Child abuse and neglect and associated mental health outcomes: a large, population-based survey among children and adolescents from Jamaica and Uganda

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cris.lastimport.scopus2025-04-02T03:13:30Z
dc.abstract.enPurpose Few studies assess how child abuse and neglect (CAN) affects adolescents’ mental health. Further, the majority of studies conducted to date discount the individual CAN items and report overall prevalence rates for different types of abuse and neglect. The purpose of this study was to examine the levels of and gender differences in CAN subtypes, lifetime prevalence of individual CAN items and the contribution of different CAN subtypes for explaining depression, anxiety and irritability. Design/methodology/approach The sample included Jamaican (n = 7,182, 60.8% female) and Ugandan (n = 11,518, 52.4% female) youths. The authors used a population-based cross-sectional study design. Youths completed an anonymous survey in school settings. Findings The authors found gender differences in the levels of CAN subtypes. Maltreatment behaviors of lesser severity were more commonly endorsed by the youths than those of greater severity. Neglect and emotional abuse were the strongest correlates of depression (e.g. neglect: ß = 0.23, among Jamaican youths; emotional abuse outside-the-home: ß = 0.23, among Ugandan girls), anxiety (e.g. neglect: ß = 0.17, among Ugandan girls; emotional abuse outside-the-home: ß = 0.27, among Ugandan girls) and irritability (e.g. emotional abuse in-the-home: ß = 0.17, among Jamaican boys; emotional abuse outside-the-home: ß = 0.17, among Ugandan girls) in most samples. Originality/value These findings will inform policymakers and professionals working with youths in Jamaica and Uganda, providing comprehensive contemporary insights beyond existing research in these regions.
dc.affiliationWydział Psychologii we Wrocławiu
dc.affiliationInstytut Psychologii
dc.contributor.authorDębowska, Agata
dc.contributor.authorBoduszek, Daniel
dc.contributor.authorFray-Aiken, Christine
dc.contributor.authorAwich Ochen, Eric
dc.contributor.authorPowell-Booth, Karyl T.
dc.contributor.authorNanfuka Kalule, Esther
dc.contributor.authorHarvey, Roxanne
dc.contributor.authorTuryomurugyendo, Florence
dc.contributor.authorNelson, Kenisha
dc.contributor.authorWillmott, Dominic
dc.contributor.authorMason, Samantha
dc.date.access2024-01-19
dc.date.accessioned2024-01-19T09:47:18Z
dc.date.available2024-01-19T09:47:18Z
dc.date.created2023-09-14
dc.date.issued2024-01-10
dc.description.abstract<jats:sec> <jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Purpose</jats:title> <jats:p>Few studies assess how child abuse and neglect (CAN) affects adolescents’ mental health. Further, the majority of studies conducted to date discount the individual CAN items and report overall prevalence rates for different types of abuse and neglect. The purpose of this study was to examine the levels of and gender differences in CAN subtypes, lifetime prevalence of individual CAN items and the contribution of different CAN subtypes for explaining depression, anxiety and irritability.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Design/methodology/approach</jats:title> <jats:p>The sample included Jamaican (<jats:italic>n</jats:italic> = 7,182, 60.8% female) and Ugandan (<jats:italic>n</jats:italic> = 11,518, 52.4% female) youths. The authors used a population-based cross-sectional study design. Youths completed an anonymous survey in school settings.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Findings</jats:title> <jats:p>The authors found gender differences in the levels of CAN subtypes. Maltreatment behaviors of lesser severity were more commonly endorsed by the youths than those of greater severity. Neglect and emotional abuse were the strongest correlates of depression (e.g. neglect: <jats:italic>ß</jats:italic> = 0.23, among Jamaican youths; emotional abuse outside-the-home: <jats:italic>ß</jats:italic> = 0.23, among Ugandan girls), anxiety (e.g. neglect: <jats:italic>ß</jats:italic> = 0.17, among Ugandan girls; emotional abuse outside-the-home: <jats:italic>ß</jats:italic> = 0.27, among Ugandan girls) and irritability (e.g. emotional abuse in-the-home: <jats:italic>ß</jats:italic> = 0.17, among Jamaican boys; emotional abuse outside-the-home: <jats:italic>ß</jats:italic> = 0.17, among Ugandan girls) in most samples.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Originality/value</jats:title> <jats:p>These findings will inform policymakers and professionals working with youths in Jamaica and Uganda, providing comprehensive contemporary insights beyond existing research in these regions.</jats:p> </jats:sec>
dc.description.accesstimeafter_publication
dc.description.grantnumberAH/P014240/1
dc.description.granttitleNone in Three(Ni3) - A Centre for the Development, Application, Research and Evaluation of Prosocial Games for the Prevention of Gender-based Violence
dc.description.issue1
dc.description.physical42-65
dc.description.versionfinal_author
dc.description.volume28
dc.identifier.doi10.1108/MHSI-08-2023-0089
dc.identifier.issn2042-8308
dc.identifier.urihttps://share.swps.edu.pl/handle/swps/113
dc.identifier.weblinkhttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/MHSI-08-2023-0089/full/html?skipTracking=true
dc.languageen
dc.pbn.affiliationpsychologia
dc.rightsCC-BY-NC
dc.rights.explanationWersja AAM może zostać upubliczniona po oficjalnej publikacji
dc.rights.questionYes_rights
dc.share.articleOPEN_REPOSITORY
dc.subject.enChild abuse and neglect
dc.subject.enDepression
dc.subject.enAnxiety
dc.subject.enIrritability
dc.subject.enAdolescents
dc.subject.enDeveloping countries
dc.swps.sciencecloudsend
dc.titleChild abuse and neglect and associated mental health outcomes: a large, population-based survey among children and adolescents from Jamaica and Uganda
dc.title.journalMental Health and Social Inclusion
dc.typeJournalArticle
dspace.entity.typeArticle