Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry
Volume 53, Issue 12, 2019, Pages 1199-1207

History of abuse and neglect and their associations with mental health in rescued child labourers in Nepal (Article)

Dhakal S. , Niraula S. , Sharma N.P. , Sthapit S. , Bennett E. , Vaswani A. , Pandey R. , Kumari V. , Lau J.Y.F.*
  • a Central Department of Psychology, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal
  • b Central Department of Psychology, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal
  • c Central Department of Psychology, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal
  • d Central Department of Psychology, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal
  • e Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
  • f Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
  • g Department of Psychology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
  • h Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom, Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, College of Health and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, United Kingdom
  • i Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom

Abstract

Objectives: Little is known about rates of childhood maltreatment in low-income countries, particularly among marginalised sectors of society. Economic hardships mean that in such countries, many children and young people are exploited in the labour force and/or are trafficked, placing them at greater risk for being exposed to other forms of maltreatment. Cultural norms endorsing the use of physical and emotional acts to discipline children further exacerbate this risk. Here, we assessed the rates of childhood victimisation experiences and associated mental health problems in Nepalese youth rescued from illegal child labour including trafficking. Methods: One hundred and three young people aged 12–18 years living in out-of-home care institutions and rescued from child labour/trafficking completed translated versions of selected modules from the Juvenile Victimisation Questionnaire, the Youth Inventory and the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire. Care-home employees responsible for looking after the young people completed the Adolescent Symptom Inventory and the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire. Analysis described maltreatment frequencies and compared individuals who had and had not experienced any form of maltreatment on the presence/absence of psychiatric diagnoses. Results: Seventy-two percent of participants experienced some form of maltreatment in their lifetime. Rates for each maltreatment type were 46.6% for physical abuse, 40.77% for emotional abuse, 27.2% for sexual abuse and 33% for neglect. Symptoms indicative of anxiety disorders and trauma were commonly reported especially in victims of childhood maltreatment. Conclusions: Our estimates of physical abuse in this at-risk juvenile sample were commensurate to those reported in general-population youth samples in Nepal, but sexual and emotional abuse rates were somewhat lower. The potential presence of anxiety and trauma in this sample that may result from maltreatment requires replication, but underscores an urgent need for routine mental health screening in rescued child labourers during rehabilitation efforts. © The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2019.

Author Keywords

Victimisation early-life trauma childhood maltreatment childhood adversity

Index Keywords

anxiety disorder home care health care policy mental health human controlled study Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire score Youth Inventory and the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire score Juvenile Victimisation Questionnaire score Adolescent Symptom Inventory score emotional abuse physical abuse Adolescent male female population research child labor sexual abuse human trafficking Article scoring system major clinical study Child Abuse neglect Nepal
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85067843529&doi=10.1177%2f0004867419853882&partnerID=40&md5=9732cb7846981b8e543e2dcb771b552e
DOI: 10.1177/0004867419853882
ISSN: 00048674
Original Language: English