Abstract
Munchausen syndrome by proxy has received considerable attention in the medical literature. These reports, however, usually focus on descriptions of the medical aspects of the often bizarre patterns of parent-child behaviors which characterize this syndrome. Despite the destructiveness of these behaviors, few attempts have been made to examine the syndrome from the perspective of a variant form of child maltreatment. In light of this, the authors will: (1) define and briefly summarize the history of the syndrome; (2) review the literature focusing particular attention on the definition of the syndrome, pinpointing its relationship to child abuse; (3) provide case studies of the syndrome to illuminate the interplay of medical and psychosocial aspects of the problem; and (4) suggest methods of intervention.
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Manthei, D.J., Pierce, R.L., Rothbaum, R.J. et al. Munchausen syndrome by proxy: Covert child abuse. Journal of Family Violence 3, 131–140 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00994030
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00994030