Child Abuse Prevention Research Articles

Education strategies to prevent child abuse in Aceh, Indonesia: Women and Child Empowerment Center and Protection Unit

This study seeks strategies to educate and prevent child abuse in Aceh. The research was a qualitative study with thirty purposively selected subjects who were officers at the Integrated Service Center for Women and Child Empowerment (P2TP2A) and the Technical Implementing Unit-Protection of Women and Children (UPTD-PPA) in Aceh province. Data were collected via interviews, observation, and documentation. There were three stages of data analysis, i.e., organizing, summarizing, and interpreting. The study discovered that implementing Sharia and Aceh Qanun supported the role of P2TP2A and UPTD-PPA in protecting and preventing child abuse. The P2TP2A and UPTD-PPA have socialized the Qanun on child protection to the community by collaborating with educational institutions in Aceh, organizing parenting training for parents, and developing self-protection skills for children. Qanun applications on child protection prioritize humanist and Islamic principles. Child abuse in Aceh varied, including psychological and physical abuse. Internal and external factors, such as mobile phones as a technology media, parenting, economy, broken home, and lack of religious education, caused child abuse. P2TP2A and UPTD-PPA experienced problems carrying out their duties due to the community's close-mindedness and lack of trust in both institutions. Moreover, the facilities and child psychologists were still limited. However, P2TP2A and UPTD-PPA have carried out their duties effectively.

Creating an interdisciplinary collaborative network of scholars in child maltreatment prevention: A network analysis of the Doris Duke Fellowships for the Promotion of Child Well-Being

BackgroundChild maltreatment is a complex problem requiring interdisciplinary collaborative research to generate innovative solutions. The Doris Duke Fellowships for the Promotion of Child Well-Being were designed to identify and nurture emerging scholars committed to child maltreatment prevention and create a supportive interdisciplinary learning network. ObjectiveThis paper examines connectivity within the collaborative network created by the fellowships program using longitudinal social network data. Participants and SettingParticipants were 120 individuals selected as Doris Duke Fellows during their doctoral training at universities in the United States. MethodsFellows completed annual, voluntary web-based surveys to assess their interactions with other fellows during the past year. Social network analysis methods were used to assess the strength and quality of the learning network over a four-year period. ResultsAcross four years of data, there were increases in the number of connections, proportion of cross-cohort connections, and proportion of interdisciplinary connections. Network analyses showed a highly connected network consisting of primarily medium- and high-quality connections between fellows from different disciplines. The number of scientific journal articles authored by two or more fellows grew substantially over time. ConclusionsFindings indicate the collaborative network created by the fellowships program is growing and strengthening over time. The new Child Well-Being Research Network extends the fellowships network to a broader group of scholars and professionals to advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice in the field of child well-being research.

The Triple P System of Evidence-Based Parenting Support: Past, Present, and Future Directions

Triple P is an integrated, multi-level system of evidence-based parenting support designed to promote the well-being of children and families to reduce prevalence rates of social, emotional, and behavioral problems in children and adolescents and to prevent child maltreatment. The system developed gradually over four decades to address the complex needs of parents and children from diverse family, socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. It blends universal and targeted programs, a focus on developing parental self-regulation capabilities, and adopts a life span perspective with a population health framework. The Triple P system is used as a case example to discuss the past, present and future challenges, and opportunities involved in developing, evaluating, adapting, scaling and maintaining a sustainable system of evidence-based parenting intervention. Seven stages of program development are outlined from initial theory building and development of the core parenting program through to the sustained deployment of the intervention system delivered at scale. The importance of ongoing research and evaluation is highlighted so that different programs within the system evolve and adapt to address the contemporary concerns and priorities of families in diverse cultural contexts. A well-trained workforce is essential to deliver evidence-based programs, in a need-responsive manner that blends both fidelity of delivery and flexibility and is tailored to respond to the needs of individual families and local context. Programs need to be gender-sensitive, culturally informed, and attuned to the local context including relevant policies, resources, cultural factors, funding, workforce availability and their capacity to implement programs.

