Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36410827›Full record

ReviewBMJ open2022

Asking youth and adults about child maltreatment: a review of government surveys.

Aimée Campeau, Masako Tanaka, Jill R McTavish, Harriet MacMillan, Chris McKee, Wendy E Hovdestad, Andrea Gonzalez, Tracie O Afifi, Ashley Stewart-Tufescu, Lil Tonmyr

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in BMJ open, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Child maltreatment in Canada: prevalence and gender differences among youth.Health promotion and chronic disease prevention in Canada : research, policy and practice · 2026
    Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Aimée CampeauHealth Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada aimee.campeau@phac-aspc.gc.ca.ORCID 0000-0003-3457-1613
Masako TanakaDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Jill R McTavishDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-5009-9622
Harriet MacMillanDepartments of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, and Pediatrics, Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Chris McKeeDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Wendy E HovdestadHealth Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Andrea GonzalezDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.ORCID 0000-0003-0087-830X
Tracie O AfifiDepartments of Community Health Sciences, and Psychiatry, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Ashley Stewart-TufescuFaculty of Social Work, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Lil TonmyrHealth Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-8722-7616

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesIn this review we: (1) identify and describe nationally representative surveys with child maltreatment (CM) questions conducted by governments in low-income, middle-income and high-income countries and (2) describe procedures implemented to address respondents' safety and minimise potential distress.

designWe conducted a systematic search across eight databases from 1 January 2000 to 5 July 2021 to identify original studies with information about relevant surveys. Additional information about surveys was obtained through survey methods studies, survey reports, survey websites or by identifying full questionnaires (when available).

resultsForty-six studies representing 139 surveys (98 youth and 41 adult) conducted by governments from 105 countries were identified. Surveys implemented a variety of procedures to maximise the safety and/or reduce distress for respondents including providing the option to withdraw from the survey and/or securing confidentiality and privacy for the respondent. In many surveys, further steps were taken such as providing information for support services, providing sensitivity training to survey administrators when interviews were conducted, among others. A minority of surveys took additional steps to empirically assess potential distress experienced by respondents.

conclusionsAssessing risk and protective factors and developing effective interventions and policies are essential to reduce the burden of violence against children. While asking about experiences of CM requires careful consideration, procedures to maximise the safety and minimise potential distress to respondents have been successfully implemented globally, although practices differ across surveys. Further analysis is required to assist governments to implement the best possible safety protocols to protect respondents in future surveys.

Indexed as

Child AbuseFamilyAdolescentAdultChildGovernmentHumansIncomeSurveys and Questionnairescommunity child healthepidemiologypublic health

Identifiers

PMID36410827
PMCPMC9680163

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.