Associations between Stress and Child Verbal Abuse and Corporal Punishment during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Potential Effect Modification by Lockdown Measures

Abstract

Background: Child abuse appears to be on the increase during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the extent that lockdown measures modified the association between stress and abuses has not been systematically assessed. Objectives: To assess: 1) the association between caregiver s stress and self-reported verbal abuse and corporal punishment of a child in the household, and; 2) modification of the stated association by experienced COVID-19 lockdown measures. Participants and settings: Caregivers residing in villages on lockdown in the Deep South of Thailand (n=466 participants) Methods: We randomly sampled 12 villages in the study area, and 40 households per village. Trained enumerators who were residents of the sampled villages collected the data using phone-based interview. We measured stress level using the standard ST-5 questionnaire. We developed and pilot-tested questions for measurement of child abuse and lockdown experiences specifically for this study. Results: Caregivers with moderate and higher levels of stress were more likely than caregivers with low level of stress to report verbal abuse (48% vs. 23%, respectively; Adj. OR = 3.12, 95% CI = 1.89, 5.15) and corporal punishment (28% vs. 8%, respectively; Adj. OR = 2.76, 95% CI = 1.41, 5.42). We found that COVID-19 lockdown experiences modified the associations between stress and verbal abuse and corporal punishment. Conclusion: There were associations between stress and abuses, which were modified by lockdown experiences. However, social desirability, lack of details in the answers, and potential confounding by mental illness co-morbidities were notable limitations of the study. Caveat is advised in the interpretation of the study findings.