An E-Learning Program for Continuing Midwifery Education on Handling High-Risk Abuse Cases: A Pretest-Posttest Design.

It is essential to equip midwives and nurses working in the perinatal period with comprehensive knowledge and awareness regarding child abuse prevention. However, most midwives and nurses in Japan do not have the opportunity to learn about abuse prevention during their basic education. We aimed to develop an e-learning program to assist obstetric midwives and nurses in acquiring the knowledge needed to provide support and handle cases with a high risk of abuse, as well as to assess the program's usefulness. This study employed a single-group pre-post design; e-learning served as the intervention. Seventy-one obstetric midwives and nurses were recruited. The program's usefulness was the difference between the participants' pretest and post-test knowledge and efficacy scores. The score data were analyzed using the t-test. A paired t-test revealed that the post-test scores of knowledge and efficacy were significantly higher than those of the pretest, with a large effect size (d = 1.71). Platforms where basic knowledge on how to respond to high-risk abuse cases are lacking in nursing education; thus, this e-learning program is recommended for nurses working in the perinatal field throughout Japan. This educational opportunity for perinatal midwives and nurses will increase awareness and contribute to abuse prevention.

Early detection of risk for maltreatment within Dutch preventive child health care: A proxy-based evaluation of the long-term predictive validity of the SPARK method

BackgroundFor effective prevention of child maltreatment, it is crucial that risk factors for child maltreatment are identified as early as possible. In the Dutch preventive child healthcare, the SPARK-method is used for this purpose. ObjectiveThe current study investigated the predictive validity of the SPARK-method for predicting child protection activities, as a proxy for child maltreatment, and whether the estimation can be improved with an actuarial module. Participants and settingParticipants included a community sample of 1582 children of approximately 18-months-old for whom the SPARK was administered during well-child visits at home (51 %) or at the well-baby clinic (49 %). MethodsSPARK measurements were linked to data on child protection orders and residential youth care over a 10-year follow-up period. The predictive validity was evaluated using Area Under the receiver operating characteristic Curve (AUC) values. ResultsResults showed good predictive validity for the SPARK clinical risk assessment (AUC = 0.723; large effect). The actuarial module led to a significant improvement in predictive validity (AUC = 0.802; large effect), z = 2.05, p = .04. ConclusionThese results show that the SPARK is suitable for estimating the risk of child protection activities and that the actuarial module is a valuable addition. The SPARK can be used to support professionals in preventive child healthcare with their decision on appropriate follow-up actions.

Use of technology in evidence-based programs for child maltreatment and its impact on parent and child outcomes.

Technology has been used in evidence-based child maltreatment (CM) programs for over a decade. Although advancements have been made, the extent of the application of technology in these programs, and its influence on parental and child outcomes, remains unclear within the context of changes that emerged because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This scoping review provides a contextualized overview and summary of the use of technology in evidence-based parenting and child programs serving families impacted by child maltreatment and the effects of technology-enhanced programs on target outcomes. Using Arksey and O'Malley's methodological framework, we searched seven databases to identify peer-reviewed and grey literature published in English from 2000 to 2023 on evidence-based programs, according to the California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse (CEBC), that included technological supports for two populations: at-risk parents for child maltreatment prevention, and children and youth 0-18 years exposed to child maltreatment. All study designs were included. Eight evidence-based parenting programs and one evidence-based child trauma program were identified as using technology across a total of 25 peer-reviewed articles and 2 peer-reviewed abstracts meeting inclusion criteria (n = 19 on parent-level programs; n = 8 on child-level programs). Four studies were published in the context of COVID-19. Two main uses of technology emerged: (1) remote programmatic delivery (i.e., delivering all or part of the program virtually using technology) and (2) programmatic enhancement (i.e., augmenting program content with technology). Improvements across parenting and child mental health and behavioral outcomes were generally observed. Technology use in evidence-based child maltreatment programs is not new; however, the small sample since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in this review that met inclusion criteria highlight the dearth of research published on the topic. Findings also suggest the need for the inclusion of implementation outcomes related to adoption and engagement, which could inform equitable dissemination and implementation of these programs. Additional considerations for research and practice are discussed.

