Modelling the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on violent discipline against children.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic could increase violence against children at home. However, collecting empirical data on violence is challenging due to ethical, safety, and data quality concerns. OBJECTIVE: This study estimated the anticipated effect of COVID-19 on violent discipline at home using multivariable predictive regression models. PARTICIPANTS: Children aged 1-14 years and household members from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) conducted in Nigeria, Mongolia, and Suriname before the COVID-19 pandemic were included. METHODS: A conceptual model of how the COVID-19 pandemic could affect risk factors for violent discipline was developed. Country specific multivariable linear models were used to estimate the association between selected variables from MICS and a violent discipline score which captured the average combination of violent disciplinary methods used in the home. A review of the literature informed the development of quantitative assumptions about how COVID-19 would impact the selected variables under a "high restrictions" pandemic scenario, approximating conditions expected during a period of intense response measures, and a "lower restrictions" scenario with easing of COVID-19 restrictions but with sustained economic impacts. These assumptions were used to estimate changes in violent discipline scores. RESULTS: Under a "high restrictions" scenario there would be a 35%-46% increase in violent discipline scores in Nigeria, Mongolia and Suriname, and under a "lower restrictions" scenario there would be between a 4%-6% increase in violent discipline scores in these countries. CONCLUSION: Policy makers need to plan for increases in violent discipline during successive waves of lockdowns.

Violence against children in Latin America and the Caribbean: What do available data reveal about prevalence and perpetrators?

[ABSTRACT]. Objective. To describe the prevalence of recent physical, sexual, and emotional violence against children 0 – 19 years of age in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) by age, sex, and perpetrator. Methods. A systematic review and analysis of published literature and large international datasets was conducted. Eligible sources from first record to December 2015 contained age-, sex-, and perpetrator-specific data from LAC. Random effects meta-regressions were performed, adjusting for relevant quality covariates and differences in violence definitions. Results. Seventy-two surveys (2 publications and 70 datasets) met inclusion criteria, representing 1 449 estimates from 34 countries. Prevalence of physical and emotional violence by caregivers ranged from 30% – 60%, and decreased with increasing age. Prevalence of physical violence by students (17% – 61%) declined with age, while emotional violence remained constant (60% – 92%). Prevalence of physical intimate partner violence (IPV) ranged from 13% – 18% for girls aged 15 – 19 years. Few or no eligible past-year estimates were available for any violence against children less than 9 years and boys 16 – 19 years of age; sexual violence against boys (any age) and girls (under 15 years); IPV except for girls aged 15 – 19 years; and violence by authority figures (e.g., teachers) or via gangs/organized crime. Conclusion. Past-year physical and emotional violence by caregivers and students is widespread in LAC across all ages in childhood, as is IPV against girls aged 15 – 19 years. Data collection must be expanded in LAC to monitor progress towards the sustainable development goals, develop effective prevention and response strategies, and shed light on violence relating to organized crime/gangs.

[RESUMEN]. Objetivo. Describir la prevalencia de la violencia física, sexual y emocional infligida recientemente en niños y niñas de 0 a 19 años en América Latina y el Caribe (ALC) según la edad, el sexo y el agresor. Métodos. Se llevó a cabo una revisión y un análisis sistemáticos de la bibliografía publicada en los grandes conjuntos de datos. Las fuentes desde los primeros registros hasta diciembre del 2015 que cumplían los criterios fueron las que contenían datos específicos de América Latina y el Caribe en función de la edad, el sexo y el agresor. Se realizaron metarregresiones de los efectos aleatorios, con ajustes pertinentes para las covariables de calidad y las diferencias en las definiciones de violencia. Resultados. Setenta y dos encuestas (2 publicaciones y 70 conjuntos de datos) cumplieron los criterios de inclusión, que representaban 1.449 estimaciones de 34 países. La prevalencia de la violencia física y emocional infligida por cuidadores fue del 30% al 60% y disminuyó al aumentar la edad. La prevalencia de la violencia física infligida por estudiantes (17% a 61%) disminuyó con la edad, mientras que la violencia emocional se mantuvo constante (60% a 92%). La prevalencia de la violencia física infligida por la pareja fue de 13% a 18% para las niñas en edades de 15 a 19 años. Fueron pocas o inexistentes las estimaciones que cumplieran los criterios realizadas el año pasado sobre: la violencia de todo tipo contra los niños y las niñas menores de 9 años y los niños entre los 16 y 19 años; la violencia sexual contra los niños de cualquier edad y las niñas menores de 15 años; la violencia infligida por la pareja, salvo en niñas de 15 a 19 años; y la violencia infligida por figuras de autoridad (por ejemplo profesores) o por pandillas o el crimen organizado. Conclusión. La violencia emocional y física infligida por los cuidadores y estudiantes es generalizada en América Latina y el Caribe en todas las edades en la niñez, al igual que la violencia infligida por la pareja hacia niñas en edades entre los 15 y 19 años. Se debe ampliar la recopilación de datos en América Latina y el Caribe para dar seguimiento al progreso hacia los objetivos de desarrollo sostenible, elaborar estrategias eficaces de prevención y respuesta, y arrojar luz sobre la violencia en relación con el crimen organizado y las pandillas.

