The role of adverse childhood experiences in predicting child abuse perpetration among married mothers in Alexandria, Egypt: a cross-sectional study
Abstract Background Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are receiving increased amounts of attention as a critical public health issue. ACEs have a massive impact on future violence victimization and perpetration. They are also associated with lifelong mental and physical health consequences as wel...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2024-01-01
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| Series: | BMC Women's Health |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-024-02903-9 |
| _version_ | 1797276337225859072 |
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| author | Yasmine Yousry Mohammed Mervat Wagdy Abu-Nazel Reham Said Ibrahim Aly Zeinab Nazeeh Shata |
| author_facet | Yasmine Yousry Mohammed Mervat Wagdy Abu-Nazel Reham Said Ibrahim Aly Zeinab Nazeeh Shata |
| author_sort | Yasmine Yousry Mohammed |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are receiving increased amounts of attention as a critical public health issue. ACEs have a massive impact on future violence victimization and perpetration. They are also associated with lifelong mental and physical health consequences as well as premature mortality. The present study aimed to investigate the role of different ACEs among married mothers in predicting the risk of child abuse perpetration in offspring. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted on 350 mothers of children aged 2–12 years attending family health centres in Alexandria. The mothers completed a predesigned interview questionnaire on sociodemographic data and data related to ACEs, spousal violence, and child abuse perpetration. Suitable bivariate and multivariate statistical tests were used to analyse the collected data using version 20.0 of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Results Two-thirds of mothers (66.3%) reported ever having been exposed to any ACE, and 18.6% of them had experienced 3 or more ACEs. Psychological abuse (46%) and witnessing domestic violence (17%) were the most common. Psychological aggression (95.4%), minor physical assault (79%), and neglect (52%) were the most common forms of child abuse perpetrated by the mothers. The number of ACEs experienced by mothers showed a moderate positive significant correlation with the 5 forms of child abuse examined. Different ACEs, mother’s age, socioeconomic status, and current exposure to spousal violence were found to be independent predictors of different forms of child abuse (psychological aggression, neglect, minor physical assault, and severe physical assault). Conclusion Different practices of family violence are strongly connected throughout different stages of an individual’s life and across generations. Further understanding of the interconnections among forms of violence and addressing them should be prioritized. Additionally, concerted national strategies across all levels and sectors are needed to address this complex problem. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T15:26:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7b49b9b8d1d14ec28a501f30428d6221 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1472-6874 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T15:26:50Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Women's Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-7b49b9b8d1d14ec28a501f30428d62212024-03-05T16:41:22ZengBMCBMC Women's Health1472-68742024-01-0124111010.1186/s12905-024-02903-9The role of adverse childhood experiences in predicting child abuse perpetration among married mothers in Alexandria, Egypt: a cross-sectional studyYasmine Yousry Mohammed0Mervat Wagdy Abu-Nazel1Reham Said Ibrahim Aly2Zeinab Nazeeh Shata3Family Health Department, High Institute of Public Health, Alexandria UniversityFamily Health Department, High Institute of Public Health, Alexandria UniversityMinistry of Health and PopulationFamily Health Department, High Institute of Public Health, Alexandria UniversityAbstract Background Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are receiving increased amounts of attention as a critical public health issue. ACEs have a massive impact on future violence victimization and perpetration. They are also associated with lifelong mental and physical health consequences as well as premature mortality. The present study aimed to investigate the role of different ACEs among married mothers in predicting the risk of child abuse perpetration in offspring. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted on 350 mothers of children aged 2–12 years attending family health centres in Alexandria. The mothers completed a predesigned interview questionnaire on sociodemographic data and data related to ACEs, spousal violence, and child abuse perpetration. Suitable bivariate and multivariate statistical tests were used to analyse the collected data using version 20.0 of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Results Two-thirds of mothers (66.3%) reported ever having been exposed to any ACE, and 18.6% of them had experienced 3 or more ACEs. Psychological abuse (46%) and witnessing domestic violence (17%) were the most common. Psychological aggression (95.4%), minor physical assault (79%), and neglect (52%) were the most common forms of child abuse perpetrated by the mothers. The number of ACEs experienced by mothers showed a moderate positive significant correlation with the 5 forms of child abuse examined. Different ACEs, mother’s age, socioeconomic status, and current exposure to spousal violence were found to be independent predictors of different forms of child abuse (psychological aggression, neglect, minor physical assault, and severe physical assault). Conclusion Different practices of family violence are strongly connected throughout different stages of an individual’s life and across generations. Further understanding of the interconnections among forms of violence and addressing them should be prioritized. Additionally, concerted national strategies across all levels and sectors are needed to address this complex problem.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-024-02903-9Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)Child abuseChild maltreatmentDomestic violenceSpousal violenceMarried mothers |
| spellingShingle | Yasmine Yousry Mohammed Mervat Wagdy Abu-Nazel Reham Said Ibrahim Aly Zeinab Nazeeh Shata The role of adverse childhood experiences in predicting child abuse perpetration among married mothers in Alexandria, Egypt: a cross-sectional study BMC Women's Health Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) Child abuse Child maltreatment Domestic violence Spousal violence Married mothers |
| title | The role of adverse childhood experiences in predicting child abuse perpetration among married mothers in Alexandria, Egypt: a cross-sectional study |
| title_full | The role of adverse childhood experiences in predicting child abuse perpetration among married mothers in Alexandria, Egypt: a cross-sectional study |
| title_fullStr | The role of adverse childhood experiences in predicting child abuse perpetration among married mothers in Alexandria, Egypt: a cross-sectional study |
| title_full_unstemmed | The role of adverse childhood experiences in predicting child abuse perpetration among married mothers in Alexandria, Egypt: a cross-sectional study |
| title_short | The role of adverse childhood experiences in predicting child abuse perpetration among married mothers in Alexandria, Egypt: a cross-sectional study |
| title_sort | role of adverse childhood experiences in predicting child abuse perpetration among married mothers in alexandria egypt a cross sectional study |
| topic | Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) Child abuse Child maltreatment Domestic violence Spousal violence Married mothers |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-024-02903-9 |
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