Violence against adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bandung, Indonesia

Background Violence against children includes all forms of violence against people under 18 years old, whether perpetrated by parents or other caregivers, peers, romantic partners, or strangers. During the COVID-19 pandemic, strained parent-child relationships due to family financial pressure, physical or mental health problems, and lockdown conditions that kept families at home and in close proximity for long periods of time might have exacerbated any underlying tensions. 
 Objective To describe violence against adolescents in Bandung during the COVID-19 pandemic, in the form of psychological violence, physical violence, neglect, and sexual abuse.
 Methods This descriptive study was held from October to December 2020. Subjects were adolescents aged 12-18 years attending junior and senior high school in Bandung. Subjects filled the International Society for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN) Child Abuse Screening Tool-for Children (ICAST-C) questionnaire (Indonesian version).
 Results The most common forms of violence experienced by adolescents in Bandung during the COVID-19 pandemic were being ignored (psychological violence), startled aggressively (physical violence), and being made to feel unimportant (neglect). Sexual abuse was reported by a minority of subjects.
 Conclusion The predominant type of violence against adolescents in Bandung during the COVID-19 pandemic was psychological violence, followed by physical violence and neglect.

Knowledge and Attitude of Pediatric Nurses in Saudi Arabia Regarding Child Abuse.

Child abuse, especially when caused by the child's parents or caregivers, can be either physical, psychological, and/or sexual. Pediatric nurses should be able to identify cases of child abuse, provide appropriate care, and address the issue. Nurses' knowledge, attitudes in child abuse are essential in safeguarding the well-being and safety of those children. This study aimed to investigate pediatric nurses' knowledge and attitude about child abuse and actions taken to address such abuse. Seventy pediatric nurses working in one educational hospital in Riyadh City, Saudi Arabia participated in the study. This study followed a quantitative design. A self-administrative questionnaire was distributed to pediatric nurses. A convenience sampling was followed to include the nurses who met the criteria. An adopted validated questionnaire was used for collecting data about nurses' knowledge and attitudes regarding child abuse. The data was analyzed by SPSS with a descriptive analysis, independent t-tests or ANOVA test, and regression analysis. The descriptive results indicate that participants had adequate knowledge for identifying a child as a probable victim of child abuse. All participants agreed that an important role for nurses in managing and preventing child abuse is present. The study also indicated a favorable attitude of pediatric nurses toward child abuse. Linear regression analysis showed that nurses age between 31 and 40 years were positively associated with nurses' knowledge of child abuse, nurses with fewer years of experience and nurses with experience in dealing with a victim of child abuse had a more favorable attitude. The study concludes that pediatric nurses have adequate knowledge and a positive attitude toward child abuse. Middle age was positively associated with nurses' knowledge of child abuse, while years of experience and experience in dealing with child abuse was inversely associated with nurses' attitude.

Development of Social Parent Education Platform for the Prevention of Child Neglect and Abuse

Development of Social Parent Education Platform for the Prevention of Child Neglect and Abuse

A qualitative study of public health nurses' experiences detecting and preventing child maltreatment in primary care settings.

To explore how public health nurses in child and family health centres experience detecting and preventing child maltreatment. Qualitative study. Fourteen semi-structured individual interviews with public health nurses who worked in 11 different child and family health centres were conducted. The interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. Three themes were identified: (i) integrating knowledge to prevent child maltreatment as part of their everyday job, (ii) striving hard to detect child maltreatment and (iii) experiencing the assignment to be complex and demanding. Despite extensive experience, knowledge and following the guidelines, public health nurses in this study had difficulties finding children exposed to child maltreatment in child and family health centres. Public health nurses called for mutual multidisciplinary cooperation with other services and organizational facilitation, such as enough time and clear guidelines to effectively address this issue. This study provides knowledge about how public health nurses work with child maltreatment at the Child and Family Health Center, which can serve as valuable foundation for further research as well for collaborating services. EQUATOR guidelines were followed, using the COREQ checklist. No patient or public contribution.

