Childhood maltreatment in South Korea: retrospective study

This study explored the prevalence of childhood maltreatment in South Korea using the retrospective version of ICAST and the associations between perceptions of abuse experienced during childhood and recent interpersonal problems and depression.

539 young persons, aged 18-24 years, from various universities, work places, and clinical settings participated in a study using the ISPCAN Child Abuse Screening Tool-Retrospective Version (ICAST-R), the short form of the Korean-Inventory of Interpersonal Problems Circumplex Scale (KIIP-SC), and the Korean version of the Beck Depression Inventory (K-BDI).

While males reported more physical abuse, females reported being exposed to more emotional or sexual abuse. The proportion of reported extra-familial or peer abuse was relatively high. Interpersonal problems and depression were significantly high for those who experienced all types of abuse during childhood. Perception of physical abuse as reasonable/justified discipline affected interpersonal problems and perception of emotional abuse when compared to peers affected interpersonal problems and depression. Unlike previous studies, this study identified more depressive symptoms reported with disclosure of sexual abuse.

These findings highlight the importance of understanding how one perceives maltreatment. Perceiving an abusive act as a justifiable disciplinary method may affect reporting as well as longer term consequences for the victim. A wide range of perpetrators and different settings in which maltreatment may occur must be considered as influencing these perceptions. This study contributed to the determination of validity of the ICAST-R for use in wider population surveys.