Behavioral and Emotional Problems in Abused and Nonabused Children in a Pakistani Cohort

The study aimed to elucidate whether the trauma of abuse reflects upon the behavioral and emotional pattern in children. Abused and nonabused children (50 each) were drawn from 5 cities of Punjab. Child Abuse Scale (Malik & Shah, 2007) was used to identify nature and level of abuse. Class teachers rated children's behavior on Comprehensive Behavior Rating Scale (Neeper, Lahey, & Frick, 1990). Univariate ANOVA revealed reliable differences of behavioral problems across abused and nonabused group and gender with a general trend for abused group than nonabused and girls than boys. The data remained even when differences across groups were controlled by covariance in terms of socio-economic status, maternal education, and family system. The implications of the childhood trauma as a marker for behavioral problems in children are discussed in the context of Pakistani culture.