Mental Health Problems in Abused Institutionalised Serbian Adolescents and Their Use of Social and Mental Health Services (original) (raw)
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Childhood Psychological Abuse and Mental Health of Youth
Mental health is clearly an integral part of health. It is part of an individual‟s capacity to lead a happy and fulfilling life. As a form of child maltreatment psychological abuse can have a significant impact upon the mental health. The current study examined the influencing role of psychological abuse on mental health among 211 Keralite undergraduate youth between 18 to 24 years from data collected using Mental Health Inventory and Childhood Experiences of Care and Abuse Questionnaire-2. Results revealed average mental health of youth with no significant gender difference in mental health and in the prevalence of psychological abuse except in its severity from father. Psychological abuse significantly correlated with mental health variables. A 2 way ANOVA showed significant main effect of severe maternal psychological abuse on mental health. Severity of parental psychological abuse significantly predicted poor mental health (18.7% variability). The findings indicate the need for more effective measures to prevent psychological abuse of children.
Background/Aim. Child abuse may be related to adverse psychological outcomes in adult life. However, little is known about specific clinical, family and resilience profiles of adolescents that have experienced child abuse. The aim of this study was to investigate clinical symptoms, family functioning and resilience characteristics of adolescents with the experience of abuse, first referred to psychiatrists. Methods. The study included 84 young participants (mean age 14.90 ± 3.10, ranging from 11 to 18 years) as consecutive first refer-rals to the Clinic for Children and Youth of the Institute of Mental Health, Belgrade, Serbia. The sample consisted of two groups, based on the Child Abuse Matrices of Risks. The first group included adolescents with the experience of abuse in childhood (n = 38, 13 males, 25 females), whereas the second, control group, comprised of non-abused adolescents (n = 47, 20 males, 27 females). The presence of abuse was evaluated by the Child Abuse Matrices of Risks. The study used the following questionnaires: Youth Self-Report
Journal of Research in Clinical Medicine, 2014
Introduction: The present study was designed to evaluate the prevalence of child abuse in a child and adolescent psychiatric clinical population. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in a clinical population of children and adolescents aged 8-18 years. 80 outpatients and 94 in-patients were selected according to probability proportional to size sampling. Kiddie schedule for affective disorder and schizophrenia questionnaire, a demographic questionnaire, and child abuse self-report scale were filled for each subject. Data were analyzed by using Stata software. Results: Among the outpatient subjects, 50 were male (62.5%) and 30 were female (37.5%); for in-patient these subjects numbers were 76 (80.9%) and 18 (19.1%), respectively. The mean age of subjects was 15.2 years in the in-patient group and 11.7 years in the outpatient group. In 66.1% of abuse cases the perpetrators were parents, 5.2% siblings, and 28.7% someone else. Among in-patient subjects, summed up prevalence rates of severe and very severe psychological abuse, neglect, physical abuse, and sexual abuse were 11.7, 33.0, 2.1, and 0.0%, respectively; for outpatient subjects these values were 3.8, 11.2, 3.8, and 0.0%, respectively. Moreover, among in-patient subjects, prevalence rates of moderate psychological abuse, neglect, physical abuse, and sexual abuse were 27.7, 27.7, 24.5, and 4.3%, respectively; and for outpatient subjects these values were 30.0, 27.5, 11.2, and 0.0%, respectively. Subjects with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) suffered a higher rate of physical abuse, whereas, subjects with bipolar mood disorder (BMD) suffered a higher rate of sexual abuse. Conclusion: The prevalence of child abuse is highly prevalent in children and adolescents with psychiatric disorders. It is recommended that this population be screened routinely for child abuse.
The Psychiatric Consequences of Child and Adolescent Sexual Abuse: A Report of 590 Cases in Turkey
Noro Psikiyatri Arsivi, 2015
Introduction: The purpose of this study was to investigate the psychiatric consequences of sexual abuse and its associated factors in children and adolescents referred to our child and adolescent psychiatry clinic from official medico-legal units. Methods: All victims of sexual abuse (n=590) aged 1-18 (mean: 13.56±3.38) referred from forensic units to Ondokuz Mayis University Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Clinic over a period of 2 years [boys: 83 (14.1%); girls: 507 (85.9%)] were included. Child and adolescent psychiatry and forensic medicine specialists evaluated all the cases. The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised Form (WISC-R) and the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School Age Children-Present and Lifetime Version-Turkish Version (K-SADS-PL-T) were applied. Results: Abuse-related psychiatric diagnoses (of which 45.9% were major depressive disorder and 31.7% were post-traumatic stress disorder cases) were made in 75.2% of the cases. In 80.3% of the cases, the perpetrators were known to their victims [incest, n=91 (15.1%)], and intercourse took place in 48.8%. Although gender and age were not significantly associated with the appearance of any psychiatric disorders, severity of abuse (e.g., intercourse; p=.006), additional physical assault (p<.001), and incest (p<.001) had a significant correlation with psychiatric disorders. To explore the predictive value of multiple factors in the appearance of any sexual assault-related psychiatric disorder, a logistic regression model was used to determine the best linear combination of age, gender, abuse severity, incest, involvement of any other victim, additional physical assault, and length of time from first abuse to first psychiatric evaluation. This combination of variables (occurrence of incest, additional physical assault, and a long duration from first abuse to first psychiatric evaluation) significantly predicted the appearance of a psychiatric disorder of any kind (χ 2 =55.42; df=7; n=522; p<.001). Conclusion: Our findings reveal that the occurrence of incest, additional physical assault, and a long duration from first abuse to first psychiatric evaluation predict higher rates of sexual abuse-related psychiatric disorders.
