Background
Childhood labor exposes children to the risk of violence and abuse that may adversely affect their psychological well-being.
Aim
To explore psychological comorbidities and their relation to different forms of abuse among labored children and identify risk factors for exposure to abuse in working children.
Patients and methods
This cross-sectional study included 158 male working children aged 12–17 years. Sociodemographic data, education level, and type of work were collected. The type of abuse was categorized into physical, emotional, and sexual abuse using the International Child Abuse Screening Tool (children’s version institution questionnaire). Social competence and behavioral problem assessment was done using the Child Behavior Checklist (the youth self-report). Regression analysis to determine predictors of abuse among working children was done.
Results
About 59.5% of included children were exposed to at least one type of child abuse last year, 75% reported exposure during work time. The commonest form was psychological, followed by physical abuse, and last, sexual abuse. Social competence was impaired in abused children, regardless of the type of abuse. Behavioral problems were significantly higher in children exposed to physical and sexual abuse. Younger age (odds ratio 4.09; 95% confidence interval 1.03:16.18) and working in small industrial shops (odds ratio 3.28; 95% confidence interval 1.40:7.71) were risk factors for abuse exposure in working children.
Conclusion
Working children at higher risk for child abuse adversely affect their social competence and increase their behavioral problems.