Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2017 Jan;52(1):77-86.
doi: 10.1007/s00127-016-1298-0. Epub 2016 Oct 25.

Psychosocial factors associated with mother-child violence: a household survey

Carla Ferreira de Paula Gebara  1 , Cleusa Pinheiro Ferri  2 , Fernanda Monteiro de Castro Bhona  3 , Marcel de Toledo Vieira  4 , Lelio Moura Lourenço  3 , Ana Regina Noto  2
Affiliations

Psychosocial factors associated with mother-child violence: a household survey

Carla Ferreira de Paula Gebara et al. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2017 Jan.

Abstract

Purpose: The objective of this study was to investigate the psychosocial factors associated with violence by women against their children, using a household survey.

Methods: Households in two neighborhoods in Juiz de Fora, Brazil, with different socioeconomic profiles, were selected through probability sampling and surveyed. A total of 446 women with children up to 18 years of age were interviewed. A sociodemographic questionnaire, the CTSPC (Parent-Child Conflict Tactics Scales), the CES-D (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale) and the AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) were applied. Using STATA statistical software, logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the association between psychosocial variables and domestic violence against children.

Results: The prevalence of violence by mothers against their children during the 3 months prior to data collection was as follows: psychological aggression, 70.5% (n = 304); corporal punishment, 51.4% (n = 232); and physical maltreatment, 9.8% (n = 46). Women with a higher educational level exhibited lower odds of committing psychological aggression (OR 0.47; CI 0.24-0.91) and corporal punishment (OR 0.32; CI 0.16-0.64). Age was associated with corporal punishment, with older women (OR 0.94; CI 0.91-0.97) reporting a lower frequency of this type of violence against their children. Residing in the neighborhood with higher socioeconomic status reduced the odds of reporting psychological aggression (OR 0.45; CI 0.27-0.75). Maternal depression (OR 3.75; CI 1.51-9.31) and harmful drinking (OR 4.73; CI 1.17-19.10) were risk factors for physical maltreatment.

Conclusions: The results point to the need for preventive strategies for mother-child violence in low and middle income countries, with a focus on the mothers' education and mental health, especially with regard to the younger ones.

Keywords: Domestic violence; Household survey; Mental health; Psychosocial factors; Women.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Child Abuse Negl. 2008 Aug;32(8):797-810 - PubMed
    1. Psychol Med. 2002 Jul;32(5):889-902 - PubMed
    1. Alcohol Alcohol. 2005 Nov-Dec;40(6):584-9 - PubMed
    1. Violence Against Women. 2012 Mar;18(3):289-308 - PubMed
    1. BMC Fam Pract. 2010 Sep 27;11:72 - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources