Prevalence of Different Kinds of Child Abuse and the Characteristics That Differentiate Abused From Nonabused Male Adolescents

• NCJ Number: 245599
• Journal: Journal of Interpersonal Violence Volume: 28 Issue: 5 Dated: March 2013 Pages: 975-996
• Author(s): Niloofar Mikaeili; Usha Barahmand; Reza Abdi
• Date Published: March 2013
• Length: 22 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Child abuse has proved to be one of the most important social challenges.

Abstract

Child abuse has proved to be one of the most important social challenges. The present study attempts (a) to determine the prevalence of child abuse in an urban area in Iran and (b) to differentiate abused from non-abused adolescent boys using parental and child characteristics. A survey was conducted to determine the prevalence of different types of child abuse. The prevalence sample comprised 2,100 students selected through a multistage random sampling procedure. Data were collected using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire CTQ, Beck Depression Inventory, II BDI-II, State Trait Anxiety Inventory STAI, modified Hazan & Shaver Attachment Style Questionnaire ASQ and Symptom Check List 90 SCL-90-R. Descriptive statistics and discriminant function analysis were used to analyze the data. The results showed that 14.85% of the subjects were exposed to child abuse, with emotional abuse being most prevalent 52.09%. Also, it appeared that variables such as parental depression and anxiety and children's attachment styles, anxiety, and aggression can help discriminate abused boys from their non-abused counterparts. Abstract published by arrangement with Sage.