COMPARISON OF MENTAL HEALTH IN STUDENTS WITH AND WITHOUT EXPERIENCE OF CHILD ABUSE

Child abuse is the effect of multiple factors which create irreparable problems for suffering children and adolescents. Any failure, neglect or committing any action that endangers the child's physical and mental health is considered to be child abuse. The overall objective of this study is comparison of mental health in people with and without experience of child abuse. This was a causal-comparative study. The study population included all 13-15 year old students of second and third levels of middle school in districts 6, 8 and 9 of Tehran in 2014-2015 academic year. Members of the sample group were 215 students who were selected through convenience sampling using sample volume determination method to estimate the relationship and the formula for finite population correction. Child Abuse Self-Report Scale (CASRS) and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) were used to collect information. The data were analyzed by SPSS software. Descriptive statistics such as mean and standard deviation and inferential statistics multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) were used to analyze the data. Findings showed that mental health is lower in physically abused people compared to those who have not been physically abused. Also the mental health of people who were sexually abused was lower compared to those without this experience. Mental health of people who experienced emotional child abuse was lower compared to those without this experience. Somatic symptoms, anxiety symptoms and sleep disturbances, and symptoms of depression are higher in people with experience of negligence child abuse compared to those without this experience. According to the findings and the high prevalence of child abuse and its effects on children's mental health, continuation of these harassments will lead to long-term psychological consequences for children and adolescents.