Knowledge Regarding Child Abuse among Parents

 

Akoijam Mamata Devi¹, Mrs. Ritu Yadav²

¹Associate Professor, Faculty of Nursing, SGT University, Gurgaon

²Lecturer, Faculty of Nursing, SGT University, Gurgaon 

 

ABSTRACT:

The objective of the study was to assess the knowledge of parents regarding child abuse, to find out the association between the knowledge of parents regarding child abuse with the selected socio-demographic variables, to develop and validate an information booklet   regarding child   abuse,. The data collection procedure was carried out in the month of April and May 2014 .The sample were taken from kheri kalan village, Faridabad. Sample of 100 parents was taken. Variables for age, sex, education, occupation, religion, socio-economic status, partial status, previous source of knowledge were matched. The gathered data was analysed by calculating the mean, percentage, standard deviation, chi square .The pie, and tables were used to present the findings of the study. Findings depicts that Majority of parents (42%) were in age category of 25-30years, 67% of the parents were female, 46% of parents are educated (senior secondary).Most of the parents 43% had the family income from (20,000-30,000), real parents 100% were in parental status, 39% of them have obtained knowledge about child abuse recently from health personnel .8% parents had good knowledge and 92% parents had average knowledge on child abuse. There is no association between knowledge score when compared to age, sex, occupation, religion, socio-economic status, parental status, previous source of knowledge expect education status. It reveals that maximum demographic variables of the parents do not affected level of knowledge expect education status.

 

 

INTRODUCTION:

A child is recognised as a person less than 18yrs. (UNICEF - The convention of the right of the child). The child has the right to express his or her views, obtained information and freedom of thoughts. Also it is the Government’s responsibility to protect the child from maltreatment by parents or others responsible for the care of the child. Maltreatment of the children reflects the moral sensibilities of society. The concept of child abuse came into prominence, when soon after World War II; paediatric radiologists discovered the problem of physical abuse of children by their parents.

 

An encouraging environment offered by a good mother child relationship is essential for the mental health of a developing   individual. At the same time, the importance of the family for proper growth   and development of a child cannot be undetermined. Child abuse represents a deviation in a basic social function, namely caring for socializing a child until he reaches independence (Kamath, 1992). Children most prone to abuse are children from poor families, working children, children without Families, children of alcoholic parents, children in broken families, abandoned children, delinquent and street children.  They can be exploited, sexually abuse, engaged in beggary, emotionally abused or put into child marriage    (Menon,1988, Jabbi, 1986). They can be abuse by antisocial elements by forcing them into drug trafficking, begging, hawali and vending (Mishra, 1988). Economic exploitation of children in India is extensive and appears to have increased over the years. Most of these children work under stressful conditions in agriculture and industries. Some are bonded and even sold into prostitution. Research available shows that emotional abuse is considered as the more devastating form of child abuse than sexual abuse and physical abuse because of its traumatic effects on the development of children. The effects of maltreatment on children are substantial and long lasting.

 

NEED FOR THE STUDY:

The problem of child abuse would require interventions on the management or prevention only after authentic, research study on various aspects of child abuse at individual, social and institutional level, are undertaken. Bhattacharya (1979) has found that in developing countries like India, the problem of child abuse exist in severe forms and is interrelated with poverty, mal-nutrition, communicable diseases etc. Deb,S.(1992) assessed the magnitude & type of child abuse among the children of slums & red light areas of Calcutta. Bhardwaj, U.D (1998) had undertaken a study related to child abuse and neglect in a low socio economic community at Chandigarh. Findings of the study were alarming as 85% of the subjects were found to be physically as well as emotionally abused and 37% were cases of child neglect. She recommended that there is a need to do further study to determine the magnitude of the problem of child abuse in school setting.

PROBLEM STATEMENT:

 

A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY TO ASSESS THE KNOWLEDGE OF PARENTS REGARDING CHILD ABUSE IN VILLAGE KHERI KALAN, FARIDABAD.

