The influence of lack of parental accompaniment, physical abuse and neglect in childhood on the psycholog-ical distress in college entrant students / 中国神经精神疾病杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To explore the influence of lack of parental accompaniment, physical abuse and neglect in childhood on the psychological distress of college entrant students. Methods In a comprehensive university in Sichuan Province, 8367 freshmen were surveyed using the 6-item Kessler psychological distress (K6) scale and a questionnaire for lack of parental accompany, physical abuse and neglect in childhood. The students were divided into rural group and urban group for data analysis. Results The months of lack of maternal and/or paternal accompaniment were more in rural group than that in urban group (P<0.05). In rural group, female (standardizedβ’=0.139, P<0.001), neglect (standardizedβ’=0.237, P<0.001) and physical abuse (standardized β’=0.076, P<0.001) were associated with K6 scale. In urban group, female (standardizedβ’=0.091, P<0.001), lack of paternal accompaniment (standardizedβ’=0.050, P<0.001), ne? glect (standardized β’=0.169, P<0.001) and physical abuse (standardized β’=0.095, P<0.001) related with K6 scale. Conclusions Neglect and physical abuse are independent risk factors to freshmen both from rural and urban areas. Lack of paternal accompaniment in childhood is a risk factor only in urban freshmen. Further research should select more rep?resentative samples and also include more factors which may interact with the loss of parental accompaniment such as pa?rental divorce and conditions regarding so calledleft-behindchildren in rural area.