The potential benefits of remaining in school on the long-term mental health functioning of physically and sexually abused children: beyond the academic domain.
Community-based population survey data were used to explore whether remaining in school, independent of achievement status, was associated with lower rates of psychopathology in adulthood among participants self-reporting exposure to child physical and/or sexual abuse. Remaining in school, independent of one's achievement status, was significantly associated with a lower probability of experiencing externalizing but not internalizing disorders. Theoretical and educational implications of these results are discussed.
Williams
Simon
S
Offord Centre for Child Studies, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada. swillia@mcmaster.ca
MacMillan
Harriet
H
Jamieson
Ellen
E
D000124:Achievement; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012574:Schools; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors