The recognition by researchers that adolescent maltreatment was a distinct category within the overall context of child abuse and neglect did not occur until the 1970s. Since that time, several studies have been completed that effectively highlighted some of the main patterns and dynamics of adolescent maltreatment. Using a thematic approach, this article consolidates the findings from some of these studies. The three themes reviewed are (1) how the maltreatment of adolescents compares to the maltreatment of a younger child, (2) what constitutes the family dynamics of adolescent maltreatment, and (3) what factors impede the identification of, and provision of services to, maltreated adolescents and their families. We conclude with a brief discussion of the practice and policy implications inherent in the current findings and suggestions for further research.
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