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This research aims at analyzing the correlation between parents' awareness of anti-domestic violence in China, attitude and frequency of beating children. According to the literature analysis, this paper sets children's parents' anti-domestic violence cognition and attitude of beating children as independent variable, and the frequency of beating children as dependent variables. It adopts self-edited Anti-family Violence Cognitive Scale and Sale of Attitude of Beating Children, investigates 2 to 6 years old children's parents (N = 957) in Jilin Province of China. After the hierarchical regression analysis, it shows that the anti-domestic violence cognition and attitude of beating children have the explanatory power on the frequency of beating children.

Background: The cycle of violence highlights a strong correlation between child maltreatment and aggression. However, there remains a significant gap in the pathway models of the cycle of violence. Given the exceptionally high rates of child maltreatment and violent crime among Chinese drug users, it is essential to examine the mechanisms of the cycle of violence within this group., Objective: The current study incorporates drug craving and impulsivity into the child maltreatment-aggression mechanism. We explore the potential mediating and moderating roles of these variables and further examine the heterogeneity., Participants and Setting: A total of 894 participants (Mean age  = 38.30, SD age  = 8.38) were recruited as the final sample., Methods: We employed moderated mediation and serial mediation models to explore the roles of drug craving and impulsivity. The Johnson-Neyman method was utilized to investigate moderating effects. Rich demographic variables and depression were controlled., Results: There was no direct relationship between child maltreatment and aggression. The moderated mediation model indicated that drug craving played a mediating role, and there was a substitutive relationship between impulsivity and drug craving. The serial mediation model showed that child maltreatment could only affect drug craving (not impulsivity) and could ultimately influence aggression through a chain relationship. Heterogeneity tests revealed that the mechanisms might differ among various types of maltreatment., Conclusion: Drug craving holds a significant position in the cycle of violence. Compared to impulsivity, it is a more proximal factor to child mistreatment. Future research should also focus on the heterogeneity of child maltreatment for targeted interventions., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Background: Child maltreatment (CM) is correlated with suicidality risk among adolescents. Additionally, exposure to bisphenol AF (BPAF) may increase this risk. However, the combined effect of CM and BPAF exposure remains unknown and should be further investigated., Methods: In this study, 1,475 early adolescents (mean age = 12.48 years) from the Chinese Early Adolescents Cohort were enrolled. Data were collected at three time points with an interval of 12 months between 2019 and 2021. Participants' history of CM and suicidality (including suicidal ideation and suicidal attempts) were evaluated using a self-report questionnaire. Blood samples were obtained from participants to measure serum BPAF concentrations at baseline. Group-based trajectory modeling was employed to identify different developmental trajectories of suicidality across the three waves. After adjusting for potential confounders, the association between CM and BPAF exposure on suicidal ideation and suicidal attempts was assessed using logistic regression and Poisson regression analyses., Results: Participants with CM were associated with a risk of one- and two-year incident suicidality (all ps < 0.05), and BPAF levels were positively associated with two-year incident suicidal ideation (adjusted OR = 1.68, 95% CI: 1.13-2.50). Additionally, middle and high levels of BPAF exposure synergistically increase the risk for one- and two-year incident suicidal ideation among participants with CM (adjusted ORs = 2.00-3.83). Similarly, participants exposed to high-level BPAF as well as CM were at a greater risk of one- and two-year incident suicidal attempts than those with low-level BPAF exposure and no CM (adjusted incidence rate ratio [IRRs] = 2.82-4.34). Moreover, compared with participants with a low developmental trajectory of suicidality across the three waves, high BPAF exposure exhibited a significant synergistic effect on participants with CM in the persistently high suicidal ideation trajectory and the increasing suicidal attempts trajectory (all ps < 0.05). Sex subgroup analysis revealed that females were more susceptible to the synergistic effect of BPAF and CM exposure on suicidality than males., Conclusions: Environmental factors and the psychological status of individuals may synergistically increase their susceptibility to suicidality. These results offer novel insights into enhancing our understanding of suicidality among adolescents., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Better understanding of the causes and circumstances of maltreatment deaths of children is needed to prevent tragedy. The purpose of this article is to facilitate understanding of child maltreatment fatality review processes and their outcomes. A literature review was conducted through searches of the databases PubMed, PsycINFO, and EMBASE and through citations in publications. Over 165 publications were reviewed and 55 were selected for inclusion. Papers were from the United States, England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Netherlands, France, Canada, Australia, South Africa, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, Japan, and China. These were included if they described fatality review goals, authority, procedures, and outcomes. Although we searched databases on a continual basis during the preparation of this review, we could have missed publications, particularly those in newspapers and journals that are not included in large-scale databases or cited in other articles. Improvement of fatality review requires diligence by individuals and organizations that provide information to the reviewers. Among challenges to the review process are varying criteria for review, misclassifications of the manner of death, inadequate or incomplete forensic and medical investigations, lack of information about the perpetrator, diversity of the community, concealment of the cause of death by parents or other caregivers, and disagreement among reviewers about the results of their inquiries. Institutional challenges are also present, which include the need for funding, privacy issues on obtaining information, updating reviewer training, lack of follow-up by institutional authorities on the recommendations of the reviews, and research facilitating the review of maltreatment fatalities.

Background: Childhood maltreatment are well-established risk factors for adolescent psychopathology. Positive childhood experiences (PCEs) known protective factors. However, few studies have simultaneously investigated childhood maltreatment and PCEs in the context of longitudinal study. The aim of this paper was to assess the buffering effect of PCEs in adolescence in the association between chronic childhood maltreatment and psychological symptoms in adolescence., Methods: Data were from an ongoing longitudinal study with 2288 children aged 8.15 y at baseline who were recruited from 3 large elementary schools in China. Participants were followed up for four waves across 6 years. The associations between re-victimization and poly-victimization with adolescent psychopathological symptoms across different PCEs contexts were explored., Results: Poly-victimization was highly predictive of depressive symptoms, oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder. PCEs may mitigate the negative effect of chronic childhood maltreatment on adolescent psychopathology in a dose-response manner. For adolescents with 4-5 PCEs, psychopathological symptoms score decreased significantly and showed similar level with those low/no-victimization comparison peers. While experiencing multiple PCEs does decrease the risk of psychopathological symptoms, certain PCEs, such as parental warmth and peer support, appear to entailed protective effect on all the three psychopathological symptoms., Limitations: It is not clear whether the patterns of effects would vary across developmental periods., Conclusions: A focus of interventions should be not only on ameliorating childhood maltreatment, but also on expanding the availability of social support related PCEs, which may help inform suitable strategies for providing intervention and support to best help reduce the psychopathology burden for children., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Cyberbullying is a globally shared youth problem—a problem of the interpersonal conflicts and contradictions that emerge during the socialization of adolescents. In particular, the issue of cyberbullying among rural left-behind adolescents needs to be given high priority. However, previous studies have paid little attention to how emotional neglect and social anxiety affect the cyberbullying behavior of rural left-behind adolescents. Therefore, this study was based on cognitive-behavioral theory to investigate the relationship between emotional neglect, cyberbullying, and social anxiety. Methods: This study used the Emotional Neglect Scale, the Cyberbullying Scale, and the Social Anxiety Scale to conduct an anonymous online survey of 1429 rural left-behind adolescents in China. Results: (1) Emotional neglect, social anxiety, and cyberbullying showed a two-way positive correlation. (2) The direct effect of emotional neglect on rural left-behind youth cyberbullying was significant (β = 0.14, p < 0.00). (3) Social anxiety showed a partial mediating effect in the process of emotional neglect affecting rural left-behind youth cyberbullying, with a mediating effect of 26.32%. Conclusions: The results have positive implications for improving relevant policies and constructing mechanisms for protecting the rights and interests of rural left-behind adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored factors affecting parents' intentions to use physical violence (PV) to discipline their children in the future. The theory of planned behavior (TPB) guided selection of variables. A sample of 1337 preschool children's parents from nine kindergartens located in a county of Henan Province, China were selected by stratified random cluster sampling. Data on parents' attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control over PV, intentions to engage in PV to discipline their preschool children in the future, self-reported PV behavior toward their children during the past three months, and demographic characteristics were collected via a paper-based questionnaire. Multivariable logistic regression analyses examined putative predictors of parents' intentions to use physically violent discipline. Nearly three-quarters of the sample said they definitely will not use violent discipline, while 23.4% either said they would use it, or did not rule it out. Logistic regression analysis showed that parents' lower level of perceived behavioral control over using violence ( OR 4.17; 95% CI : 2.659, 6.551), attitudes that support PV ( OR 2.23; 95% CI : 1.555, 3.203), and having been physically violent with their children during the past three months ( OR 1.62; 95% CI : 1.032, 2.556) were significantly associated with parents' tendency either to include, or not exclude, the use of violent discipline. Parents' subjective norms regarding PV had no significant impact on their intentions ( p > 0.05). The influence of TPB constructs varied according to parents' gender. Intervention programs that aim to reduce violent discipline should focus both on increasing parents' perceived behavioral control over PV and changing their attitudes toward physically violent practices, especially among mothers and parents who have already used PV to discipline their children.

