Bronfenbrenner's (1977, 1979, 1989, 1993, 1994) ecological theory suggests that child (human) development occurs for the child in the context of various environments. These environments, or systems, are influenced within and between other environments. Individuals within each system influence each other through various transactions that occur between them. In ecological theory, these systems are nested with the child at the center, embedded in his or her immediate family environment. The system closest to the child is the microsystem; this includes the child and family, peers, neighborhood and school. A critical developmental impact occurs in the child's immediate environment due to proximal processes, transactions, and interactions, which operate to produce and sustain development. This is especially relevant when considering the maladaptive development and disorders that occur in children. Based on this theory it can be assumed that dysfunction in children occurs as a by-product of the microsystem. The mesosystem surrounding the microsystem is representative of the relationships that occur between two or more environments in which the developing child finds himself. An example is the relational interactions between caregiver and school, or between school and nursery. The mesosystem is an environment, or system, of microsystems (1994) The exosystem mostly represents the indirect, but sometimes direct, influences of the extended community on the child. These include law enforcement, social services, religious communities, and a caregiver's work environment. These are processes that occur between two or more contexts, at least one of which does not include the child, thus indirectly affecting the child by influencing… middle of the paper… the occurrence of child maltreatment. These are explained as enhancing factors, which increase the risk of likelihood of maltreatment; and compensatory factors, which reduce the risk of maltreatment. They can be long-lasting, relatively permanent or transient, shorter-term or intermittent factors. These may involve childhood, parental or environmental characteristics and may be biological, historical, psychological or sociological in nature (1998). Lynch and Cicchetti proposed that maladjustment is more likely to occur when vulnerability and enhancing risk factors outweigh protective and buffering compensatory influences. However, they determined that it was not the absence or presence of enhancing, risk, or compensatory and protective factors that provided a specific outcome, but rather their dynamic interaction that was significant. (1998).