Development of checklist for early detection and early response of Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K20920
• Project/Area Number (Other): 18H05723 (2018)
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund (2019); Single-year Grants (2018)
• Review Section: 0108:Sociology and related fields
• Research Institution: Hamamatsu Gakuin University
• Principal Investigator: OGUSU Miki 浜松学院大学, 現代コミュニケーション学部, 講師 (40829024)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-08-24 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 児童虐待 / 代理によるミュンヒハウゼン症候群

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study is designed to understand the specific situation of children and parents involved in child abuse in which parents fabricate or induce a child's illness to make the child receive medical treatment (Munchhausen Syndrome by Proxy, hereinafter referred to as MSBP), and to identify the background factors of MSBP and challenges. The results suggest that medical social workers who have encountered suspected MSBP cases are hesitant to report to or consult with related institutions because few of them actually made a report or have a consultation. Also, it became clear that, in the case of MSBP, it is necessary to grasp the complete medical history of the child from the initial treatment and to take careful measures to separate the child from the parent.

Free Research Field

社会福祉学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、加害者の疾患としての側面を持つ代理によるミュンヒハウゼン症候群（以下、MSBP）を児童虐待として捉え、児童家庭福祉の課題として、虐待の早期発見・早期対応を提起している点に学術的意義がある。また、本研究をもとにMSBP のチェックリストが開発されることで、医療機関と福祉機関における連携が促進され、虐待の未然防止に向けた支援システムの構築が可能となる点に社会的意義がある。