Citation

Kaplan SJ, Pelcovitz D, Salzinger S, Weiner M, Mandel FS, Lesser ML, Labruna VE. Am. J. Psychiatry 1998; 155(7): 954-959.

Affiliation

Department of Psychiatry, North Shore University Hospital, New York University School of Medicine, Manhasset 11030, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1998, American Psychiatric Association)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

10484973

Abstract

The association between physical abuse of adolescents and adolescent psychopathology was investigated in a case-control study conducted in Long Island, New York (US). 99 White adolescents 12-18 years of age identified from the New York State Department of Social Services Central Register for Child Abuse in 1989-91 and 99 nonabused adolescents matched for age, gender, race, and community income were enrolled. Diagnostic interviews and measures of selected risk factors for psychopathology were administered to the adolescents and their parents and then entered into a multiple logistic regression model testing the added risk contributed by physical abuse. Physical abuse added significantly to other risk factors in accounting for lifetime diagnoses of major depression, dysthymia, conduct disorder, drug abuse or dependence, and cigarette smoking. Physical abuse also contributed significantly to the prediction of current adolescent unipolar depressive disorders, disruptive disorders, and cigarette smoking. These findings underscore the importance of increased identification of physically abused adolescents so that mental health and substance abuse services can be provided.

Language: en