Practicing psychologists' interpretations of and compliance with child abuse reporting laws

Despite mandatory reporting laws, several studies have found that 30%–40% of professional psychologists have elected not to report suspected child abuse at some time. In this study, we surveyed 226 licensed psychologists from two states concerning factors related to reporting suspected abuse. Thirty-two percent of participants indicated having not reported suspected abuse. Comparisons between participants who have consistently and inconsistently reported indicated that psychologists who have consistently reported rated legal factors as more important than those who have inconsistently reported. Additionally, clinicians who have inconsistently reported were more likely to indicate evidence of abuse as being important in reporting, and less likely to report subjective suspicions of abuse. Results show that a number of factors influence reporting decisions. Implications for public policy and professional training are discussed.