Children who have a history of child abuse, as recorded by a government child protection agency, are much more likely to suffer from anxiety and mood disorders, and to abuse substances, according to a new study in the Archives of General Psychiatry.
- Researchers from the University of Otago-Wellington in New Zealand went through records from a national child protection agency and found 221 children with a history of maltreatment.
- After comparing them to about 1900 young adults with no such history, the researchers found a ten-fold higher incidence of posttraumatic stress syndrome, as well as greater odds of other anxiety and mood disorders, and drug abuse among the abused children.
"This implies that targeted mental health interventions with present or past clients of child welfare agencies are indicated, in addition to interventions currently provided to stop or reduce maltreatment, and that concerted strategies are required to address the needs of many children who experienced maltreatment," according to the study.
Labels: abuse
Posted By: Jane St. Clair