Abstract: In recent years, cases of child abuse that result in injuries and death have occurred from time to time in China, and there may be more undetected child abuse cases. However, many pediatricians and forensic doctors lack professional knowledge and formal training in detecting child abuse, which leads to the missed diagnosis, misdiagnosis and misidentification of many cases of child abuse. This paper reviews a large number of relevant domestic and foreign literatures, combined with practical work experience and China's national conditions, preliminarily summarizes the main points of clinical diagnosis and forensic identification of child abuse cases, in order to provide some help for early detection, accurate identification of child abuse cases and timely and effective treatment and protection for abused children., Competing Interests: The authors of this article and the planning committee members and staff have no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose., (Copyright© by the Editorial Department of Journal of Forensic Medicine.)

Both physical abuse and poor sleep quality are public health concerns among adolescents, particularly in mainland China, but examining any causal effect of physical abuse on adolescents' sleep quality using a randomized controlled trial is not possible for obvious ethical reasons. Researchers have proposed the use of propensity score matching with doses to minimize overt bias and estimate the effect of multidose treatments or varying degrees of risk exposure in observational studies. In this paper, we demonstrate the propensity score methods with a focus on matching with doses in an examination of the relationship between physical abuse levels (frequency and number of perpetrators) and self-reported sleep quality among adolescents. Secondary analyses were conducted using data from the China Jintan Child Cohort. The sample comprised 707 adolescents (13.16 ± 0.90 years old) who had complete data on physical abuse, sleep, and covariates. Propensity scores were computed from eight covariates and used to carry out pair matching, matching with the frequency of abusive experience, and matching with the number of perpetrators. The standardized differences of covariates suggested an acceptable balance between groups after matching. The results derived from matching sets consistently indicated that adolescents being physically abused by parent(s) have worse sleep quality. Despite its inherent limitations, propensity score matching with doses provides a useful tool for nurse researchers analyzing observational data., (© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Aim: Left-behind children (LBC) now account for more than 1 in 5 Chinese children, and they often suffer from behavioural problems when their parents leave their rural homes to seek work in urban areas. The primary aim of this meta-analysis was to compare the incidence rates and factor scores of behavioural problems in LBC, who now account for more than one-fifth of Chinese children, and non-LBC., Methods: This systematic review and meta-analysis explored the children's characteristic behavioural problems using the Achenbach Child Behaviour Check List. A subgroup analysis was conducted to compare the different behavioural problems of LBC with different characteristics. The meta-analysis assessed 1405 papers and analysed 13 papers from 2007 to 2015, covering 10 264 LBC and 8909 non-LBC from 2 to 19 years of age., Results: The incidence rates of behavioural problems were higher in LBC than non-LBC. The highest risks were noted in boys aged between 6 and 11 years of age, who were more likely to be withdrawn and be affected by somatic complaints, schizophreniform disorder, compulsive behaviour and depression., Conclusion: Interventions and policies are urgently needed to tackle behavioural issues among LBC, especially high-risk males aged 6-11 years., (©2017 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

An introduction to the journal is presented that focuses on issues related to child maltreatment around the world, including the association of exposure to different types of child maltreatment and the development of substance use disorders later in life, association between child maltreatment and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and media coverage of child abuse cases in China.

Background: Understanding the past-year prevalence of male-perpetrated intimate partner violence (IPV) and risk factors is essential for building evidence-based prevention and monitoring progress to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5.2, but so far, population-based research on this remains very limited. The objective of this study is to compare the population prevalence rates of past-year male-perpetrated IPV and nonpartner rape from women's and men's reports across 4 countries in Asia and the Pacific. A further objective is to describe the risk factors associated with women's experience of past-year physical or sexual IPV from women's reports and factors driving women's past-year experience of partner violence.Methods and Findings: This paper presents findings from the United Nations Multi-country Study on Men and Violence in Asia and the Pacific. In the course of this study, in population-based cross-sectional surveys, 5,206 men and 3,106 women aged 18-49 years were interviewed from 4 countries: Cambodia, China, Papua New Guinea (PNG), and Sri Lanka. To measure risk factors, we use logistic regression and structural equation modelling to show pathways and mediators. The analysis was not based on a written plan, and following a reviewer's comments, some material was moved to supplementary files and the regression was performed without variable elimination. Men reported more lifetime perpetration of IPV (physical or sexual IPV range 32.5%-80%) than women did experience (physical or sexual IPV range 27.5%-67.4%), but women's reports of past-year experience (physical or sexual IPV range 8.2%-32.1%) were not very clearly different from men's (physical or sexual IPV range 10.1%-34.0%). Women reported much more emotional/economic abuse (past-year ranges 1.4%-5.7% for men and 4.1%-27.7% for women). Reports of nonpartner rape were similar for men (range 0.8%-1.9% in the past year) and women (range 0.4%-2.3% in past year), except in Bougainville, where they were higher for men (11.7% versus 5.7%). The risk factor modelling shows 4 groups of variables to be important in experience of past-year sexual and/or physical IPV: (1) poverty, (2) all childhood trauma, (3) quarrelling and women's limited control in relationships, and (4) partner factors (substance abuse, unemployment, and infidelity). The population attributable fraction (PAF) was largest for quarrelling often, but the second greatest PAF was for the group related to exposure to violence in childhood. The relationship control variable group had the third highest PAF, followed by other partner factors. Currently married women were also more at risk. In the structural model, a resilience pathway showed less poverty, higher education, and more gender-equitable ideas were connected and conveyed protection from IPV. These are all amenable risk factors. This research was cross-sectional, so we cannot be sure of the temporal sequence of exposure, but the outcome being a past-year measure to some extent mitigates this problem.Conclusions: Past-year IPV indicators based on women's reported experience that were developed to track SDG 5 are probably reasonably reliable but will not always give the same prevalence as may be reported by men. Report validity requires further research. Interviews with men to track past-year nonpartner rape perpetration are feasible and important. The findings suggest a range of factors are associated with past-year physical and/or sexual IPV exposure; of particular interest is the resilience pathway suggested by the structural model, which is highly amenable to intervention and explains why combining economic empowerment of women and gender empowerment/relationship skills training has been successful. This study provides additional rationale for scaling up violence prevention interventions that combine economic and gender empowerment/relationship skills building of women, as well as the value of investing in girls' education with a view to long-term violence reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the relationships between childhood maltreatment, shame, and self-esteem among juvenile female offenders and to explore the potential influencing factors on their criminal behavior. Methods: Using a stratified cluster sampling method, 1,227 juvenile female offenders from 11 provinces in China were surveyed using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), Self-Esteem Scale (SES), and a self-developed Shame Questionnaire for Juvenile Offenders. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, chi-square tests, t-tests, and structural equation modeling with mediation analysis. Results: (1) Childhood maltreatment have a significant potential influencing factors on criminal behavior; (2) Childhood maltreatment was positively correlated with self-esteem(β = 0.351, p < 0.001); (3) shame (β = 0.042, p < 0.001) mediate the relationship between Childhood maltreatment and self-esteem (childhood maltreatment → shame → self-esteem (95% Cl: 0.033, 0.052)). Conclusion: This study demonstrates that childhood maltreatment is a significant predictor of criminal behavior among juvenile female offenders. childhood maltreatment can directly influence of self-esteem, which can also affect juvenile female offenders'self-esteem indirectly through shame. The findings suggest that shame are important variables that mediate the effect of the juvenile female offenders'childhood maltreatment on their self-esteem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To offer basic data related to the prevention of child sexual abuse, we conducted a Meta-analysis on the national incidence rate on child sexual abuse in the country., Methods: Publications between 2000 and 2013 were extracted from PubMed, Springer Link, Elsevier-SDOL, Chinese Biomedical Database (CBM), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Science & Technology journal database (VIP), Wanfang Databases, China master's Theses Full-text Database and China Conference Papers Full-text Database. Observational studies which containing the incidence rate of child sexual abuse were included. We used the Loney criteria to evaluate the quality of searched publications. The Meta incidence rate was estimated using the Stata software. Subgroup analysis were undertaken on gender issues. Sensitivity analysis were performed to evaluate the impact of types or qualities to the research objects., Results: Fifteen papers were included in this Meta-analysis, with a sample size of 16 682. The combined incidence rate of child sexual abuse was 18.20% (95%CI:13.74%-22.66%). For injured persons, girls had a higher incidence rate on child sexual abuse (11.22%) than boys (8.25%) in terms of contact sexual abuse, but no significant difference on gender was found in the prevalence rates of global and un-contact sexual abuse. Data from sensitivity analysis revealed that the quality or types of the objects slightly affected the incidence rate of traffic injuries., Conclusion: of this study indicated that child sexual abuse was common and serious in China, suggesting that prevention and control programs on childhood abuse should be emphasized and promoted.

Abstract Based on empirical studies of 5836 children in six provinces of China's Mid-Western regions, this paper contributes to existing knowledge by analyzing the severity, consequences and risk factors of child abuse. There are three major findings. Firstly, significant regional disparities of the severity of child abuse exist in China and non-Han ethnic minority regions have higher reported child abuse rate. Secondly, psychological trauma of child abuse is tremendous and children's psychological wellbeing in all domains is seriously affected when suffering from different forms of abuse. Children in poor ethnic minority regions and younger children experience severe trauma consequences. Thirdly, family relationships including the quality of couple relationships and intergenerational relationships are significant risk factors of child abuse, indicating the necessity of improving relationships for addressing child abuse. Implications of the empirical findings for future policies and actions for alleviating child abuse are summarized in the end. Highlights • Significant regional disparities of the severity of child abuse exist in China and non-Han ethnic minority regions have higher reported child abuse rate. • Children's psychological wellbeing is affected when being abused. • Children in poor ethnic minority regions and younger children experience severe trauma consequences. • Family relationships including the quality of couple relationships and intergenerational relationships are significant risk factors of child abuse, indicating the necessity of improving relationships for addressing child abuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to a global perspective on corporal punishment by examining differences between mothers’ and fathers’ use of corporal punishment with daughters and sons in nine countries. Methods. Interviews were conducted with 1398 mothers, 1146 fathers, and 1417 children (age range = 7 to 10 years) in China, Colombia, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, the Philippines, Sweden, Thailand, and the United States. Results. Across the entire sample, 54% of girls and 58% of boys had experienced mild corporal punishment, and 13% of girls and 14% of boys had experienced severe corporal punishment by their parents or someone in their household in the last month. Seventeen percent of parents believed that the use of corporal punishment was necessary to rear the target child. Overall, boys were more frequently punished corporally than were girls, and mothers used corporal punishment more frequently than did fathers. There were significant differences across countries, with reports of corporal punishment use lowest in Sweden and highest in Kenya. Conclusion. This work establishes that the use of corporal punishment is widespread, and efforts to prevent corporal punishment from escalating into physical abuse should be commensurately widespread. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Child abuse or child maltreatment has been a worldwide concern. In China, however, it receives scant attention from both academic communities and government. Chinese society has little awareness of child abuse as it is known in the West and there are apparently different conceptions and treatments of the problem. This paper attempts to delineate how the problem is now understood and treated in Mainland China. The reasons why child abuse has not yet been recognized as a social problem worthy of public concern in China are explored. It is argued that as a signatory of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child there is a need for the Chinese government, the academic community and professionals to reflect on their conception and treatment of child abuse so as to achieve more effective child protection for all children who are victims of child abuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Creativity plays a very crucial impact on our cultural life and has also been important to the improvement of human civilization. Numerous studies have indicated that family circumstance plays an important role in the development of individual creativity. However, little is known about the mediating mechanisms underlying the association between childhood maltreatment and creativity. This study intended to explore the serial multiple mediation model in which undergraduates' cognitive flexibility and self-efficacy were proposed to mediate the potential influence of childhood maltreatment on their creativity. Participants were 1069 undergraduates (573 males and 496 females, mean age was 20.57 ± 1.24 years ranging from 17 to 24) from a university in Shandong Province, China. Participants were required to complete an internet survey including the Short Form of Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ-SF), General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES), Cognitive Flexibility Inventory (CFI), and Williams Creativity Aptitude Test (WCAT). Serial multiple mediation analysis and the bootstrap method were used to investigate the mediation effects of cognitive flexibility and self-efficacy. The results showed that childhood maltreatment indirectly influenced undergraduates' creativity through three indirect paths: childhood maltreatment→cognitive flexibility→creativity, childhood maltreatment→self-efficacy→creativity, and childhood maltreatment→cognitive flexibility→self-efficacy→creativity. The ratios of the total indirect effects and branch-indirect effects to the total effects were 92.73%, 34.61%, 35.68%, and 22.44%, respectively. These results indicated that cognitive flexibility and self-efficacy could completely mediate the potential impact of childhood maltreatment on individuals creativity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although research has indicated the association between child abuse and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), few studies have examined their relationship in a particular sample of Chinese rural-to-urban migrant adolescents who tend to experience parental abuse and engage in NSSI. More importantly, factors moderating the relationship between child abuse and migrant adolescents' NSSI have been understudied. To address this issue, this study aimed to examine whether beliefs about adversity and family socioeconomic status (SES) moderated the longitudinal relationship between child abuse and NSSI in a sample of Chinese migrant adolescents. 308 Chinese rural-to-urban migrant adolescents (aged 10–14; 138 boys) completed the two-wave survey. Self-reported questionnaires regarding child abuse, NSSI, beliefs about adversity, and family SES were used. Results showed that child abuse was significantly positively related to NSSI a year later. Moreover, the interaction of child abuse, beliefs about adversity, and family SES was significant. Specifically, for migrant adolescents with low SES, positive beliefs about adversity played a protective role in the association between child abuse and NSSI; while for those with high SES, such beliefs showed vulnerability. Findings underscore the importance of considering multiple resilient factors simultaneously by examining beliefs about adversity and SES as the moderating mechanisms in the association between child abuse and NSSI. Findings also emphasize the significance of developing differential interventions targeting NSSI in abused Chinese migrant adolescents. Positive beliefs about adversity are important in buffering the negative effect of child abuse for migrant adolescents with low SES. For those with high SES, special attention should be given to the interactive impact of child abuse, beliefs about adversity, and family SES. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This review aims to estimate the prevalence of the neglect of 3- to 6-year-old children in China. Method: We systematically searched both English- (Web of Science, PsychINFO, PubMed, and Cochrane Library) and Chinese-language databases (China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, Weipu, and Biomedical Database). We extracted data related to the prevalence of early childhood neglect and its subtypes and pooled it using random effects models. Findings: We included 21 eligible studies, with a total of 35,175 3- to 6-year-old children, in the analyses. The pooled neglect prevalence was 32.1% at a 95% confidence interval (95% CI [27.0%, 37.2%]). The prevalence of physical, emotional, educational, security, and medical neglect was 15.2% (95% CI [11.9%, 18.5%]), 15.2% (95% CI [10.7%, 19.6%]), 10.4% (95% CI [7.4%, 13.4%]), 13.8% (95% CI [9.9%, 17.8%]), and 11.5% (95% CI [8.1%, 14.9%]), respectively. No gender or location differences were found to affect early childhood neglect or its subtypes. Interpretation: Our results revealed a high prevalence of early childhood neglect—including all its subtypes—among 3- to 6-year-old children in China. Improved child policies and prevention programs tailored to preschool children are needed to protect the well-being of younger children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of parental migration on behavioral and psychological outcomes of children left behind (LBC) in rural China have drawn much public and research attention. Surprisingly, despite much research attention to this highly disadvantaged group, we know little about whether parental migration and alternative caretaking arrangements influence the exposure of this group to corporal punishment and neglect – key predictors of a myriad of child developmental outcomes such as educational performance, delinquency, and mental wellbeing. To address this research gap, we used a probability sample of approximately 1,200 middle-school students in Jiangxi province to investigate whether parental migration and alternative caretaking arrangements influenced children's exposure to corporal punishment and neglect. Our models revealed that being taken care of by grandparents significantly decreased the odds of exposure to corporal punishment among children. Meanwhile, our results indicated that child neglect is prevalent among all children regardless of living and caretaking arrangements. Suggesting a protective role that grandparenting plays in LBC families against corporal punishment, these findings enrich the literature on child abuse and neglect in general and contribute to the understanding of the effect of parental migration on LBC's development and experience in particular. Finally, policy recommendations are offered based on these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing body of research has documented that childhood maltreatment is associated with increased risk of child aggression. However, little is known about the mediating and moderating mechanisms underlying the relationships between childhood maltreatment and reactive and proactive functions of aggression. Therefore, the present study examined whether callousunemotional traits mediated the relationships between childhood maltreatment and two subtypes of aggression and whether these mediating processes were moderated by friendship quality. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 2407 adolescents between 11 and 16 years (M age = 12.75, SD = .58) in Shanxi province, China. Participants filled out questionnaires regarding childhood maltreatment, callous-unemotional traits, aggression, and friendship quality. The results indicated that childhood maltreatment was significantly and positively associated with proactive and reactive aggression, and these relationships were partially mediated by callous-unemotional traits after controlling for demographic variables. Friendship quality moderated the relationship between childhood maltreatment and proactive aggression as well as callous-unemotional traits and proactive aggression. These relationships became weaker for adolescents with high levels of friendship quality. Friendship quality did not moderate the effects of childhood maltreatment and callous-unemotional traits on reactive aggression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A well-known distal risk factor for mental health symptomology is childhood maltreatment. Previous research revealed that several mediators, such as coping style and resilience, might be connected to the psychological mechanism of childhood maltreatment on mental health symptomology. Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess how coping style and resilience affect the relationship between childhood maltreatment and mental health symptomology of college students. Methods: With the method of cross-sectional survey, 740 college students from China (Gansu Province) completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), the Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire (SCSQ), the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), and the Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90). Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to reveal the link between childhood maltreatment, coping style, resilience, and mental health symptomology. Results: The results showe that childhood maltreatment was significantly positively correlated with mental health symptomology and significantly negatively correlated with coping style and resilience. Coping style was significantly negatively correlated with mental health symptomology and significantly positively correlated with resilience. Resilience was significantly negatively correlated with mental health symptomology. Coping style and resilience played a partially mediating role in the relationship between childhood maltreatment and college students' mental health symptomology. Through a chain of intermediary effects on coping style and resilience, childhood maltreatment not only had a direct impact on mental health symptomology but also had an indirect impact. Conclusion: Childhood maltreatment could affect college students' mental health symptomology through the chain mediating effect of coping style and resilience. Therefore, it is an effective way to reduce the influence of childhood maltreatment on mental health symptomology through some intervention measures to cultivate positive coping style and improve resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The impact of biological rhythm disorder (BRD) on the association of childhood maltreatment (CM) and suicidal behavior in adolescents remains unclear. CM increases the risk of suicidal ideation (SI), suicidal planning (SP), and suicidal attempts (SAs). There is less investigation on gender differences in CM's effects on suicidal behavior. It is unknown whether the impacts vary with different levels of BRD. Aims: To identify gender differences in CM's effects on suicidal behavior and to investigate these impacts at different levels of BRD. Method: The analysis is based on data from 7,986 adolescents recruited from three cities in China between October and December 2019. All participants, aged 14.7 ± 2 years, filled out standard questionnaires involving CM, BRD, and suicidal behavior. Results: A total of 22.9, 10.8, and 4.7% of the adolescents reported SI/SP/SAs in the past year. Girls are more likely to engage in SI and SP when exposed to the highest level of CM; boys are more likely to engage in SAs than girls. A significant relationship between moderate levels of CM and SI/SP/SAs was only observed in girls exposed to low BRD. Moderate CM is only significantly associated with SI in boys exposed to low BRD. The percentage of low-BRD adolescents who experienced high CM was 31.4%, whereas 58% of high-BRD adolescents experienced high CM in SI. Adolescents with high BRD were more likely to experience high levels of CM in SP and SAs. Conclusions: Adolescents at high risk of suicidal behavior in relation to CM should be targeted accordingly. Improving biological rhythm in adolescents who experience CM could help prevent them from engaging in suicidal behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Child maltreatment is a prevalent and notable problem in rural China, and the prevalence and severity of depression in rural areas are higher than the national norm. Several studies have found that loneliness and coping skills respectively mediated the relationship between child maltreatment and depression. However, few studies have examined the roles of loneliness and coping skills in child maltreatment and depression based on gender differences. Methods: All participants were from rural communities aged more than 18 years in Shandong province, and 879 valid samples (female:63.4%) ranging in age from 18 to 91 years old were analyzed. The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form (CTQ-SF), the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression (CES-D), the Simple Coping Style Questionnaire (SCSQ), and the Emotional and Social Loneliness Scale (ESLS) were used to evaluate child maltreatment, depression, coping skills and loneliness. Results: Child maltreatment was more common and severe in males than females (F = 3.99; p < 0.05). Loneliness and coping skills partially mediated the relationship between child maltreatment and depression in males, but loneliness fully mediated the relationship between child maltreatment and depression in females. Conclusion: In this study, males were more likely to experience child maltreatment. Child maltreatment and depression were correlated. We also found a mediating role of loneliness and coping skills for males and a mediating role of loneliness in females. