Keywords
School
Students
Adolescent
How to Cite
Abstract
Introduction: Adolescent years are the formative years of a person’s life. Any form of physical or emotional maltreatment may have long term negative impacts on child’s life. So, it is crucial to protect them from any form of adversities and promote their socio-emotional learning as well as psychological wellbeing.
Objective: To assess the prevalence of abuse among school going adolescents.
Methodology: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted among 305 school going adolescents of Dharan Sub-metropolitan city by using purposive sampling technique after taking Ethical approval from Institutional Review committee of Kathmandu Medical College. Data was collected from October to November 2022 using using NORVOID abuse questionnaire through self-administered questionnaire technique. The collected data was analysed by using statistical package for social science version 21.
Results: The prevalence of emotional physical and sexual abuse was 18.7%, 11.8% and 5.2% simultaneously. Being female (OR = 3.8, CI:1.8-8), living outside one’s own home (OR = 2.7 95% CI:1.5-6.9), and having a father engaged in business (OR = 2.23, 95% CI:1.05-4.7) were significant risk factors for emotional abuse. Sexual abuse was more likely among females (OR = 12.25, 95% CI: 2.2-68.5) and those whose mothers were involved in business (OR = 10.195% CI: 1.1-92). Physical abuse was associated with living away from one's own home (OR = 3.3, 95% CI:1.3-8.3).
Conclusion: Female gender, parental involvement in business, and residing away from one’s own home had significantly influenced the risk of abuse highlighting need for targeted interventions to protect vulnerable groups.
References
Quille-Mamani GM, Quispe-Prieto SC, Navarro ER. Factors associated with child abuse among children and adolescents in a Peruvian public hospital. J Med Life. [PubMed|Full Text|DOI]
Hafiz S. Knowledge and Perception of Child Abuse among the Adolescent Girls in Some Selected Schools in Dhaka City. Neonatology and Clinical Paediatrics. 2019 Jun 6;6(1):1–9. [Full Text|DOI]
WHO. Violence against children. 2020. [Full Text]
UNICEF. A Familiar Face: Violence in the lives of children and adolescents UNICEF for every child. 2017. [Full Text]
CDC. Preventing Child abuse and neglect 2021. [Full Text]
UNICEF. Eight Out Of 10 Children In Nepal Experience Violent Discipline. Unicef for every child. 2018. [Full Text]
Katarina Swahnberg IM, Wijma B. The NorVold Abuse Questionnaire (NorAQ) Validation of new measures of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse, and abuse in the health care system among women. [Full Text|DOI]
UNICEF. Hidden in Plain Sight: A statistical analysis of violence against children.2014. [Full Text]
WHO. Preventing child maltreatment: a guide to taking action and generating evidence 2006. [Full Text]
Deb S, Walsh K. Impact of physical, psychological, and sexual violence on social adjustment of school children in India. Sch Psychol Int. 2012 Jul;33(4):391– 415. [Full Text|DOI]
Chinawa JM, Aronu AE, Chukwu BF, Obu HA. Prevalence and pattern of child abuse and associated factors in four secondary institutions in Enugu, Southeast Nigeria. Eur J Pediatr 2014 . [PubMed|Full Text|DOI]
Pengpid S, Peltzer K. Prevalence and associated factors of child abuse and its effects on anxiety and depression among children in Sierra Leone: Results of the 2017 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey. Journal of Psychology in Africa.2020 oct; 30(5):466-70. [Full Text|DOI]
Jewkes RK, Dunkle K, Nduna M, Shai N. Intimate partner violence, relationship power inequity, and incidence of HIV infection in young women in South Africa: a cohort study. 2010. [PubMed|Full Text|DOI]
Finkelhor D. The prevention of childhood sexual abuse. Future of Children. 2009 Sep;19(2):169–94. [PubMed|Full Text|DOI]
Meinck F, Cluver LD, Boyes ME, Mhlongo EL. Risk and Protective Factors for Physical and Sexual Abuse of Children and Adolescents in Africa: A Review and Implications for Practice. Trauma Violence Abuse. 2015 Jan 6;16(1):81–107. PubMed|Full Text|DOI]