Conduct problems in a sample of institutionalized minors with previous mistreatment

• Published in: Child abuse & neglect 2001-06, Vol.25 (6), p.819-838
• Main Authors: Carrasco-Ortiz, M A, Rodríguez-Testal, J F, Hesse, B M
• Format: Article
• Language: Spanish
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescent Behavior - psychology; Adolescent, Institutionalized - psychology; Causality; Child; Child Abuse - psychology; Child Abuse - statistics & numerical data; Child Behavior - psychology; Child Custody; Child, Institutionalized - psychology; Conduct Disorder - epidemiology; Conduct Disorder - etiology; Conduct Disorder - psychology; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Humans; Male; Residential Facilities; Sampling Studies; Spain - epidemiology; Urban Population
• ISSN: 0145-2134

The present study tries to analyse the maltreatment effects and the expected relation, according to the reviewed literature, with behaviour problems in a sample of children in residential care in a protection centre in Seville county (Spain). The sample was conformed by a group of maltreated subjects in a protection setting (n = 30) and two groups of equivalent comparison (n = 30 and n = 30). The first group was conformed by subjects living in a marginal area of Sevilla, similar to the origin setting of the study group, and the second group comes from a wealthy area of this city. The behaviour problems index CBC of Achenbach (1978; 1979; Achenbach & Edelbrock, 1983) was used. No significant differences between groups in the CBC total score was found. However, significant differences were found in the extemalising dimension and in the delinquency, somatic anxiety, somatic problems, and social withdrawal dimensions. Victims of corruption presented higher scores on the CBC total score, extemalising dimension, and delinquency. Young people, victims of child maltreatment and living in an institution, showed problems of withdrawal. Victims of corruption or emotional abuse presented more psychopathological problems.