Modelling the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on violent discipline against children.
Child Abuse Negl
; 116(Pt 2): 104897, 2021 06.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-987266
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
The COVID-19 pandemic could increase violence against children at home. However, collecting empirical data on violence is challenging due to ethical, safety, and data quality concerns.OBJECTIVE:
This study estimated the anticipated effect of COVID-19 on violent discipline at home using multivariable predictive regression models.PARTICIPANTS:
Children aged 1-14 years and household members from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) conducted in Nigeria, Mongolia, and Suriname before the COVID-19 pandemic were included.METHODS:
A conceptual model of how the COVID-19 pandemic could affect risk factors for violent discipline was developed. Country specific multivariable linear models were used to estimate the association between selected variables from MICS and a violent discipline score which captured the average combination of violent disciplinary methods used in the home. A review of the literature informed the development of quantitative assumptions about how COVID-19 would impact the selected variables under a "high restrictions" pandemic scenario, approximating conditions expected during a period of intense response measures, and a "lower restrictions" scenario with easing of COVID-19 restrictions but with sustained economic impacts. These assumptions were used to estimate changes in violent discipline scores.RESULTS:
Under a "high restrictions" scenario there would be a 35%-46% increase in violent discipline scores in Nigeria, Mongolia and Suriname, and under a "lower restrictions" scenario there would be between a 4%-6% increase in violent discipline scores in these countries.CONCLUSION:
Policy makers need to plan for increases in violent discipline during successive waves of lockdowns.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Child Abuse
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Experimental Studies
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
/
Randomized controlled trials
Limits:
Adolescent
/
Adult
/
Child
/
Child, preschool
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Infant
/
Male
Country/Region as subject:
Africa
/
South America
/
English Caribbean
/
Suriname
Language:
English
Journal:
Child Abuse Negl
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
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