Differences in reporting child abuse by mothers and young adults

Measuring violence against children (VAC) requires understanding competing sources of bias, with evidence suggesting caregivers underreport abuse.

This study examined differences in reported child abuse by respondent using longitudinal data and identified factors influencing maternal reporting.

Using data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), we analyzed mothers' cumulative prospective reports of physical and psychological abuse experienced by their children, alongside young adults' retrospective self-reports.

Difference between prevalence of abuse by respondents was estimated using McNemar's test for paired proportions. Concordance between respondents was assessed using Cohen's kappa and Prevalence-Adjusted Bias-Adjusted Kappa (PABAK). Multivariable logistic regressions identified maternal characteristics associated with reporting.

Physical and psychological child prevalence was 6.23% (95% CI 5.51-7.02), and 11.77% (95% CI 10.80-12.81) among young adults, with significant differences by respondent (p < 0.05). Mothers reported higher prevalence of psychological abuse and lower physical abuse than young adults. Cohen's kappa was 0.11 and 0.16 for physical and psychological abuse. PABAK showed higher agreement: 0.82 and 0.63. Mothers had lower odds of reporting physical or psychological abuse when the child was a female, 0.69 (95% CI 0.51-0.93).

While reports from mothers and children showed limited concordance, there was no consistent evidence that mothers systematically underreported abuse when identical questions were used. However, mothers' reporting varied by the child's sex and maternal characteristics. This work underscores the importance of considering identity and social norms in VAC measurement, by triangulating data from multiple respondents to improve accuracy in prevalence estimates.