The Arabic/Lebanese Adaptation of Child Abuse Potential Inventory

Hilda Al-Shoura,Utku Beyazit

doi:10.1177/2158244020902080

Abstract

Lebanon lacks the proper instruments to detect and screen for child abuse potential. This study aimed to adapt the Child Abuse Potential Inventory (CAPI) for the Arabic/Lebanese society. The participants of the study were 350 caregivers from Lebanese society. In terms of the validity analysis, construct and criterion-related validity analyses were employed. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis showed a construct of 12 factors and 153 items. In the criterion-related validity analysis, both CAPI and Depression, Anxiety, Stress scale (DASS) scales were found to be significantly correlated ( p < .05). In terms of the reliability analysis, internal consistency was computed by using Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficient. The reliability coefficient was found to be .838 for the total scores of CAPI. Based on these results, the Arabic version of CAPI is considered a valid and reliable instrument that can be used for detecting and screening child abuse potential in an Arabic/Lebanese sample.

Highlights

Child abuse potential is defined as the risk or possibility of physically maltreating a child and refers to caregivers’ selfreporting of the probability of child abuse occurrence (Begle et al, 2010; Lowell & Renk, 2017)
To prevent child abuse before harm occurs, identification of the child abuse risk is crucial via early recognition of families with child abuse potential
The study was based on a general sample and a clinical sample of parents identified as being abusers and/or at risk was not included

Summary

Introduction

Child abuse potential is defined as the risk or possibility of physically maltreating a child and refers to caregivers’ selfreporting of the probability of child abuse occurrence (Begle et al, 2010; Lowell & Renk, 2017). It involves the encouragement of corporal punishment usage and is linked to dysfunctional parenting methods (Rodriguez, 2008). In scanning for child abuse, self-report measurements are conventionally implemented (Camilo et al, 2016; Saini et al, 2019) Such measurements usually rely on caregivers’ conscious realization of feelings and acts toward children and are affected by social appeal and caregivers’ hesitation to disclose child abuse (Fazio & Olson, 2003). To overcome such disadvantages and to provide information concerning the possibility or potential for the respondents to maltreat their children, the Child Abuse Potential Inventory (CAPI) was developed by Milner and Ayoub (1980), which has become one of the most effective and common assessment measures around the world (Laulik et al, 2015)

Objectives

Methods

Results