Child Maltreatment Profiles among Children and Adolescents in the Spanish Child Welfare System

Irene Fernández, Elisabeth Malonda-Vidal, José J. Navarro-Pérez () and Anna Llorca
Additional contact information
Irene Fernández: University of Valencia
Elisabeth Malonda-Vidal: University of Valencia
José J. Navarro-Pérez: University of Valencia
Anna Llorca: University of Valencia

Child Indicators Research, 2024, vol. 17, issue 4, No 16, 1829-1849

Abstract: Abstract Maltreatment is a complex and multidimensional construct. Several types of maltreatment exist, but not all of them necessarily co-occur. In the last decades, researchers have tried to untangle the heterogeneity of maltreatment. However, few studies have been carried out outside the U. S. and none of the previous studies had considered all stages of maltreatment. In this study, we aimed at exploring latent profiles of maltreatment in a sample of 635 children and adolescents enrolled at different intervention plans within the Child Protective Services (CPS) in the Valencian Community, Spain. Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) was performed. Profiles were based on the five types of maltreatment (physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, emotional neglect and physical neglect), as measured by the Chilhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form. Moreover, associations between the emerging profiles and sociodemographic, health- and school-related variables were also examined. Three profiles of maltreatment were found: “Relative low maltreatment” (58.58%), “Neglected” (35.92%), and “Severely abused and neglected” (5.5%). Then, profiles were contrasted with the reasons why court dictated maltreatment status of the child/adolescent to validate the maltreatment profiles. Results regarding the cumulative nature of maltreatment and its severity suggest tailoring public policies by level of risk of maltreatment. This study further proposes moving the focus of action from individuals themselves to the elements that characterize different maltreatment profiles, with the aim of protecting them. Future research ought to expand knowledge on maltreatment profiles in other European countries so as to promote generalization of results.

Keywords: Child protective services; Latent profile analysis; Abuse; Neglect (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s12187-024-10138-1 Abstract (text/html)
Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:chinre:v:17:y:2024:i:4:d:10.1007_s12187-024-10138-1

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.springer. ... f-life/journal/12187

DOI: 10.1007/s12187-024-10138-1

Access Statistics for this article

Child Indicators Research is currently edited by Asher Ben-Arieh

More articles in Child Indicators Research from Springer, The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI)
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().