Emotional and physical abuse in family: survey among high school adolescents
2007
AIM To determine the prevalence of different forms of child abuse among high school pupils in Slavonski Brod, Croatia. METHOD The study included 2140 first and fourth-grade pupils aged between 14 and 18 years from all 10 high schools in Slavonski Brod and the area (4 grammar and 6 vocational schools). The pupils were asked to complete an anonymous structured questionnaire during a 45-minute class. The questionnaire, developed for the needs of this study, collected basic demographic data on family life and experience of emotional or physical abuse. RESULTS First-grade pupils were more satisfied with their family life than fourth-grade pupils (96.9% vs 91.3%, P<0.001, chi(2) test). The feeling of being insufficiently loved or unloved was reported by 17.5% of the first-grade and 24.6% of the fourth-grade pupils and a greater percentage of pupils whose parents were divorced or who had a step-parent. Almost 80% of pupils had been verbally or nonverbally punished for disobedience. Emot...
Protection of juveniles: Victims of abuse and neglect in Serbia
Temida, 2005
This paper is dedicated to analyses of the protection of juveniles - victims of abuse and neglect in criminal legal system of the Republic of Serbia. Particular attention is paid to of criminal acts against sexual integrity and family life of juveniles. The position of juveniles as witnesses in the criminal procedure has been viewed from the aspect of specify and vulnerability of the child, as well as through terms of secondary and tertiary victimization of minor as a victim.
Children and Youth Services Review, 2016
The purpose of this study is to test empirically whether there are sex differences in childhood sexual abuse characteristics and psychiatric disorders, and there is an association with sexual abuse characteristics and psychiatric disorders caused by abuse. Files of 482 cases referred to the Child Surveillance Center due to sexual abuse between September 2012 and September 2014, for whom legal reports were prepared, were investigated retrospectively. Of the abused children, 82.2% (n = 396) were girls and 17.8% (n = 86) were boys. The mean age of girls was 14.1 ± 2.9 years, while that of boys was 11.6 ± 3.8 years. The most common type of abuse was sexual touching in girls, while it was anal penetration in boys. The rate of being diagnosed with at least one psychiatric disorder was found to be 68.9% (n = 273) in girls, while it was 38.4% (n = 33) in boys. When the abuser was from the family or someone close to the victim, when the numbers of abuse incidents and abusers were greater than one, and in cases of force and violence, the rate of being diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder was found to be higher. With greater duration of time passing after the abuse, in those who became pregnant due to abuse, and in those who did not tell their parents about the incident, the rate of psychiatric diagnosis was significantly higher. In addition, it was found that when there were more than one abused people in the same event, the rate of psychiatric diagnosis was lower. Among all these variables, independent variables affecting the development of psychiatric disorders in victims were gender, number of abuse, presence of force and physical violence, and presence of more than one abuse victim in the same event. Because of high rates of psychiatric disorders in children exposed to sexual abuse, it is crucial to evaluate these children in a careful and closely manner by clinicians.
Journal of Family Violence, 2019
This study explores characteristics of youth who experienced domestic violence in Poland. Specifically, young adolescents who were victims of physical abuse perpetrated by parents and young adolescents who were exposed to parental intimate partner violence (IPV) were studied to determine whether the groups had similar or different psychological outcomes. Additionally, the study looked into ways by which these youth cope with stress and demonstrate self-efficacy. Data were collected from 90 youth aged 11 to 14 years using quota sampling; 30 were victims of physical abuse, 30 were victims of exposure to parental IPV, and 30 were members of a comparison group. Parents gave written consent for participation while adolescents provided verbal assent and subsequently completed questionnaires. Analyses revealed that adolescents who experienced physical abuse showed higher levels of trait anxiety and outwardly directed anger, and a lower sense of self-efficacy, than adolescents exposed to IPV. In contrast, those exposed to parental IPVexhibited a lower level of trait anxiety, a higher level of inwardly directed anger, and a greater sense of strength and perseverance. No statistically significant differences existed between groups in terms of coping with stress. The findings suggests that adolescents experiencing different types of family violence victimization may have different outcomes, which could call for differential treatment. Future research should more closely examine victims of physical abuse and exposure to IPV in Poland to see if findings hold. This would help clinicians recognize outcomes associated with different experiences and tailor appropriate strategies.
Epidemiological research of violence against children in families in Serbia
Temida, 2013
In the paper the results of an epidemiological study conducted in 2010-2011 as a part of the regional project Balkan Epidemiological Study on Child Abuse and Neglect (BECAN) are presented. The goal of the research was to estimate the prevalence of physical, psychological and sexual violence against children in the family as well as prevalence of feeling of neglect in children. Gender and age differences in the prevalence of violence, as well as differences with respect to geographic region and urbanicity of place of the children?s? residence were also examined. The stratified cluster sample consisted of 4027 children attending the fifth and seventh grades of the primary school and the second grade of the high school. Data was collected by an adapted version of the questionnaire ICAST-C (ISPCAN Child Abuse Screening Tool-Chidren Version - ICAST-C). At least one experience of psychological violence in the lifetime was reported by 68,4% of children, whereas at least one experience of p...