Table 1.

 Ranking of definitions of child abuse and exclusion of abuse in comparison groups

Ranking	Criteria
Definition of child abuse
1	Abuse confirmed at case conference or family, civil, or criminal court proceedings; admitted by perpetrator; or witnessed abuse
2	Abuse confirmed by stated criteria including multidisciplinary assessment
3	Abuse defined by stated criteria
4	Abuse stated but no supporting detail given
5	Suspected abuse
Exclusion of abuse in non-abused group
1	Abuse actively excluded by stated criteria; witnessed traumatic cause; or confirmed organic cause
2	Exclusion of abuse implicit in case definition used or stated criteria given
3	Aetiology of non-abuse group merely stated
4	Aetiology of comparison not stated