Mentalization-Based Parenting Program for Child Maltreatment Prevention: A Pre-Post Study of 12-Week Lighthouse Group Program.

The aim of this study was to assess the 12-week group version of the mentalization-based Lighthouse Parenting Program for child maltreatment prevention. Parents who might be facing mentalizing difficulties due to challenges in the parent-child relationship were invited to participate in the program. The aim of the program was to promote mentalizing-to encourage parents' curiosity about their children's minds and their willingness to reflect on their own feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. Study participants were 101 parents (82 mothers, 19 fathers). Parenting practices and parental and family adjustment were assessed using the Parent and Family Adjustment Scale and mentalization was measured using Mentalization Scale at pre- and post-intervention assessments. Parents' feedback on the program was gathered after the program. Results revealed that mentalization, parental adjustment, and family functioning improved while coercive parenting practices decreased after the intervention. Study results provide preliminary indications of the benefits of the 12-week Lighthouse Parenting Program for parents referred or self-referred for mental health services due to their own or their child's difficulties.

The Long Shadow of Exposure to Early-Life Adversity

The Long Shadow of Exposure to Early-Life Adversity

Knowledge and Information Resources about Child Abuse among Government and Private Dental Practitioner in Uttar Pradesh, India.

To evaluate knowledge, attitude, and information sources about child abuse and neglect (CAN) among dentists in Varanasi district of Uttar Pradesh state, India. A cross-sectional online survey was carried out of dentist working in government and private hospitals in the Varanasi district, Uttar Pradesh State, India (n = 674). The structured questionnaire was sent through electronic mail that contained the consent form, instructions for filling, and returning the questionnaire. The data obtained were systematically compiled and the Chi-square test was applied to test the association. The significance level of P ≤ 0.05 was applied. A maximum number of dental practitioners from the government (81.97%) and private sector (85.98%) were aware of the child protection law. A significant number of government and private dental practitioners were satisfied with their knowledge (p = 0.0092); however, 83.79% suggested that the continuing education programs/courses were important tool to update their knowledge. The girl child was maximum sufferer (p = 0.0056) of CAN. Only 14.08% of practitioners acted on the suspected cases, and a statistical significant relation was observed between the government and private dental practitioners for not taking any action on child abuse and neglect (p = 0.0010). Data from this study may provide a useful contribution to the current limited knowledge about the familiarity of dental practitioners with child maltreatment and their skills to recognize and manage CAN cases in their practice. The majority of dental practitioners knew about the child protection law in India, but they were reluctant to report such cases due to the fear of anger from the parents and family of the child. Continuing education programs/courses were the most preferred method for increasing the knowledge regarding CAN. They should report the CAN cases to local legislators and health authorities so to prevent child abuse and neglect from ever occurring.

Qatari mothers’ beliefs in child disciplinary methods and their reported use: A cross‐sectional study

AbstractViolent child discipline is a widespread phenomenon that can have devastating short‐ and long‐term consequences for an individual's physical, mental and social wellbeing. Parents' beliefs and expressed ideas about child discipline, both violent and non‐violent, can differ from their practice. This study identifies which disciplinary methods Qatari mothers believe to be the most successful in changing their child's behaviour and compares them to the ones they report actually using. Using a cross‐sectional design, a representative sample of Qatari mothers completed an anonymous standardised questionnaire, the International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect Child Abuse Screening Tool for Parents. The majority (96.9 per cent) of Qatari mothers reported believing in non‐violent disciplinary methods (NVDMs) in changing their child's behaviour and those believing only in such methods are more likely to use only them compared to those mothers believing in a mixture of methods (30.9 vs. 6.7 per cent, chi‐squared value [𝜒2] = 83.5, P value <0.001). Still, 44.9 and 5.2 per cent of Qatari mothers believing in only NVDMs also used at least one moderate and one severe physical method, respectively. Much public education is needed to increase Qatari mothers' awareness in of the benefits of NVDMs, to foster a belief in their efficacy and to support using them.

