Victimology Final Exam
Study Guide Questions
and Answers Updated
2026
physical child abuse - Answer _______________ __________ _________ may be defined as
any act that results in a nonaccidental injury by a person who has care, custody, or control of
a child.
child neglect - Answer ___________ _____________ is the negligent treatment or
maltreatment of a child by a parent or caretaker under circumstances that indicate harm or
threatened harm to the child's health or welfare.
child sexual abuse - Answer ___________ ____________ _________ is the sexual
exploitation or sexual activities with a child under circumstances that indicate that the child's
health or welfare is harmed or threatened.
intrafamilial sexual abuse - Answer ________________ __________ __________ includes
incest and refers to any type of exploitative sexual contact that occurs between relatives.
extrafamilial sexual abuse - Answer _________________ __________ ________ refers to
the exploitative sexual contact with perpetrators who may be known to the child (neighbors,
babysitters, live-in partners) or unknown to the child.
intergenerational transmission of violence theory - Answer _______________________
________________ ___ ______________ _________ asserts that family violent behavior is
learned within the family and bequeathed from one generation to the next. There is no way
to prove or disprove this theory, however, it is widely accepted.
,psychopathological model - Answer ___________________ ___________ stresses the
characteristics of the abuser as the primary cause of abuse. The abuser's personality
predisposes the abuser to injure the child.
interactional model - Answer The __________________ ____________ views child abuse as
a result of a dysfunctional system.
environmental-sociological-cultural model - Answer _______________-________________-
__________ __________ views child abuse as a result of stresses in society that are the
primary causes of abuse.
economic theory - Answer _____________ __________ suggests that neglect is caused by
stress as a result of living in poverty.
ecological theory - Answer _____________ _________ views the family behavior and
neglect as a result of social causes.
personalistic theory - Answer __________________ ____________ attributes child neglect
to individual personality characteristics of the caretakers.
4 preconditions model of sexual abuse - Answer ______ _______________ ________ ____
________ _______ establishes preconditions that create a personal and social context for
expressing sexually abusive behaviors.
sibling abuse - Answer ____________ _________ is any form of physical, mental, or sexual
abuse inflicted by one child in a family unit upon another.
child - Answer ___________ is defined as a person under the age of legal majority. This age
is typically stated to be 18.
, Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy - Answer _______________ ____________ ____ _______
is a psychiatric disorder whereby individuals intentionally produce physical symptoms of
illness in their children.
ritual abuse - Answer __________ _________ is a brutal form of abuse of children consisting
of physical, sexual, and psychological abuse, and involving the use of rituals. Ritual does not
necessarily mean satanic. However, most survivors state that they were ritually abused as
part of satanic worship for the purpose of indoctrinating them into satanic beliefs and
practices. Ritual abuse rarely consists of a single episode. It usually involves repeated abuse
over an extended period of time.
elder abuse - Answer __________ __________ is defined as conduct that results in the
physical, psychological, or material harm or neglect or injury to an elder.
material - Answer ____________ in the context of elder abuse refers to the exploitation or
use of resources.
elder - Answer __________ is a person 65 years of age or older. Some federal programs use
age 60 or older as the guide.
psychopathology theory - Answer ___________________ _________ of elder abuse is based
on the premise that abusers suffer from mental disorders that cause them to be violent.
social exchange theory - Answer ______________ _____________ __________ of elder
abuse assumes that dependency in relationships contributes to elder abuse.
family stress theory - Answer __________ _________ _________ regarding elder abuse is
based on the premise that providing care for an elder induces stress within the family.
neutralization theory - Answer ______________ ________ was originally developed by
Sykes and Matza to explain juvenile delinquency in our society. This theory views the
delinquent as being affected by the norms and values of a larger social system rather than by
a counterculture.
Study Guide Questions
and Answers Updated
2026
physical child abuse - Answer _______________ __________ _________ may be defined as
any act that results in a nonaccidental injury by a person who has care, custody, or control of
a child.
child neglect - Answer ___________ _____________ is the negligent treatment or
maltreatment of a child by a parent or caretaker under circumstances that indicate harm or
threatened harm to the child's health or welfare.
child sexual abuse - Answer ___________ ____________ _________ is the sexual
exploitation or sexual activities with a child under circumstances that indicate that the child's
health or welfare is harmed or threatened.
intrafamilial sexual abuse - Answer ________________ __________ __________ includes
incest and refers to any type of exploitative sexual contact that occurs between relatives.
extrafamilial sexual abuse - Answer _________________ __________ ________ refers to
the exploitative sexual contact with perpetrators who may be known to the child (neighbors,
babysitters, live-in partners) or unknown to the child.
intergenerational transmission of violence theory - Answer _______________________
________________ ___ ______________ _________ asserts that family violent behavior is
learned within the family and bequeathed from one generation to the next. There is no way
to prove or disprove this theory, however, it is widely accepted.
,psychopathological model - Answer ___________________ ___________ stresses the
characteristics of the abuser as the primary cause of abuse. The abuser's personality
predisposes the abuser to injure the child.
interactional model - Answer The __________________ ____________ views child abuse as
a result of a dysfunctional system.
environmental-sociological-cultural model - Answer _______________-________________-
__________ __________ views child abuse as a result of stresses in society that are the
primary causes of abuse.
economic theory - Answer _____________ __________ suggests that neglect is caused by
stress as a result of living in poverty.
ecological theory - Answer _____________ _________ views the family behavior and
neglect as a result of social causes.
personalistic theory - Answer __________________ ____________ attributes child neglect
to individual personality characteristics of the caretakers.
4 preconditions model of sexual abuse - Answer ______ _______________ ________ ____
________ _______ establishes preconditions that create a personal and social context for
expressing sexually abusive behaviors.
sibling abuse - Answer ____________ _________ is any form of physical, mental, or sexual
abuse inflicted by one child in a family unit upon another.
child - Answer ___________ is defined as a person under the age of legal majority. This age
is typically stated to be 18.
, Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy - Answer _______________ ____________ ____ _______
is a psychiatric disorder whereby individuals intentionally produce physical symptoms of
illness in their children.
ritual abuse - Answer __________ _________ is a brutal form of abuse of children consisting
of physical, sexual, and psychological abuse, and involving the use of rituals. Ritual does not
necessarily mean satanic. However, most survivors state that they were ritually abused as
part of satanic worship for the purpose of indoctrinating them into satanic beliefs and
practices. Ritual abuse rarely consists of a single episode. It usually involves repeated abuse
over an extended period of time.
elder abuse - Answer __________ __________ is defined as conduct that results in the
physical, psychological, or material harm or neglect or injury to an elder.
material - Answer ____________ in the context of elder abuse refers to the exploitation or
use of resources.
elder - Answer __________ is a person 65 years of age or older. Some federal programs use
age 60 or older as the guide.
psychopathology theory - Answer ___________________ _________ of elder abuse is based
on the premise that abusers suffer from mental disorders that cause them to be violent.
social exchange theory - Answer ______________ _____________ __________ of elder
abuse assumes that dependency in relationships contributes to elder abuse.
family stress theory - Answer __________ _________ _________ regarding elder abuse is
based on the premise that providing care for an elder induces stress within the family.
neutralization theory - Answer ______________ ________ was originally developed by
Sykes and Matza to explain juvenile delinquency in our society. This theory views the
delinquent as being affected by the norms and values of a larger social system rather than by
a counterculture.
