Prediction of suicidal ideation and interpersonal violence among labor children based on childhood trauma, emotion regulation difficulties and callous-unemotional traits

Intoduction: Child labor is a prevalent global public health and human rights problem. Many children work to ensure the survival of their families and themselves. Furthermore, child labor today leads to poverty tomorrow: Child labor perpetuates poverty and results in intergenerational poverty traps. Yet, policies banning child labor, even if they can be implemented, might harm the welfare of children and their families rather than help. It puts children at risk for acute and chronic health problems and thwarts the right to freely choose economic opportunities. Economical abuse can best be defined as hiring a child for a work in which his rights are infringed, low payment is made, and his personal development is hindered. As expected, in a short span of time child workers have been employed in industries, which has led a disturbance in the physical, sensorial, kinesthetic, social, medical and moral development and his right for education has been disregarded. That has brought about children being prone to every threat, for they have adopted all the negative experiences and way of behaving in the work life. The short-term effects of childhood trauma include disruptions in interpersonal relationships and psychological problems. Moreover, childhood trauma may interfere with the development of emotional self-regulation, leaving children at risk for a number of negative outcomes including violence preparation. It is recognized that childhood trauma can lead to suicidal ideation and behavior. There is evidence that aggression and violence are important correlates of suicidal behavior. Childhood trauma and aggressive traits are considered risk factors for suicidal behavior. The aim of current study is prediction of suicidal ideation and interpersonal violence among labor children based on childhood trauma, emotion regulation difficulties and callous-unemotional traits. This study utilized a descriptive correlational design. The sample includes 150 person of 12-17-years-old labor children of Tehran, in Summer and autumn of 1395. All participants answered to the Suicide Cognitions Scale, State and Trait Anger Expression Inventory. Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Emotion Regulation Difficulties Scale and Callous-Unemotional Traits Inventory. Data analysis through multivariate regression showed that lack of sympathy, limited access to emotion regulation strategies and neglect predict significantly suicidal ideation and callous, difficulties engaging in goal directed behavior, impulse control difficulties, lack of emotional awareness, lack of emotional clarity and emotional abuse positively predict interpersonal violence. Hence, it is proposed to focus on the environments in which these children grow, in particular their family environments, and on interactions between parents and children that may indicate negligence and insult to the child.