Are Children With a Number of Disabilities and Long-Term Illnesses at Increased Risk of Mental Violence, Disciplinary Violence, and Serious Violence?

Abstract

The focus of this study was on the question of whether or not children with a number of disabilities and long-term illnesses are at increased risk of child maltreatment (mental violence, disciplinary violence, and serious violence). This study was based on the Child Victim Survey of 2013 (FSD2943). The data consist of a nationally representative sample of pupils in Finland in sixth grade (12–13 years of age) and ninth grade (15–16 years of age). The sampling was undertaken as a stratified cluster by province, municipality type, and school size. The total number of respondents was 11,364. According to the logistic regression analyses, the children with at least three disabilities or long-term illnesses had an increased risk of violence compared with children with no disability: The risk of mental violence increased by 2.96 times, the risk of disciplinary violence by 4.30 times, and the risk of serious violence by 3.53 times. The effect of the category of at least three disabilities and illnesses remained statistically significant, although the analysis also accounted for several confounding factors. Thus, a child’s multiple morbidity (in the case of three or more disabilities and illnesses) can be categorized as one of the major risk factors for child maltreatment. The study complements the results of previous studies concerning the effect of children’s disabilities and long-term illnesses and their impact on child maltreatment. The results underline the importance of employees of health and social care having knowledge of multiple morbidity and its importance as a key factor regarding child maltreatment.

Families With Children With Neurodevelopmental Disorders During COVID-19: A Scoping Review

“…This is especially so for families with children with neurodevelopmental disorders, in which parents are already experiencing elevated levels of stress compared with parents of typical children or children with other chronic diseases ( Hoffman et al, 2009 ). Therefore, children with disabilities are reportedly at an increased risk of domestic maltreatment ( Seppälä et al, 2020 ). For instance, parents of children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) tend to exhibit more ineffective and less positive or warm parenting compared with parents of children without ADHD ( Johnston & Mash, 2001 ), and this risk may increase during the pandemic due to heightened family tensions.…”

Challenges and burden of the Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic for child and adolescent mental health: a narrative review to highlight clinical and research needs in the acute phase and the long return to normality

“…For children with intellectual disability, it can be hard to understand the situation and the necessity for the restrictions, with consequent increase in anxiety and agitation. Besides, children with disabilities are at higher risk for child maltreatment [52]. During the pandemic, due to lack of social control and impaired ability to communicate, this risk can increase.…”

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“…During the pandemic many child welfare agencies have noted a drop in reports of child abuse/neglect, likely due to fewer opportunities for detection despite heightened risk [26]. Of note, at baseline, children with disabilities are at higher risk of abuse [27,28]. The closure of schools, child care centers, and other community organizations has limited community partners' abilities to detect and report abuse/neglect [29].…”