School Functioning Among Norwegian Children With a History of Maltreatment

Childhood maltreatment increases the risk of adverse outcomes in various areas, such as somatic and mental health. This may also lead to poorer academic achievement, but few studies have been conducted among children in primary school. The study aimed to investigate school functioning in a sample of Norwegian children subjected to maltreatment and the association with multivictimization (i.e., exposure to three or more types of maltreatment). Parent-reported data on behalf of 192 children (ages 6-12 years) were collected from the Stine Sofie Center, a support and coping center for children exposed to maltreatment. School functioning was assessed through parent-reported school performance, special education status, and school absences. In total, 15.6% of the children were reported to perform very poorly in at least one subject. Approximately one-fourth (27.1%) received special education, and 10.0% had been absent from school for at least 8 days in the last month. Multivictimization was associated with an increased likelihood of poorer school performance (OR 3.15, 95% CI [1.42, 7.03]) and higher levels of school absences (OR 2.75, 95% CI [1.26, 8.68]) but not enrollment in special education. Children who have experienced maltreatment, especially multivictimization, face a high risk of poor school performance and high absenteeism. These results underscore the urgent need to better understand the effects of maltreatment and multivictimization on school functioning to develop more effective intervention and support strategies. Future research should continue to examine the long-term educational impacts of maltreatment and evaluate the effectiveness of intervention programs. Ensuring that maltreated children receive the necessary educational support is crucial in helping them succeed academically and overcome the challenges posed by early adversity.