Psychopathology in Abused or Neglected Children

Abstract

This study compares 539 emotionally disturbed children with a history of abuse only, neglect, or no abuse or neglect who have been hospitalized at a children's psychiatric hospital. Neglected boys have lower verbal IQs and more impaired relatedness than abused boys or boys with no history of abuse or neglect. Abused boys and neglected boys have an increased frequency of conduct disorder diagnoses. Abused girls have an increase in conduct disorder diagnoses but the neglected girls do not. In contrast to the boys, verbal and performance IQ were lower for both abused and neglected girls.