Child Maltreatment in Western China: Demographic Differences and Associations with Mental Health

Abstract

Background: Child maltreatment has become a serious public health and social problem worldwide. However, knowledge regarding the status of child maltreatment in western China is limited. Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the status of child maltreatment in western China and its relationship with mental health. Participants and setting: The present study evaluated child maltreatment in a sample of 1511 children (Mage = 11.48 years) from western China. Methods: The participants completed questionnaires designed to collect demographic information and assess their experiences with maltreatment and symptoms of depression and anxiety. Results: In total, 12.3%, 14.0%, 1.3% and 28.1% of the children experienced physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse and neglect, respectively, while 186 children (12.3%) experienced multiple types of maltreatment. Boys were more likely to experience maltreatment than girls in most cases. Physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse and neglect had unique effects on depression symptoms. Physical abuse, emotional abuse and neglect, but not sexual abuse, had unique effects on anxiety symptoms. Conclusions: The children who experienced maltreatment had higher levels of depressive and anxiety symptoms. Population-based prevention and educational programs should highlight the serious negative effects of maltreatment, especially emotional abuse and neglect, which have long been ignored in China.

The Effects of Childhood Maltreatment on Non-Suicidal Self-Injury in Male Adolescents: The Moderating Roles of the Monoamine Oxidase A (MAOA) Gene and the Catechol-O-Methyltransferase (COMT) Gene

“…The results were in accord with other studies revealing that the effects of single polymorphism on NSSI and NSSI-related traits (e.g., depression) were always small or negligible [ 33 , 56 ]. Additionally, our results did not show the main effects of child abuse or neglect on NSSI, contrary to some studies [ 57 , 58 , 59 ]. Recent reviews have suggested that the diversity of participants (e.g., gender difference), the existence of mediators [ 16 ], or the type of maltreatment [ 60 ] could contribute to heterogeneity among studies.…”

Profiles of Childhood Psychological Abuse and Neglect among Chinese College Students and Their Problematic Online Behaviors

“…The multinomial logistic regression suggested that demographic characteristics of sex, parental education background, residential home, and family income were related to profile membership. Females were generally less likely than males to be in profiles characterized by higher abuse and neglect, consistent with prior findings whereby boys were more likely to suffer psychologically from abuse and neglect in China (Zhou, Liang, Cheng, Zheng, & Liu, 2019). This is, however, notably in contrast to the general trends of studies sampling Western populations (Witt, Brown, Plener, Brahler, & Fegert, 2017).…”

Validation of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex PTSD in Chinese children as per the ICD-11 proposals using the International trauma questionnaire

“…These differences may need to further widen under the influence of different political systems and historical-cultural backgrounds. For example, in China, emotional neglect, emotional abuse, and physical abuse are considered effective parenting strategies to control child behaviour, which has resulted in more than half of Chinese children experiencing different types of child maltreatment (Wang, Xing, & Zhao, 2014 ; Zhou, Liang, Cheng, Zheng, & Liu, 2019 ). Meanwhile, individuals prefer to adapt to circumstances rather than seek outward change in Chinese culture (Aubert, Daigle, & Daigle, 2004 ).…”