Characteristics of the physical and mental health of maltreated children in Korea: A nationwide study

Objectives: To describe the characteristics of the children who were reported and decided as child maltreatment in Korea. Methods: The National Child Maltreatment Information System (NCMIS) is a digital registry of children [ view full abstract ]

Objectives: To describe the characteristics of the children who were reported and decided as child maltreatment in Korea.
Methods: The National Child Maltreatment Information System (NCMIS) is a digital registry of children <18 years old who were reported, investigated, and confirmed as victims of child maltreatment by 50 regional child protection agencies in Korea compiled by the Korean National Child Protection Agency. We evaluated the demographic, maltreatment, and physical and mental health characteristics of victims registered in the NCMIS between 2012 and 2014.
Results: The study included 18,933 children (54.5% boys) with the highest proportion in the 7–12 year-old age group (39.5%).The mean age at onset of maltreatment was 89 months (~7.5 years old), and the mean duration was 29.5 months. The most common type of maltreatment was combined physical and emotional abuse (29.9%). Poor hygiene (8.5%) was the most common physical indicator of maltreatment followed by language problems (5.8%), and eating disorders (3.0%). Anxiety (14.3%) was the most common psychological/emotional characteristic of maltreatment followed by short attention span (9.4%), low self-esteem (8.1%), attachment disorder (6.6%), and depression (6.4%). Aggressiveness/compulsiveness (12.2%) was the most prevalent social adaptation/behavior problem for children ≥7 years old followed by learning problems (10.3%), poor adjustment to school (10.0%), and habitual lying (9.3%).
Conclusion: This is the nationwide study about the characteristics of physical and mental health of the maltreated children in Korea. These characteristics, derived from a national database, may be used for the early detection of child maltreatment by mandatory and non-mandatory reporters in Korea.