What Frontline Professionals Need to Combat Child Maltreatment Online

Rapid technological advances in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries have changed the landscape of child maltreatment worldwide. Whereas historically a child was most likely to be maltreated within the family or community systems, now children can be abused by thousands of unknown and unidentified persons from anywhere on the planet. Trafficking in child sexual abuse material (CSAM), luring, grooming, and other predatory behaviors existed before the Internet. However, modern technologies have changed abusers’ points of access to children and the number of abusers who can participate in the maltreatment of a victim. New types of child maltreatment are also being invented with new technologies, such as livestreamed child sexual exploitation. In addition, the volume of certain types of child abuse has exploded exponentially such as has been documented with the trafficking in CSAM, as well as the severity of the abuse being recorded on younger and younger victims, including infants and toddlers. These changes have created challenges at all points along the child maltreatment continuum—from prevention to effective treatment leading to the full physical and psychological recovery and social reintegration of victims and survivors as are mandated by international law for many survivors. Recent research into the experiences and perspectives of frontline professionals combatting technology-facilitated child maltreatment makes clear that more training and supports are needed, such as technological resources, research into effective therapeutic treatments for survivors, consistent and accurate terminology and concepts, a modernization of the legal framework in which these crimes are investigated and prosecuted, and robust mental health supports for frontline providers. As the Kempe Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse and Neglect provides education and training to thousands of frontline providers worldwide each year, Kempe is uniquely situated to provide leadership in preparing frontline providers to combat child abuse effectively in these new environments.

Longitudinal changes in the county-level relationship between opioid prescriptions and child maltreatment reports, United States, 2009-2018.

This article examines whether county opioid prescription rates were associated with county child maltreatment report (CMR) rates in the United States and whether this relationship changed over time. We linked multiple national data sets to assemble retail opioid prescription data, CMR data, rural-urban codes (to control for urbanicity), and census data (to control for other community characteristics, such as poverty rates) covering 2009-2018. Multilevel linear modeling analyzed the linked data. We found that the strength of the county-level relationship between opioid prescription rates and CMR rates increased almost linearly during the study period. The relationship was not significant in 2009-2011; it became significant in 2012 and grew stronger in the next 6 years. In 2012, there was one more CMR per 1,000 children in a county for every 14.3 more opioid prescriptions per 100 people. In 2018, the number of prescriptions related to this effect was 3.6. In other words, the county-level relationship between opioid prescriptions and CMRs was four times as strong in 2018 as it had been in 2012. This trend was also observed within all subgroups of child age and sex. By type, this trend was somewhat more pronounced for neglect, but somewhat less for sexual abuse. Our findings suggest a growing need for greater efforts to prevent child maltreatment in communities with high opioid prescription rates. Further research is warranted to reveal the underlying factors for this concerning trend. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Self-Reported Data are not Sufficient to Distinguish Benefits of One Psychological Intervention Compared to Another, both Aimed at Improving the Parent-Toddler Relationship

This paper reports on a Randomized Clinical Trial (RCT) where mothers at risk of maltreating their infants were randomly assigned to either a widely used parenting training known as Systematic Training for Effective Parenting (STEP), a 12-week once weekly session (n=35), or the Group Attachment-Based Intervention (GABI), a multi-family 26-week treatment (n=43). ANCOVA results compared STEP versus GABI groups’ end-of-treatment scores, with intake scores controlled for, on standardized measures of children’s exposure to Adverse Childhood Experiences, social isolation, and difficulties with impulse control, were considered. Mothers in both groups reported no significant increase in children’s exposure to ACEs, and significant decreases in self-reported social isolation and impulse control difficulties. Discussion focuses on self-reported benefits of both treatment arms, and the need for future intervention studies to include observational measures of maternal sensitivity and of the overall quality of the mother-toddler relationship. Three Practitioner Points i. Self-report indices from mothers re their social isolation, self-esteem, and poor impulse control (positive symptoms, SCL-90, all showed improvements from intake to end-of-treatment in both arms of the RCT, both sharing parenting groups as a central if not the only part of treatment. ii. For both arms of the RCT mothers reported no significant increase in their children’s exposure to Adverse Childhood Experiences. iii. Future intervention studies aimed at preventing child maltreatment must include observational measures of maternal sensitivity, and the overall quality of the mother-child relationship.

