Emotional and physical abuse in family: survey among high school adolescents.

AIM To determine the prevalence of different forms of child abuse among high school pupils in Slavonski Brod, Croatia. METHOD The study included 2140 first and fourth-grade pupils aged between 14 and 18 years from all 10 high schools in Slavonski Brod and the area (4 grammar and 6 vocational schools). The pupils were asked to complete an anonymous structured questionnaire during a 45-minute class. The questionnaire, developed for the needs of this study, collected basic demographic data on family life and experience of emotional or physical abuse. RESULTS First-grade pupils were more satisfied with their family life than fourth-grade pupils (96.9% vs 91.3%, P<0.001, chi(2) test). The feeling of being insufficiently loved or unloved was reported by 17.5% of the first-grade and 24.6% of the fourth-grade pupils and a greater percentage of pupils whose parents were divorced or who had a step-parent. Almost 80% of pupils had been verbally or nonverbally punished for disobedience. Emotional abuse was significantly associated with female sex (Nagelkerke R(2)=0.87, beta=0.474, P=0.028), younger age (beta=1.263, P<0.001), and alcoholism in the family (beta=2.037, P<0.001. Physical punishment for disobedience was reported significantly more often by first-grade than fourth-grade pupils (15.6% vs 12.9% P=0.021, chi(2) test). Physical abuse was significantly associated (Nagelkerke R2=0.69) with younger age (Beta=0.379, P<0.012), emotional abuse (Beta=0.665, P<0.002), alcoholism in the family (Beta=1.791, P<0.001) and the lack of parental love (Beta=-0.645, P<0.001). Possible sexual molestation was admitted by 6.0% boys and 3.3% girls. CONCLUSION Most high school pupils in Slavonski Brod were satisfied with their life at home. Disobedience was usually punished verbally or by aggressive behavior of the parents. Physical punishment was less common and usually did not result in serious injuries.