Adolescent physical abuse: risk for adolescent psychiatric disorders.
OBJECTIVE
The present study examined whether physical abuse functions as an additional risk factor for adolescent psychopathology after other important known risk factors are controlled for.


METHODS
The authors recruited 99 adolescents aged 12 to 18 years directly from the New York State Department of Social Services after official documentation of physical abuse. The abused adolescents were compared to 99 nonabused adolescents matched for age, gender, race, and community income. Diagnostic interviews and measures of selected risk factors for psychopathology were administered to the adolescents and their parents and then entered into a multiple logistic regression model testing the added risk contributed by physical abuse to adolescent psychopathology.


RESULTS
Physical abuse added significantly to other risk factors in accounting for lifetime diagnoses of major depression, dysthymia, conduct disorder, drug abuse, and cigarette smoking. Physical abuse also contributed significantly to prediction of current adolescent unipolar depressive disorders, disruptive disorders, and cigarette smoking.


CONCLUSIONS
Since physically abused adolescents are at greater risk for the development of psychiatric disorders, recognition of adolescent abuse and the provision of psychiatric and substance abuse services may reduce morbidity.
Kaplan
S J
SJ
Department of Psychiatry, North Shore University Hospital, New York University School of Medicine, Manhasset 11030, USA.
Pelcovitz
D
D
Salzinger
S
S
Weiner
M
M
Mandel
F S
FS
Lesser
M L
ML
Labruna
V E
VE
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D019955:Conduct Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology; D004243:Divorce; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019263:Dysthymic Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009518:New York / Q000453:epidemiology; D010290:Parents; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D012923:Social Class