Citation

Kugler KC, Guastaferro K, Shenk CE, Beal SJ, Zadzora KM, Noll JG. Child Abuse Negl. 2019; 87: 112-119.

Affiliation

Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States. Electronic address: jgn3@psu.edu.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.chiabu.2018.06.005

PMID

29891176

Abstract

Children with substantiated child maltreatment (CM) experience adverse health outcomes. However, it is unclear whether substantiation vs. an investigation not resulting in substantiation has a greater impact on subsequent adolescent health. Propensity scores were used to examine the effect of investigated reports on the subsequent health of 503 adolescent females. CM was categorized into three levels: 1) investigated and substantiated, 2) investigated but unsubstantiated, and 3) no investigation. Models using inverse propensity score weights estimated the effect of an investigation on subsequent teen motherhood, HIV-risk behaviors, drug use, and depressive symptoms. Females with any investigation, regardless of substantiation status, were more likely to become teen mothers, engage in HIV-risk behaviors, and use drugs compared to females with no investigated report. Substantiated CM was associated with depressive symptoms.

FINDINGS underscore the importance of maintaining case records, regardless of substantiation, to better serve adolescents at risk for deleterious outcomes. Prospective methods and propensity scores bolster causal inference and highlight how interventions implemented following investigation are an important prevention opportunity.

Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Language: en

Keywords

Adverse health outcomes; Propensity score; Substantiation status