A Systematic Review of Child Abuse Screening Instruments

Purpose: The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review and to describe the characteristics of child abuse screening instruments. Methods: Articles regarding the development of a child abuse screening instrument were investigated using the systematic review method. A literature search using the keywords “child and abuse or maltreatment and instrument or screening tool” in English, and “child,” “abuse,” and “instrument” in Korean, was conducted of material published in PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, SCOPUS, ERIC, and RISS. Database and bibliographic searches, and quality appraisal using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies tool that included systemic reviews, yielded 17 records. Results: Key elementary child abuse screening instruments were developed for physical, psychiatric, affective and sexual and child neglect assessment. The instruments’ target populations were children at home and in institutions. The reviewed instruments had the advantage of diagnosing past, concurrent, and indirectly, potential child abuse. Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrate that child abuse screening instruments are available for screening and for assessment of abused children in various circumstances. This review of child abuse screening instruments offers evidence for the acceptable use of optimal psychometric tools for child abuse assessment and provides guidelines for child health nursing practice.