Measuring child maltreatment using multi-informant survey data: a higher-order confirmatory factor analysis

Area of Science:

• Child Psychology
• Forensic Psychology
• Developmental Psychology

Background:

• Child maltreatment (CM) is a significant public health issue requiring accurate measurement.
• Existing CM assessment tools may have limitations in scope or informant diversity.
• A reliable and valid multi-informant measure is crucial for research and clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the validity and reliability of a novel, brief multi-informant measure of child maltreatment.
• To assess CM using a seven-question survey administered to both children and their parents.
• To analyze data from a large community sample of children and their families.

Main Methods:

• A sample of 2,512 children (aged 6-12) and their parents participated.
• Child maltreatment (CM) was assessed via child-reported (3 questions) and parent-reported (4 questions) items covering various abuse and neglect types.
• Confirmatory factor analysis, convergent/divergent validity (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire), and discriminant validity (Development and Well-Being Assessment) were employed.

Main Results:

• A higher-order model integrating child and parent reports demonstrated the best data fit and acceptable reliability.
• Child maltreatment (CM) scores were positively correlated with psychopathology and negatively with prosocial behaviors.
• Children in all clinical diagnostic groups reported higher overall CM than typically developing controls.

Conclusions:

• The study provides evidence for the validity and reliability of a brief, multi-informant measure of child maltreatment.
• Combining child and parent reports enhances the assessment of CM.
• This tool is suitable for use in large-scale surveys and research settings.