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the neglect of left-behind children (LBC) in China. Method: Participants: Children separated from one or both parents for at least 6 months. Intervention: Trauma of separation. Comparison: Non-left-behind children (NLBC). Outcomes: Neglect rates and severity. Only case–control studies were included. Results: Thirteen studies were included; there were 18,688 LBC in a large sample (N = 42,003) of children aged 0–18 years in China. The overall neglect rate was significantly higher in LBC compared to NLBC (odds ratio [ OR ] = 1.58, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [1.50, 1.67], p <.01) based on the Chinese Rural Child Neglected Evaluation Model (CRCNEM) and the Parents–Child Conflict Tactics Scales (OR = 1.44, 95% CI [1.35, 1.54], p <.01). The overall neglect severity in LBC was also significantly higher than NLBC (SMD = 0.31, 95% CI [0.28, 0.33], p <.01). The same trends were observed in sex subgroups. With regard to subtypes, LBC were significantly more likely to have emotional neglect (OR = 2.29, 95% CI [1.88, 2.78], p <.01), medical neglect (OR = 1.79, 95% CI [1.62, 1.98], p <.01), physical neglect (OR = 1.75, 95% CI [1.60, 1.91], p <.01), security neglect (OR = 1.52, 95% CI [1.32, 1.75], p <.01), educational neglect (OR = 1.50, 95% CI [1.31, 1.72], p <.01), and social neglect (OR = 1.33, 95% CI [1.18, 1.51], p <.01). Furthermore, LBC had significantly higher severity in medical neglect (SMD = 0.31, 95% CI [0.27, 0.35], p <.01), emotional neglect (SMD = 0.28, 95% CI [0.24, 0.32], p <.01), physical neglect (SMD = 0.24, 95% CI [0.18, 0.29], p <.01), security neglect (SMD = 0.26, 95% CI [0.23, 0.29], p <.01), educational neglect (SMD = 0.25, 95% CI [0.20, 0.31], p <.01), and social neglect (SMD = 0.25, 95% CI [0.10, 0.40], p <.01). Conclusion: The neglect rates and severity in LBC in China were both significantly higher than those in NLBC. There was a strong association between neglect and LBC. Public policy changes are urgently needed to improve the dire situation and the well-being of the LBC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Child maltreatment is an international public health problem. The aftermath can appear in multiple aspects of individual health and development, including decreased physical and emotional function, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and suicide attempts. However, there is lack of evidence regarding the quality of life of maltreated children. This study aims to examine the association between children's maltreatment experience and their quality of life. This study employed a cross-sectional design and surveyed 1,093 primary school children (including migrant children and nonmigrant children) in Shanghai, China. The Parent–Child Conflict Tactics Scale (CTSPC) and Pediatrics Quality of Life Inventory were used to measure children's experiences of child maltreatment and their quality of life. Corporal punishment (89.47%) was the most prevalent form of child maltreatment, followed by physical assault (80.21%), psychological abuse (65.00%), and neglect (52.26%). Children's migration status was not associated with their quality of life; however, social capital factors were all associated with increased levels of quality of life. Children's victimization experience, including severe to very severe physical assault (β = −3.34/−3.80, p <.001), psychological assault (β = −3.74, p <.001), corporal punishment (β = −2.46, p <.01), and neglect (β = −4.31, p <.001), was associated with their decreased quality of life. The results show that child maltreatment threatens the quality of life of children. There is a need for developing effective interventions to prevent child maltreatment and reduce the adverse outcomes among children with maltreatment experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the theory of mind, this study explores the relationship between childhood abuse and moral disgust, and the mediating role of social support and gratitude. Participants, 677 Chinese adults with an age range of 16–27 years, completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Moral Disgust Scale, Scale of Perceived Social Support, and the Gratitude Questionnaire. Path analysis showed that social support and gratitude played a mediating role in the relationship between childhood abuse and moral disgust. This is the first study to explore the relationship between childhood abuse and moral disgust from the perspective of the theory of mind, and the results further support specific mechanisms that help to inhibit negative effects of childhood abuse on moral disgust, and enrich relative theories about moral. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whereas Western research has shown that childhood maltreatment experiences may have a negative impact on inmates' adjustment to confinement, such studies are rare in China. The present study aims to address the respective research gap. In a two-wave longitudinal project, 514 male juvenile offenders were interviewed in a centralized provincial juvenile reformatory in southwest China regarding their childhood maltreatment experiences, incarceration experiences, and their pre-incarceration at-risk behaviors or experiences. While controlling for demographic characteristics and variables derived from correctional importation and deprivation models, multiple linear regression analyses show a significant correlation between childhood maltreatment experiences and juveniles' adjustment to confinement. Specifically, there is a positive correlation between the level of childhood emotional abuse and negative emotions among incarcerated juveniles, a negative correlation between childhood emotional neglect and juvenile offenders' adjustment to prison life, and a positive correlation between childhood sexual abuse experiences and adjustment to prison life. The present study provides evidence that child maltreatment, especially emotional abuse and neglect, impacts juvenile offenders' adjustment to confinement in China. This demonstrates the importance of offering institutional programs that would assist juvenile offenders with childhood maltreatment experiences, especially those of emotional abuse or neglect. Tentative explanations are provided for unexpected findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Family violence is a public health concern in China. Exposure to family violence, including witnessing intimate partner violence (IPV) between parents and/or experiencing child abuse, has numerous deleterious effects on adolescent's mental and behavioral health. This study examined specific mental and behavioral health outcomes of family violence exposure including trauma symptoms and addictive behaviors using a nationally representative sample of adolescents in China. Cross-sectional, self-report data were collected from 16,254 adolescents (M = 15.89 years of age, 47.69% female) using a self-administered survey. More than two-thirds of the sample reported having been exposed to child abuse or IPV at home. Adolescents who were exposed to child abuse and/or IPV were significantly more likely to misuse substances, engage in gambling activities and exhibited more trauma symptoms than their non-exposed peers. A multivariate path analysis revealed that child abuse had an indirect effect on severity of trauma symptoms through problem drinking, cigarette smoking, and gambling behavior. Witnessing IPV between parents had an indirect effect on trauma symptoms through problem drinking and cigarette smoking. An alternative pathway model suggested that child abuse and witnessing IPV between parents had indirect effects on a variety of substance misuse and gambling behavior through PTSD. Findings offer a unique insight into the effects of family violence exposure on adolescents in Greater China. Family violence awareness and intervention could be a meaningful intervention strategy to address substance use and behavioral health problems among adolescents in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Depressive symptoms and child maltreatment are both global public health problems among young adults. This study aimed to investigate the associations between five types of child maltreatment and depressive symptoms among Chinese college students, with a focus on potential sex differences. Methods: A cross-sectional study of a nationally representative sample of Chinese college students was conducted from March to June 2019 with a multistage, stratified cluster, random sampling method. In total, 30,179 college students from 60 colleges of 10 Chinese province-level regions completed standard questionnaires, including a history of child maltreatment and current depressive symptoms. Results: The prevalence of depressive symptoms among college students in China was 7.3%. After adjusting for control variables, physical abuse (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.20, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.17–1.23), emotional abuse (aOR = 1.21, 95% CI = 1.19–1.23), sexual abuse (aOR = 1.19, 95% CI = 1.16–1.22), physical neglect (aOR = 1.14, 95% CI = 1.12–1.16) and emotional neglect (aOR = 1.08, 95% CI = 1.07–1.09) were all positively associated with depressive symptoms. Notably, a cumulative effect of child maltreatment on depressive symptoms among Chinese college students was observed. Moreover, sex differences in the associations of emotional abuse, emotional neglect, and the number of maltreatment types with depressive symptoms were statistically significant (P < 0.05). Further stratification analyses showed that female students who experienced emotional abuse and emotional neglect had a higher risk of depressive symptoms than male students, and the cumulative effect of maltreatment types was stronger for females than males. Conclusion: Five types of child maltreatment and their co-occurrence were associated with an increased risk of depressive symptoms among college students. Furthermore, the effects of emotional abuse, emotional neglect and the number of maltreatment types on depressive symptoms were stronger for females than for males. These findings can promote understanding of the effects of child maltreatment on depressive symptoms, and prevention and intervention strategies for depressive symptoms should consider the type of child maltreatment and sex differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The gender disparities in DCM vary among different maltreatment subtypes. • DCM's negative effect was more severe for girls than for boys. • Gender heterogeneity is less evident than gender homogeneity in the risk factors. Currently, gender disparities in domestic child maltreatment (DCM) have become an important and highly controversial issue worldwide. This study aims to provide panoramic evidence from China on this issue. Data were derived from a survey of 4,308 children (M age = 12.13, 48.7% were boys) conducted in seven provinces in rural China from June to December 2019. This study used multistage cluster sampling to select respondents, and modified versions of the JVQ Scale and the DSM-5 Scale (11–17 years old) were adopted. This study reached three significant conclusions. First, the gender disparities in DCM vary among different maltreatment subtypes. Compared with girls, boys are more likely to experience physical abuse. A higher prevalence of neglect is observed among girls than among boys. Second, although DCM significantly increased the likelihood of posttraumatic depression for all children, its negative effect was more severe for girls than for boys. Third, gender heterogeneity is less evident than gender homogeneity in the risk factors for DCM. In rural China, children's problematic behaviours, family structure, parents' experiences of childhood violence and family relationships are common predictors of maltreatment for all children. This paper highlights gender differences in the risk of DCM among children in rural China, reveals the Confucian culture behind DCM and gender, and provides Chinese evidence for building an international dialogue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to provide an estimate of the prevalence of child maltreatment among Chinese primary and middle school students. An attempt was also made to explore the causes of heterogeneity by analyzing stratified variables and other potentially related factors included in the study. Methods: Literature retrieval has been carried out in the databases, including Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang database and China Biology Medicine disc (CBMdisc), for relevant published studies up to October 2019. The Cochran's chi-squared test (Cochran's Q), I2 test and subgroup analysis were performed to evaluate the heterogeneity. Funnel plots were used to detect publication bias. Trim-and-fill method was performed to identify possible asymmetry and assess the robustness of the conclusions. Results: A total of 1433 studies were obtained after retrieval. Finally, 19 eligible studies were included in meta-analysis after detailed exclusion. The pooled prevalence of child physical abuse (CPA), child emotional abuse (CEA), child sexual abuse (CSA), child physical neglect (CPN) and child emotional neglect (CEN) were 0.20 (95% CI 0.13, 0.27), 0.30 (95% CI 0.20, 0.39), 0.12 (95% CI 0.09, 0.15), 0.47 (95% CI 0.35, 0.58) and 0.44 (95% CI 0.28, 0.59), respectively. In subgroup analyses, a higher prevalence of CEN was reported in rural areas. Meanwhile, the prevalence of CPN and CEN in non-only child group was higher than that observed in only child group. Compared with children without mental symptoms, children with mental symptoms have a higher incidence of all categories of child maltreatment. In terms of assessment tools, studies using Childhood Trauma Questionnaire as an assessment tool reported lower prevalence of CPA, CEA. Childhood Trauma Questionnaire In addition, the prevalence of CPN, CEN in studies conducted in northern China was significantly higher than that estimated in southern and central China. For CSA, eight additional studies required trimming according to the trim-and-fill analysis, and the pooled estimate was 0.042 after filling. For CPA, CEA, CPN and CEN, there were no indications of publication with the trim and fill method (data unchanged). Conclusion: Our findings indicated that primary and middle school students had a relatively high prevalence of maltreatment. Because of the visible heterogeneity of the studies included, more large samples, high-quality and prospective studies are needed in the future to acquire the accurate prevalence of child maltreatment in China. Certainly, future research needs to focus not only on the estimate of prevalence of child maltreatment, but also on risk factors and intervention strategies for child maltreatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China has 55 ethnic minorities with 114 million population. As a piece of the worldwide picture of child abuse in ethnicity, the study on child abuse in Chinese ethnic regions is significant but insufficient currently. Therefore, this study examined the prevalence, negative effects, and risk factors of child abuse involving girls in Chinese ethnic regions. A multi-stage cluster sampling procedure and paper-and-pencil questionnaire survey were used to conduct the study in 126 classes in three counties of Southwest China, which includes a total sample of 2899 girls. The rates of physical abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect to girls in ethnic minority areas were significantly higher than those in the Han areas. Moreover, all types of child abuse negatively affected girls' mental health at different levels. However, the effects of abuse were more severe for girls in Han than for ethnic minorities with similar abuse severity. In addition, academic performance and parent-child relationship were correlated with child abuse for girls in the ethnic regions, and the risk was especially higher for girls in rural towns and those of younger age. Findings from this study indicated that the prevalence of child abuse of girls in ethnic regions was high. Although with lower prevalence of child abuse, girls in Han should be intervened for their more severe mental health problems with abuse than the peers in ethnic minority areas. Great attention should be paid to girls in ethnic regions with poor academic performance, bad parent-child relationship, especially in rural towns and in young age, to prevent the risk of child abuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reform of the Chinese State-Owned Enterprise (SOE) sector in the late 1990s triggered massive layoffs (34 million employees) and marked the end of the "Iron Rice Bowl" guarantee of employment security for the remaining 67 million workers. An expanding international literature has documented the adverse health impacts of economic insecurity on adults, but has typically neglected children. This paper uses the natural experiment of SOE reform to explore the causal relationship between increased parental economic insecurity and children's BMI Z-score. Using province-year-level layoff rates and income loss from the layoffs, we estimate a generalised difference-in-differences model with child fixed effects and year fixed effects. For a medium-build 10-year-old boy, a median treatment effect implies a gain of 1.8 kg and a 2.2-percentage-point increase in the overweight rate due to the reform. Anxiety about potential losses causes weight gain for boys whose SOE parents kept their jobs. Unconditional quantile regressions suggest that boys who are heavier are more likely to gain weight. Girls are not significantly affected. Intergenerational effects therefore increase the estimated public health costs of greater economic insecurity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between three types of child maltreatment, including physical