Child abuse by family caregivers and physical, psychological, and behavioral health consequences among 7th-9th graders

Abstract

This descriptive research aimed to determine the prevalence of child abuse and related factors concerning family caregivers, family, children, and elaborate the health consequences in children. The sample consisted of 350 students studying in 7th-9th grade in Bangkok Metropolis. They were selected by multistage random sampling method. Data were collected from 14th to 28th September 2002. The instrument in this study was a questionnaire which included characteristics of children and family caregivers family type family relationship family crisis child physical, emotional, and neglected abuse and the physical, psychological, and behavioral health consequences in abused children. The data analysis was performed by using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, Pearson's Product Moment Correlation Coefficient, t-test, and One-way ANOVA. Results revealed that 88.0 percent of the children were abused by their family caregivers. The most common form of physical abuse by family caregivers was spanking with the bare hand/hitting with a fist. The most common form of emotional abuse was scolding with rude language, and of neglection was inattention to provide necessary food, or lack of appropriate supervision. In physical consequence, the most common form of injury/physical complaints in abused children was minor injury and no lesion. Regarding psychological consequences, the most reported emotional complaint was sadness, and the lowest mean score item in child self-esteem was unpopular in class (Χ = 2.88, S.D. = 1.01). Regarding behavioral consequences, the highest mean score item of child aggression was reflection in the same manner (Χ = 1.21, S.D. = 0.94). 34.7 percent of abused children drank alcohol and 19.5 percent of them experienced substance use. Among child abuses, there were significant differences in factors of family caregivers, including gender, occupation, educational level, marital status, alcohol consumption, and gambling (p-value < 0.05). The significant factors correlated to chil;"การวิจัยเชิงสำรวจนี้มีวัตถุประสงค์เพื่อ ศึกษาอัตราความชุกของการกระทำความรุนแรงในเด็ก และ ศึกษาความสัมพันธ์ระหว่างปัจจัยของผู้ดูแลเด็กในครอบครัว ครอบครัว และของเด็ก กับการกระทำความ รุนแรงในเด็กโดยผู้ดูแลในครอบครัว ซึ่งทำการศึกษาในประชากรนักเรียนชั้นมัธยมศึกษาปีที่ 1-3 กรุงเทพฯ จำนวน 350 คน โดยการสุ่มแบบหลายขั"