[RESUMO]. anos de idade na América Latina e no Caribe (ALC), discriminada por idade, sexo e autor da agressão. Métodos. Foi realizada uma revisão sistemática e análise da literatura publicada e de grandes conjuntos de dados internacionais. As fontes qualificadas do primeiro registro de dezembro de 2015 continham dados provenientes da ALC, discriminados por idade, sexo e autor da agressão. Foi usada a técnica de metarregressão de efeitos aleatórios, com ajuste para covariáveis de interesse de qualidade e para diferenças nas definições de violência. Resultados. Setenta e dois levantamentos (2 publicações e 70 conjuntos de dados) satisfizeram os critérios de inclusão, representando 1.449 estimativas provenientes de 34 países. A prevalência da violência física e emocional por cuidadores variou de 30% a 60%, sendo que este percentual diminuiu com o aumento da idade. A prevalência da violência física escolar (17% a 61%) diminuiu com a idade e a prevalência da violência infantil emocional ficou constante (60% a 92%). A prevalência da violência física por parceiro íntimo variou de 13% a 18% nas adolescentes entre 15 e 19 anos de idade. Foram encontradas poucas estimativas para o ano precedente, ou as estimativas existentes não satisfizeram os critérios, quanto à violência infantil em crianças menores de 9 anos e adolescentes do sexo masculino entre 16 e 19 anos de idade, à violência sexual contra meninos (em qualquer idade) e meninas (menores de 15 anos), à violência por parceiro íntimo, exceto em meninas entre 15 e 19 anos de idade e à violência infligida por figuras de autoridade (como professores) ou gangues/crime organizado. Conclusão. A violência física e emocional no ano precedente praticada por cuidadores e na escola é generalizada na ALC e ocorre em todas as faixas etárias na infância, assim como a violência por parceiro íntimo contra as adolescentes entre 15 e 19 anos de idade. A coleta de dados deve ser ampliada na ALC para monitorar o progresso rumo ao alcance dos objetivos de desenvolvimento sustentável, criar estratégias efetivas de prevenção e resposta à violência e identificar a violência relativa ao crime organizado/quadrilhas.

The development and testing of a module on child functioning for identifying children with disabilities on surveys. III: Field testing.

BACKGROUND: A module on child functioning developed by UNICEF and the Washington Group on Disability Statistics (WG) for use in censuses and surveys reflects current thinking around disability measurement and is intended to produce internationally comparable data. The Child Functioning Module (CFM) was developed in response to limitations of the Ten Question Screening Instrument (TQSI) for use in surveys and builds on the WG Short Set (WG-SS) of questions that was designed to capture disability in censuses, particularly among the adult population. OBJECTIVE: This paper documents the testing of the module and summarizes its results, including a description of prevalence levels across countries using different cut-offs, and comparisons with prevalence levels obtained using the TQSI and the WG-SS. METHODS: Field tests were conducted in Samoa as part of the 2014 Demographic and Health Survey and in Mexico as part of the 2015 National Survey of Boys, Girls and Women. The module was also implemented in Serbia as part of a dedicated survey conducted in the province of Vojvodina, in February 2016. RESULTS: Using the recommended cut-offcut-off, the percentage of children reported as having functional difficulty ranges from 1.1% in Serbia to 2% in Mexico among children aged 2-4 years, and from 3.2% in Samoa to 11.2% in Mexico among children aged 5-17 years. Across all three countries, the prevalence of functional difficulty was highest in the socio-emotional domains. A comparison of the prevalence levels obtained using the WG-SS and the CFM shows that, except for the question on cognition/learning, the WG-SS and the CFM are relatively close for children aged 5-17 years for the domains that are included in both question sets, but the WG-SS excludes many children identified by the CFM in other domains. The comparison between the TQSI and the CFM shows that, while the prevalence estimates are similar for seeing and hearing, significant differences affect other domains, particularly cognition/learning and communication. CONCLUSIONS: The CFM addresses a full range of functional domains that are important for child development. The module represents an improvement on the TQSI in that it allows for scaled responses to determine the degree of difficulty, and so can separate out many potential false positives. The module is also preferred over the WG-SS for collecting data on children, first, because most of the questions in the WG-SS are not suitable for children under the age of 5 years, and second, because the WG-SS leaves out important functional domains for children aged 5-17 years, namely those related to developmental disabilities and behavioural issues.