Since the serious negative impacts of child abuse and neglect require greater focus on understanding the factors that influence adults' willingness to intervene when they observe instances of possible abuse and neglect, the current study tested whether certain reporter characteristics and experiences, such as individual and family maltreatment history/experiences and perceived knowledge of child abuse indicators, correlate with, and mediate in, the decision to intervene.
Demographics and willingness to report data were collected from adults (n = 306) attending a child abuse prevention training program in a metropolitan city. The findings indicate that perceived knowledge of child abuse indicators plays a mediation role in willingness to act to respond to child abuse and neglect. Practice and future research implications of these findings are discussed. (publisher abstract modified)