Causes and consequences of infant abuse and neglect in monkeys

Recent studies of naturally occurring infant abuse and neglect in group-living monkeys have provided some insights into the potential causes and consequences of these phenomena. Infant abandonment by monkey mothers in suboptimal conditions for reproduction and parental investment suggests that neglect, at least in its most extreme forms, may be an adaptive behavior. In contrast, several lines of evidence indicate that infant physical abuse is a maladaptive form of aggression or parenting. Studying the natural occurrence of infant abuse in nonhuman primates can provide important information on the origin and maintenance of child maltreatment in human populations.