abuse, emotional abuse and neglect, and childhood behavior problems in Mainland China, has not been systematically examined. This meta-analysis reviewed findings from 42 studies conducted in 98,749 children in Mainland China and analyzed the pooled effect sizes of the associations between child maltreatment and childhood behavior problems, heterogeneity in study findings, and publication bias. In addition, this study explored cross-study similarities/differences by comparing the pooled estimates with findings from five existing meta-analyses. Equivalent small-to-moderate effect sizes emerged in the relationships between the three types of maltreatment and child externalizing and internalizing behaviors, except that emotional abuse related more to internalizing than externalizing behaviors. Considerable heterogeneity exists among the 42 studies. Weak evidence suggests that child gender and reporter of emotional abuse may moderate the strengths of the relationships between child maltreatment and behavior problems. No indication of publication bias emerged. Cross-study comparisons show that the pooled effect sizes in this meta-analysis are about equal to those reported in the five meta-analyses conducted in child and adult populations across the world. Findings urge relevant agencies in Mainland China to build an effective child protection system to prevent child maltreatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims The role of psychosocial factors on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in adolescents is incompletely understood. The aim of this study is to investigate the association between the psychosocial factors and the risk of developing IBS in college freshmen. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted in a randomly selected freshmen population in Wuhan China (n = 2449). Questionnaire evaluated demographics and psychosocial risks. The population was divided into 3 groups: non-discomfort, chronic abdominal discomfort and IBS. The association between the development of IBS and psychosocial factors was analyzed by ordinal and multiple logistic regression analysis. Results A total of 2053 (83.8%) completed this survey (mean age, 18.2 ± 0.9 years; female, 35.6%). Among them, 82 (4.0%) fulfilled the Rome III criteria for IBS. Female (odds ratio [OR], 3.31; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.47-4.45), experience of abuse (OR, 2.44; 95% CI, 1.10-5.56), and suicidal intention (OR, 2.17; 95% CI, 1.15-4.17) were more likely to have IBS. Compared with chronic abdominal discomfort, however, depression (OR, 5.55; 95% CI, 1.36-22.71) was the only dependent risk factor for IBS. Conclusion The prevalence of IBS in college freshmen is 4.0%, and to the freshmen, psychosocial factors such as experience of abuse, depression, and suicidal intention were associated with high risk of developing IBS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to explore the role of parental aggression and parental childhood maltreatment experience in the maltreatment of children in Zhejiang Province, eastern China. The study sites were two urban and two rural schools. Children aged ten to 16 years and their parents completed separate questionnaires, which included: parental childhood maltreatment; parental aggressive tendency; and maltreatment of children. Questionnaires were completed by 611 parents and 821 children. Fifty‐eight per cent of parents reported maltreatment of their children. Higher parental aggression scores were associated with an increased risk for all types of child maltreatment (relative risk ratios (RRRs) or odds ratios (ORs) ranged from 1.06–1.07 for each point higher on the aggression scale). Parental childhood maltreatment was significantly associated with an increased risk of moderate/severe physical maltreatment of children (OR = 1.80 (1.08, 3.00)); parental aggression was an explanatory factor for this association. Parental childhood maltreatment was positively associated with emotional maltreatment of children (OR = 1.89 (1.27, 2.83)). This was partly explained by parental aggression. In conclusion, high levels of child maltreatment were admitted by parents in China, suggesting the need for parenting education. Parents with a higher aggressive tendency were more likely to maltreat children. Parental aggressive tendency was an explanatory factor for the intergenerational transmission of maltreatment, indicating the possibility of identifying parents' aggressive tendencies for early prevention. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. 'Explore[s] the role of parental aggression and parental childhood maltreatment experience in the maltreatment of children in Zhejiang Province' Key Practitioner Messages: Child maltreatment of all types is common in China. What is especially striking is the finding that nearly a fifth of parents admitted to moderate/severe maltreatment of their children.Parents with a higher aggressive tendency were more likely to use all types of maltreatment with their children.Parental aggression was an explanatory factor for the intergenerational transmission of moderate/severe physical maltreatment and emotional maltreatment. 'Child maltreatment of all types is common in China' [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key Practitioner Messages Child abuse is a complex social problem that is often deeply rooted in the cultural, economic and social practices of the country in which it exists.Child abuse in China is understood as deliberate and harmful acts, while many Western societies also include acts of omission such as neglect.There is a complex relationship between public awareness, media coverage and state intervention. 'A complex relationship between public awareness, media coverage and state intervention' [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Pathological dissociation (PD) is an easily overlooked phenomenon in the mental health field. Standardized assessment is important for identifying dissociative symptoms and disorders. However, the use of PD measures in Chinese cultures needs investigation. This pilot study investigated the psychometric properties of three PD measures among Hong Kong Chinese. Methods: The psychometric properties of the Dissociative Experiences Scale-Taxon, the 5-item Somatoform Dissociation Questionnaire, and the Self-Report Version of the Dissociative Disorders Interview Schedule (SR-DDIS) were evaluated using online methods in Hong Kong. Results: The PD measures exhibited adequate to excellent internal consistency. The PD measures were negatively related to family support and can discriminate between participants with and without self-reported childhood abuse. There was excellent agreement between the online SR-DDIS results and the clinical diagnoses for presence of any dissociative disorder (DD) versus no DD. The DDs group scored significantly higher on PD measures than the depression group and the college student group. Discussion: The initial findings suggest that PD can be assessed online in Hong Kong. Further investigation is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Bullying is one of the most important factors associated with child abuse. However, robust tests supporting the assumption that being bullied can contribute to child sexual abuse (CSA) among left-behind children (LBC) remain sparse. This study aims to investigate the association of bullying victimization with CSA among LBC in China. Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted in six middle schools of Sichuan and Anhui province in 2015. The bullying victimization was assessed by seven items from the Revised Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire. The experience of CSA was measured by ten items CSA scale with good consistency. Results. A total of 1,030 children met the sampling criteria, including 284 LBC and 746 non-LBC. The prevalence of CSA was 22.89% in LBC and 20.19% in non-LBC (p>0:05). Bullying victimization was related to CSA among both LBC (adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR] = 2.52, 95% CI [1.34-4.73]) and non-LBC (aOR = 2.35, 95% CI [1.58-3.53]). The association between bullying victimization and CSA was much higher among left-behind girls (left-behind girls: aOR = 7.36, 95% CI [2.16-24.99]; nonleft- behind girls: aOR = 2.38, 95% CI [1.08-5.27]). Also, LBC of a young age (11-15), children with siblings, living in rural areas and non-traditional family structure who were bullied were more likely to suffer CSA than their non-LBC peers. Conclusions. Bullying victimization is associated with a significant increase in CSA among both LBC and non-LBC. Anti-bullying programs should target vulnerable populations including female LBC and LBC with siblings to reduce the risk of CSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main focus is on the assessment of the effects of early institutional care and compares three longitudinal studies from Romania, Greece and Hong Kong/China. The findings have been strikingly contrasting. The review asks if the risks are dependent on whether or not the institutional rearing is accompanied by gross pervasive deprivation (as it was in Romania) and investigates the methodological issues to explore the causal influence of the outcomes. Evidence is considered on changing institutional practices and the benefits of doing so. Comparison is made between institutions