Which of the following individuals is most at risk for experiencing abuse according to psychological research on risk factors?

• A. An elderly person living independently with no cognitive impairments
• B. A teenager who regularly attends school and has positive peer relationships
• C. A child living in a household with a history of domestic violence
• D. An adult with a strong social support network and no history of trauma

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the concept of risk factors for abuse in psychological research. Risk factors are characteristics or conditions that increase the likelihood of an individual experiencing abuse.
2. Step 2: Identify common risk factors for abuse, such as age (children and elderly are more vulnerable), history of domestic violence in the household, cognitive impairments, social isolation, and lack of support networks.
3. Step 3: Analyze each individual in the problem based on these risk factors: the elderly person living independently with no cognitive impairments has fewer risk factors; the teenager with positive peer relationships is generally protected; the child living in a household with a history of domestic violence is exposed to a significant risk factor; the adult with strong social support and no trauma history is less at risk.
4. Step 4: Recognize that a child living in a household with a history of domestic violence is most at risk because exposure to domestic violence is a well-established risk factor for child abuse and neglect.
5. Step 5: Conclude that psychological research supports the identification of the child in a domestic violence environment as the individual most at risk for experiencing abuse.