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Experiences of Domestic and School Violence Among Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Outpatients

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Abstract

The experience of cumulative childhood adversities, such as exposure to domestic violence or abuse by caregivers, has been described as risk factor for poor mental health outcomes in adolescence and adulthood. We performed an investigation of experience of violence in all patients aged 6 to 20 years who had consulted the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, as outpatients during the period of one year. We were using the Childhood Trauma Interview (CTI) in order to obtain information on the kind of violence. Seventy-five percent of all patients had reported experiences of violence. These youth were significantly more often involved in acts of school violence, thus a significant correlation between experience of domestic violence and violence at school could be revealed. The results of our study emphasize the need for interventions preventing violence both in domestic and in school environments.

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Author’s Contributions

JH, KS and SVK designed the study. MAT, BP and EP performed the investigation. SM, EP and MAT engaged in literature research. SVK, SM and EJJ supervised data acquisition and performed statistical analysis. EP, JH and KS drafted the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Katrin Skala.

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None of the authors has any conflict of interest.

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Völkl-Kernstock, S., Huemer, J., Jandl-Jager, E. et al. Experiences of Domestic and School Violence Among Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Outpatients. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 47, 691–695 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-015-0602-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-015-0602-7

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