A. Jud , E. Orban , A. Kaman , U. Ravens-Sieberer , M. Jarczok , L.Y. Li , C. Laser , B. Ondruschka , J. Zwirner , M. Hildebrand , J. Ewert , C. Jung-Sievers , S. Wiegand-Grefe , V. Clemens
{"title":"The effects of COVID-19 on the development of reported incidents of child maltreatment over time: A systematic literature review","authors":"A. Jud , E. Orban , A. Kaman , U. Ravens-Sieberer , M. Jarczok , L.Y. Li , C. Laser , B. Ondruschka , J. Zwirner , M. Hildebrand , J. Ewert , C. Jung-Sievers , S. Wiegand-Grefe , V. Clemens","doi":"10.1016/j.chiabu.2024.107071","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>During the COVID-19 pandemic, the life of families all over the world changed unprecedentedly, risks and vulnerabilities for child maltreatment might have altered. While several studies and reviews look at altered reports to child protective services and other organizations in the child protection system, particularly during the first lockdown in spring 2020, there is a gap in research on trends of reported child maltreatment incidents over time.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>To bridge the gap on mid- to long-term developments and trends of changes over time, we aimed at summarizing findings on monthly breakdowns of CM reports over time during the pandemic.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>In systematic searches of academic literature databases, we have identified 11 articles that adhere to the inclusion criteria of monthly breakdown data from child protective services during the COVID-19 pandemic with a pre-pandemic comparison period. Three additional grey literature reports haven been identified. Both studies and reports had to be published in either English, Arabic, French, German, Portuguese, or Spanish.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Notably, overall, the level of reported incidents has decreased compared to the years before the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, no clear and reliable picture emerges in developments by different types of reporters. If the number of reports decreases overall, consequently, the overall number or responses to reports does. Some studies, however, report an altered proportion of responses that increased.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>There is still a lot to be investigated and understood when it comes to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on CM. Policy-makers are called to not only invest into more research on the topic, but, first and foremost, to anticipate a potentially surging need in improved responses to a vulnerable group.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51343,"journal":{"name":"Child Abuse & Neglect","volume":"157 ","pages":"Article 107071"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4000,"publicationDate":"2024-10-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Child Abuse & Neglect","FirstCategoryId":"102","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0145213424004617","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"FAMILY STUDIES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the life of families all over the world changed unprecedentedly, risks and vulnerabilities for child maltreatment might have altered. While several studies and reviews look at altered reports to child protective services and other organizations in the child protection system, particularly during the first lockdown in spring 2020, there is a gap in research on trends of reported child maltreatment incidents over time.
Objective
To bridge the gap on mid- to long-term developments and trends of changes over time, we aimed at summarizing findings on monthly breakdowns of CM reports over time during the pandemic.
Methods
In systematic searches of academic literature databases, we have identified 11 articles that adhere to the inclusion criteria of monthly breakdown data from child protective services during the COVID-19 pandemic with a pre-pandemic comparison period. Three additional grey literature reports haven been identified. Both studies and reports had to be published in either English, Arabic, French, German, Portuguese, or Spanish.
Results
Notably, overall, the level of reported incidents has decreased compared to the years before the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, no clear and reliable picture emerges in developments by different types of reporters. If the number of reports decreases overall, consequently, the overall number or responses to reports does. Some studies, however, report an altered proportion of responses that increased.
Conclusion
There is still a lot to be investigated and understood when it comes to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on CM. Policy-makers are called to not only invest into more research on the topic, but, first and foremost, to anticipate a potentially surging need in improved responses to a vulnerable group.
期刊介绍:
Official Publication of the International Society for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect. Child Abuse & Neglect The International Journal, provides an international, multidisciplinary forum on all aspects of child abuse and neglect, with special emphasis on prevention and treatment; the scope extends further to all those aspects of life which either favor or hinder child development. While contributions will primarily be from the fields of psychology, psychiatry, social work, medicine, nursing, law enforcement, legislature, education, and anthropology, the Journal encourages the concerned lay individual and child-oriented advocate organizations to contribute.