OBJECTIVES:

1     To assess the knowledge of parents regarding child abuse.

2     To Find out the association between the knowledge of parents regarding child abuse with the selected socio-demographic variables.

3     To develop and validate an information booklet regarding child abuse.

 

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY:

Research approach

Quantitative approach

 

Research design

Non-experimental design

 

Setting of the study

The study will be conducted at village kheri kalan in Faridabad.

 

Population:

All the parents living in village kheri kalan  during the period of data collection were the population of the study.

 

SAMPLE AND SAMPLING TECHNIQUE:-

SAMPLE:

The parents of children of age less than 18 years of village kheri kalan  are the sample for this study.

 

SAMPLE SIZE:

Sample size is 100

 

SAMPLE TECHNIQUE:

Convenient sampling

 

Development of tool:

Based on objectives, a structured questionnaire was prepared to assess the knowledge regarding child abuse among parents with a view to develop an information booklet in village kheri kalan, Faridabad.

The steps are selected for preparing the tools:

•      Review of related literature.

•      Preparation of the blue print.

•      Consultation with guide

•      Preparation of final drafts

•      Translation of the tool.

 

FINDINGS:

Majority of parents (42%) were in age category of 25-30years, 67% of the parents were female, 46% of parents are educated (senior secondary). Most of the parents 43% had the family income from (21,000-30,000), real parents 100% were in parental status, 39% of them education have obtained knowledge about child abuse recently from health personnel. 

·        8% parents had good knowledge and 92% parents had average knowledge on child abuse.

·        By using the chi- square test it was found that there was no significant association between the knowledge level of parents with age, sex, occupation, religion, Socio - economic status, parental status, previous source of knowledge expect education status.

 

Table-1-Mean knowledge score of child abuse N=100

Items	Mean	Median	SD	Range
Knowledge of parents regarding child abuse	16.37	17	8.96	11-23

                             

Table 1 reveals that means knowledge score and standard deviation among parent regarding child abuse is 16.37, ±8.96.The knowledge score of subjects ranged between 11-23

 

 

Fig.1 Percentage Distribution of knowledge of parents regarding child abuse

 

Fig: 1 shows that 8% of parents had good knowledge and 92% of parents had average knowledge.

 

CONCLUSION:

8% parents had good knowledge and 92% parents had average knowledge on child abuse.

The knowledge score of the parents when compared with the demographic variables revealed no significant association was found with demographic variables (P≥0.05) expect education status.

 

RECOMMENDATIONS:

·        A large scale study can be done for replication to assess the knowledge on child abuse among parents.

·        Similar study can be conducted with an experimental research approach having a control group.

·        A video assisted teaching module can be prepare and testes for its effectiveness.

·        A comparative study with control group can be carried out to generalize the findings.

 

REFERENCE:

1.       G. Babatsikos. Parents knowledge about preventing child abuse. Child abuse review  19 ( 2); 2010:107-129.

2.       Tremblay, Claudia. Education of mother knowledge preventing child abuse. International Journal of Early Childhood 32 (2) ; 2000:83-90

1.       Maureen c. Kenny, Teacher’s Knowledge of child maltreatment. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse.28: 200;1311-1319

2.       L Dixon. Attribution and behaviours of parents abused as children.J child psycho psychiatric 2005:58-68.

3.       AM Naughton. Emotional, Behavioural  and development feature indication of abuse, JAMA Pediatrics; 2013:769-775.

4.       AM Kemoli. A classic case report of child abuse. 5(2); 2014:256-259.

5.       Gerard M.Sexual abuse of child abuse, Rev Med Brux. Sep. 26 (4); 2005 :333-9.

6.       Alice .R. Redland .strategies for maintenance of health promoting behaviour, nursing clinics of North America (1993):28 (2):427-442.

7.       Amend .C. Edit .’A Parent education programme in a children’s Hospital Nursing Outlook (1996):14 (4) :53-56.

 

Received on 03.03.2016           Modified on 22.04.2016

Accepted on 25.04.2016           © A&V Publication all right reserved