Review of Nature and Risk Factors for Maltreatment of Children with Disabilities

Document Type : Review Article

Authors

1 MSc., Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Social Welfare & Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran

2 Associate Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Social Welfare & Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

3 Assistant Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Social Welfare & Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Background and Aims: About 13% all of children suffer from disabilities. Maltreatment of children and adults with disabilities is a common practice. The identification of the nature and risk factors for maltreatment helps identify the children and families at risk and facilitate intervention to prevent and treat these children. The present study was conducted to identify the nature of and risk factors for maltreatment of children with disabilities.
Materials and Methods: In the present narrative review, the keywords including: maltreatment, abuse, neglect, disability, children, and risk factors were searched among databases including Springer, Elsevier, ProQuest, Scopus, Ovid PubMed, Cochrane, and the search engine Google Scholar, in the period between 1960-2015. Empirical studies, meta-analysis, and systematic reviews with the emphasis on maltreatment of children (below 18 years) with mental, physical, and psychological disabilities were selected.
Results: Totally, 822 potentially relevant studies were found and 79 abstracts were examined. Finally, 26 full texts were included. Almost all studies confirmed that children with disabilities are at a significantly greater risk of maltreatment compared with those without disabilities. According to the literature, the nature of and risk factors for maltreatment can be examined under three categories: maltreatment characteristics, victim characteristics, and perpetrator characteristics. There is sporadic data in this field and different studies have reported different results on the subject. Probably behavioral disabilities are the most important risk factor for maltreatment. Low level disabilities that have not outward appearance may cause increaseed risk of maltreatment, especially sexual abuse. Parents, school staffs, peers, and strangers were identified as perpetrators of maltreatment.
Conclusion: Different definitions of disability and maltreatment as well as different research methodologies used in the studies have made it impossible to reach a decisive conclusion about risk factors for maltreatment of children with disabilities; however, there is the probability that lack of parenting skills as well as young age and less serious disabilities of children, regardless of the type of disability, are among the risk factors for maltreatment. A few studies conducted in Asian countries indicated that they are not prepared to deal with this social issue.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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The Scientific Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine
Volume 7, Issue 1
March and April 2018
Pages 261-273

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History

  • Receive Date: 16 November 2016
  • Revise Date: 22 January 2017
  • Accept Date: 06 June 2017
  • First Publish Date: 21 March 2018

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