What Is Reasonable Suspicion of Child Abuse?

This study examined how Pennsylvania pediatricians characterized reasonable suspicion of child abuse, using their own words in open-ended queries. Content analysis and an iterative process identified themes, which then served as the dependent variable for analysis. 1,249 pediatricians returned the survey (61% response rate), of whom 1,012 answered the open-ended question (49% response rate). Content analysis identified 4 distinct theme categories and significant correlations with age, gender, frequency of reporting, prior education, and current position, but not expertise with child abuse or board certification. These findings add new, qualitative data to arguments for re-examining the threshold for mandated reporting.