Abstract
Background
Keywords
Findings
Authors
What is already known on this subject?
What does this study add?
Background
The long-term health consequences of childhood physical abuse are often studied using retrospective self-reports collected from adults. This study assesses the quality of a question on childhood physical abuse in the National Population Health Survey (NPHS).
Data and methods
All NPHS respondents aged 18 or older (n = 15,027) were asked a question about childhood physical abuse in cycles 1 (1994/1995), 7 (2006/2007) and 8 (2008/2009). The reliability of this question was assessed over these periods. Associations between response patterns to the abuse item and health conditions that are related to childhood physical abuse were examined.
Results
Across all NPHS cycles, very few respondents refused to answer or replied “don’t know” to the item on childhood physical abuse. Reliability, as measured by Cohen’s kappa statistic, was “substantial” for the two-year interval between cycles 7 and 8, and “moderate” for the 12- and 14-year intervals from cycle 1. Kappa estimates were similar when examined by various demographic factors. Compared with consistent deniers, respondents who consistently affirmed childhood physical abuse and those who provided inconsistent responses had increased odds of depression, fair or poor self-perceived health, disability, migraine, and heart disease.
Interpretation
Despite some limitations, the NPHS question on childhood physical abuse allows researchers to investigate long-term health consequences of abuse.
Keywords
Child abuse, child maltreatment, reliability, retrospective recall, validity
Findings
Numerous studies have documented associations between childhood physical abuse and subsequent mental and physical disorders. The measure of abuse in these analyses is typically based on retrospective reports from adults. In order to best interpret studies that link childhood physical abuse to health problems in later life, it is important to understand the validity and reliability of such measures. [Full Text]
Authors
Margot Shields, Wendy Hovdestad (wendy.hovdestad@phac-aspc.gc.ca) and Lil Tonmyr (Lil.Tonmyr@phac-aspc.gc.ca) are with the Public Health Agency of Canada.
What is already known on this subject?
- Retrospective reports of childhood physical abuse involve considerable measurement error and a substantial rate of false negatives.
- False positive reports of childhood physical abuse are rare.
- Retrospective questions that focus on behaviour-specific abuse have higher validity and reliability than broad, subjectively defined questions.
What does this study adds?
- Based on data from the National Population Health Survey, the reliability of the question on childhood physical abuse was in the “substantial” range when examined over a two-year interval, and in the “moderate” range for intervals of 12 and 14 years.
- Inconsistent reports of childhood physical abuse were not related to demographic variables.
- Compared with consistent deniers, consistent affirmers and inconsistent responders to the childhood physical abuse item had increased odds of reporting depression, fair or poor self-perceived health, disability, migraine, and heart disease.
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