NCJ Number
244609
Journal
Child Abuse Review Volume: 22 Issue: 5 Dated: September-October 2013 Pages: 340-353
Date Published
October 2013
Length
14 pages
Annotation
In this article, the authors assess the prevalence of child maltreatments, their co-occurrence and associations with household dysfunction in a large population cohort.
Abstract
Information from the 1958 British birth cohort on childhood abuse, neglect and household dysfunction recorded at 45 years and during childhood was used. Prevalence was calculated in 3 samples: individuals with each measure (n=9 310-15 583); 45-year-old participants (n=9 310); and all surviving to 45 years (n=17 313) includes imputed data. A cumulative neglect score was derived. Latent Class Analysis (LCA) was applied to establish the co-occurrence of maltreatments. In the three samples, 14.2 to 17.1 percent of participants reported any form of abuse: psychological (10.0-12.5 percent), physical (6.1-9.0 percent), sexual (1.6-2.9 percent) and witnessing abuse (6.0-8.5 percent). A high neglect score (greater than 3; prevalence 25.9-32.1 percent) was positively associated with any form of abuse (30 percent increase/unit). LCA identified 8.2 percent of participants at risk of both abuse and neglect, and 24.9 percent at high risk of neglect 'only'. Measures of household dysfunction were associated with all types of child maltreatment, particularly with abuse and neglect. Approximately one-third of this population sample showed a high risk of child maltreatment; over 1 in 10 reported any form of abuse. Those from dysfunctional family backgrounds were particularly vulnerable to both child abuse and neglect. Abstract published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons.