The Correlation Study Of Child Abuse And Children’s Emotional And Behavioral Problems In A Elementary School Of Changsha

Objective:1. To understand the positive rate and the common type of Child Abuse in a elementary school of Changsha.2. We preliminary discuss the affecting factors of Child Abuse and its impact on children’s mental health so that provide scientific basis for effective intervention measures.Methods:1.280pupils of grade3to6and their parents in a elementary school of Changsha were investigated in our study. Each subject completes general situation questionnaire, Child Trauma Questionnaire, Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist, Children’s Depression Inventory, The Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders. The statistical analyses were performed with the SPSS17.0statistical software package.2. Using T-test, Chi-Square test, Analysis of variance, Analysis of correlation, Multiple Linear Regression to analyze the data.Results:1. In our study, the incidence of emotional abuse and physical abuse, sexual abuse and emotional neglect were37.9%,35.7%,23.9%and95%, respectively. Emotional neglect is the most common type. There were significant differences in the incidence of emotional abuse (46.7%vs29.3%, respectively), physical abuse(46.7%vs25.1%, respectively), sexual abuse(31.3%vs16.7%, respectively) between boys and girls (P<0.05).2. The score of Child Trauma Questionnaire showed that there were statistically differences in its distribution among different variables, including gender, mother’s gestational emotion, single-child or not, academic record, and maternal educational level(P<0.05). But it showed no statistically differences in such distribution among different variables, as earlier childhood health, parenting character, childbirth condition, and types of family(P>0.05).3. There were positive correlations between the forms of Child Abuse and the occurrence of anxiety/depression or behavioral problems. Emotional abuse, emotional neglect and physical abuse were positive predictors of depression. Emotional abuse and sexual abuse were positive predictors of anxiety. Emotional abuse, emotional neglect and sexual abuse were positive predictors of internalizing behavioral problems. Emotional neglect and sexual abuse were positive predictors of externalizing behavioral problems.Conclusion:1. Child Abuse is a common phenomenon among elementary school students in the city, especially emotional neglect. Boys probably encountered more serious emotional abuse, physical abuse, and sexual abuse than those happened in girls.2. The occurrence of Child Abuse is probably related to such factors as children’s gender, mother’s gestational emotion, single-child or not, academic record, and maternal educational level. This will be our main concern direction on prevention and intervention of Child Abuse in the future.3. Child Abuse negatively affects children’s emotions and behaviors, and it deserves due attention from the families and the whole society.