Psychosocial characteristics of physically abused children and adolescents

To examine the association between physical abuse and selected psychosocial measures in a community-based probability sample of children and adolescents.

A sample of 9- through 17-year-olds (N = 665) and their caretakers in New York State and Puerto Rico were interviewed in the Methods for the Epidemiology of Child and Adolescent Mental Disorders (MECA) Study. Assessments included the Columbia Impairment Scale, the Instrumental and Social Competence Scale, the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children, the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, and questions regarding physical abuse. Regression analyses were conducted controlling for family income, family psychiatric history, perinatal problems, physical health, and sexual abuse.

A history of physical abuse was reported in 172 (25.9%) of the sample. It was significantly associated with global impairment, poor social competence, major depression, conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, agoraphobia, overanxious disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder but not with suicidality, school grades, or receptive language ability.

A community probability sample of children and adolescents demonstrated significant associations between physical abuse and psychopathology, after controlling for potential confounders. This supports comprehensive screening for psychopathology among physically abused children and for physical abuse among those with psychopathology. Interventions aimed at improving social competence may be indicated.