Feasibility and Acceptability of Parenting for Lifelong Health Program in Mainland China

Purpose: Parenting for Lifelong Health for Young Children (PLH-YC) is a program to prevent child maltreatment. This study aimed to examine the feasibility, acceptability and preliminary effects of the adapted program for Chinese parents. Methods: A pre–post single-arm pilot trial was conducted with 21 Chinese parents. A mixed-method design was utilized to collect questionnaire-based quantitative data and qualitative data of interviews and focus group discussions. Results: Program implementation was feasible, with overall high recruitment, enrollment, attendance, acceptability and fidelity. Quantitative results demonstrated reductions in general child maltreatment, physical and emotional abuse, child behavioral problems, and improvements in positive parenting. Thematic analyses identified reduced violent discipline, psychological aggression, and child behavioral problems, strengthened parent–child bonds, increased parenting confidence, and decreased family conflict. Conclusion: The adapted PLH-YC program for Chinese parents has shown good feasibility and acceptability, and exhibited a significant association with reduced child maltreatment. Further randomized controlled trials are required.

Determining the Prevalence of Child Maltreatment Among Young Adults in Saudi Arabia Using ISPCAN Child Abuse Screening Tool.

Background Child maltreatment is an important public health issue, thus determining its prevalence is critical to recognize the extent of the problem and mandate efforts to combat child abuse. We aimed to investigate child maltreatment prevalence among special populations of young adults in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Methods We used the retrospective version of the International Society for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN) Child Abuse Screening Tool (ICAST-R). The survey included Saudi students of both genders aged between 18 to 24 years old and attending King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS). The questionnaire was provided electronically using Survey Monkey (Momentive Global Inc., San Mateo, CA, USA). Results A total of 713 students completed all sections of the questionnaire.The prevalence of any type of child maltreatment was estimated to be 42%. Physical abuse was the most prevalent (51.1%), followed by emotional abuse (49.9%), lack of protection and safety (38%), and sexual abuse (29.6%). The most common form of physical abuse was being hit or punched at 77.5% followed by 'beaten very hard with an object' at 58.8% while touching was the most common form of sexual abuse at 68.7%, and only 13.7% encountered penetrating form of sexual abuse.In comparison to female victims, male victims were more likely to be physically abused (odds ratio (OR)=1.5; confidence interval (CI)=1.1-2.0). Participants who lived with a single parent were more likely to be victims of a lack of protection and safety than those who lived with both parents (OR=1.9; CI=1.0-3.7). Most participants reported the abuse to occur after the age of nine years, and the perpetrator was the parents in 17.5% of cases. Conclusion Our findings demonstrated a high prevalence of child maltreatment among the young adultpopulation in Saudi Arabia. It is vital to obtain more information on the prevalence and risk factors of child maltreatment in various populations and regions of Saudi Arabia to raise awareness and improve services for the victims of abuse.

শিশু নির্যাতন প্রতিরোধে বাংলাদেশের আইন ও ইসলামী দিক-নির্দেশনা : একটি পর্যালোচনা|Prevention of Child Abuse Under the Laws of Bangladesh and Islamic Guidelines: An Analysis

Children are the future of tomorrow. Future development and progress depends on the proper care of the child. A country's children can play a key role in transforming a country from a developing country to a middle-income country. Child abuse in various forms has become a daily occurrence in Bangladesh in recent times. Although there are provisions in the legal framework of Bangladesh to protect the overall rights of children and to prevent all forms of abuse and torture, abuse against children is increasing gradually. Not surprisingly enough, the importance of children and their rights are well defined in Islamic law. Employing descriptive and observational analysis methods this article has endeavored to explicate the laws of Bangladesh and Islamic injunctions to prevent child abuse. The author submits that the combination of religious and moral education with the proper implementation of existing laws is absolutely necessary to prevent child abuse.