Understanding unintentional injury risk in young children II. The contribution of caregiver supervision, child attributes, and parent attributes.

OBJECTIVE: To identify child and parent attributes that relate to caregiver supervision and examine how these factors influence child-injury risk.
METHODS: Mothers completed diary records about supervision of their young child (2-5 years) when at home. Standardized questionnaires provided information about child attributes, maternal attributes, and children's history of injuries.
RESULTS: Correlations revealed that child attributes and parent attributes related both to actual maternal supervision and child-injury scores. Regression analyses to predict injury scores revealed child-temperament factors alone predicted all levels of severity (minor, moderately severe, and medically attended), but parent supervision also contributed to predict medically attended injuries.
CONCLUSIONS: Both child and parent factors influenced caregiver's supervision of young children at home and related to child-injury risk. For medically attended injuries, child attributes and parent supervision both predicted risk, whereas for less serious injuries, child factors alone determined risk.