with major deprivation and those without global deprivation. A small number of studies are discussed that look at direct comparisons between institutional and community care. The empirical and conceptual implications of the findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated whether child abuse was associated with psychiatric co-morbidity in a group of Chinese adolescents, and whether this association would be mediated by emotional processing difficulties and moderated by the severity of PTSD from other traumas in the past. Four hundred seventy-four adolescents participated in the study. They completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form, General Health Questionnaire-28, the Posttraumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale, and Emotional processing scale-25. The results showed that after adjusting for the total number of traumatic events and how long ago the most traumatic event occurred, child abuse was associated with psychiatric co-morbidity. This association was not moderated by the severity of PTSD from past traumas but mediated by emotion processing difficulties. To conclude, adolescents who experience child abuse can develop emotional processing difficulties which in turn impact on psychiatric symptoms. Experience of past trauma does not influence these psychological processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much of the theories of child abuse are developed and referenced from the West, while their applications to Chinese society are unclear. It is necessary to examine the cases in Hong Kong to acknowledge the uniqueness in perception and conceptualization of child abuse and the impact of resilience, across different cultural settings. The current study aims to advance an ecological model of child abuse for Hong Kong families by integrating resilience perspective with the ecological systems, namely An Integrated Resilience and Ecological Model of Child Abuse (REC-Model), and to examine the interactions between resilience and risk factors among chronosystemic, microsystemic, marcosystemic, and ontogenic systems on child abuse. Using a cross sectional survey research method and path analysis, 565 families with children studying at ages between 9 and 13 participated and returned self-administered questionnaires in the study. The results showed that Chinese cultural parenting values moderated the influences of risk factors on child abuse, while forgiveness buffered the negative impact of microsystemic factors on child abuse. To prevent child abuse, it is important to decrease the detrimental effects of childhood abuse experiences, reduce marital conflicts, and avoid developing insecure parent-child attachment. Promoting forgiveness, while reducing parents' rigidity of certain Chinese cultural parenting values, may also help decrease child abuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The trajectory of modern China, namely from dire poverty and communist fever to economic boom and marketisation under an authoritarian regime, makes the country a unique social laboratory for examining how social environment affects human development of individuals. This study investigated the correlation between childhood adversity and depressive symptoms of Chinese middle-aged and older adults, as well as how urbanisation moderates the correlation. A sub-sample (N = 14,681) of the baseline of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study was analysed. Seven variables were used in the latent class analysis to establish a childhood adversity typology. Three urbanisation statuses were identified according to the Hukou (household registration system) status and neighbourhood type: non-urbanised, semi-urbanised and fully urbanised. The correlation between childhood adversity and depressive symptoms and the moderation of urbanization on the correlation were assessed with factorial analysis of covariance. Three latent classes for childhood adversities were identified: ‘normal childhood class', ‘low childhood socio-economic status and health class' and ‘traumatic childhood class'. The class membership was significantly correlated with depressive symptoms (p = 0.015), and the urbanisation status, also significantly affecting depressive symptoms (p = 0.05), had significant moderating effect on the correlation (p = 0.002). It is suggested that more social inclusive policies need to be adopted in order to guarantee the equal distribution of wellbeing led by urbanisation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: Childhood abuse has been associated with significant increases in non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) behaviors in adolescents; however, only general definitions of this risk indicator have been examined. This study identified relationships between specific forms of childhood abuse and NSSI in mainland Chinese adolescents. Method: A total of 14,221 cases were retained from an epidemiological study involving adolescents from junior and senior middle schools. Information relating to the perpetrator, perceived harm, timing of exposure to different types of childhood abuse, and NSSI were obtained. Logistic regression was used to analyze relationships between each form of childhood abuse and NSSI. Results: Approximately 51.0% of the students reported at least one abusive childhood experience. Nearly one in four students (24.9%) reported that they had engaged in NSSI in the past 12 months. Each type of childhood abuse, occurring at any time within the first 16 years of life, especially in situations of continuous exposure, was significantly associated with NSSI. A significant graded relationship was found between number of abusive childhood experiences and NSSI. Students maltreated by parents or others were at high risk of engaging in NSSI, the risk was greater in students maltreated by both; students who had been exposed to childhood abuse with no perceived harm still demonstrated an elevated risk for NSSI. The pattern of associations did not vary by gender. Conclusions: These findings suggest that experiencing any of various forms of childhood abuse should be considered a risk factor for NSSI during adolescence. Further research should focus upon psychosocial, neural, and genetic factors that might moderate or mediate the onset of NSSI in adolescents who have experienced childhood abuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article analyzes 3 severe cases of child abuse that were widely discussed in the mass media in China in 2007 based on a framework used by the International Society for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect in its official publicationWorld Perspectives on Child Abuse. The framework sets out the basic elements that must be included in systems of child protection: a) a responsible government or government-authorized organization; b) a set of institutional arrangements for reporting cases of child abuse, investigation, and intervening when necessary; and c) state guardianship or mechanisms to remove children from their parents’ care when necessary. By applying the framework to the 3 cases under analysis, the authors found that these basic elements are missing from the Chinese child protection system, and therefore, they recommend that a reform of the system to address these elements should be a priority for Chinese social policy. The article makes a number of recommendations for reform. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Physical abuse, as well as other forms of child abuse, has become a serious social problem but remains understudied in mainland China. This study examined physically abused children and collected data on how they perceive and interpret their experiences of parental physical abuse, and what barriers impede their help-seeking. In-depth interviews were conducted with nine child victims of parental physical abuse in Nanjing, China. Findings focus on children’s views of legitimacy and effectiveness of physical abuse, and reasons for not seeking help. Research and policy implications are discussed at the end of this article. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Based on interviews with 20 parent-child pairs and focus group discussion with another 20 children in Beijing, this article addresses the common myths of child abuse held among the Chinese. These myths include: (1) The Western concept of 'child abuse' does not fit China's national conditions, so China need not be concerned with the child abuse problem; (2) well-meant child battering is not child abuse; (3) it is impossible for biological parents to abuse their own children; (4) only abnormal parents with psychological illness will abuse their children; (5) child battering is not child abuse because the battered child does not bear grudges and parent-child relationship is not affected; and (6) parents with higher education will not commit child abuse. Attempts are made to demythify these false beliefs because it is believed that children can be better protected from abuse as the reality of children suffering abuse is brought to light. 根据在北京与二十对父母儿童的访谈和另外二十位儿童的焦点小组讨论，本文提出了一些常见于中国，有关虐待儿童的迷思: (1) 西方的“虐待儿童”概念不适合中国国情，因此中国无须关注虐儿问题; (2) 父母出自善意打孩子不是虐待儿童; (3) 亲生父母不可能虐待自己的孩子; (4) 只有心理变态的父母才会虐待自己的孩子; (5) 父母打孩子不是虐待儿童，因为孩子不记仇而且亲子关系不受影响; (6) 受过高等教育的父母不会虐待儿童。本文尝试呈现并解构这些迷思，因为只有揭示现实，儿童才可能得到更好的保护。 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]