Neglect only occurs in wealthy households
- The caregiver has available resources but fails to provide adequate care (Correct answer)
- Poverty is a criminal offense while neglect is not
- Neglect only involves withholding physical necessities
Correct answer: The caregiver has available resources but fails to provide adequate care
Neglect is differentiated from poverty when a caregiver has the means or access to resources yet still fails to meet the child's basic needs.
Question 7: Which of the following is NOT one of the four recognized categories of child maltreatment?
- Physical abuse
- Emotional abuse
- Academic failure (Correct answer)
- Sexual abuse
Correct answer: Academic failure
The four recognized categories of child maltreatment are physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect; academic failure is a potential consequence, not a category.
SRO Child Abuse & Neglect Recognition 1
Which of the following is a physical indicator most strongly associated with child physical abuse?