Surveying the relationship between family, emotional, and social factors and child abuse in girl primary schools in Tehran

Child abuse has different meanings in different societies however, there is no uniform definition for child abuse. The present study was conducted to survey the relationship between family, emotional, and social factors and child abuse in girl primary schools in Tehran. It was a case-control study. Initial data were obtained using child abuse, family, emotional and social questionnaires. Totally, 1300 primary girl students were randomly selected through districts 2,3,4,7 and 16. Then, 60 students scored higher the cut point were selected as the abused children (the case group) and 60 matched students scored below the cut point were served as the control group. Totally, 78.3% of abused children's fathers and 83.3% of their mothers were alive. These figures were 91.7% and 95% for non-abused children, respectively. Of abused children, 30% were abused with their mothers however, 33.3% of non-abused children were abused with their classmates. Meanwhile, 75% of abused children experienced severe physical violence. There was a significant association between child abuse and the following factors: age, occupation, level of education, economic status, number of children, divorce, drug addiction, social isolation and lack of access to social support. Results have revealed that there was a significant association between child abuse and age, occupation, level of education, economic status, number of children, divorce, drug addiction, social isolation and lack of access to social support.