Long-Term Mental Health Consequences of Child
Maltreatment: A Result from Thai National
Mental Health Survey 2013
Benjaporn Panyayong MD1, Nopporn Tantirangsee MD, PhD2, Rudy R D Bogoian III MD3,
and the Thai National Mental Health Survey Team 20134
Affiliation :
1 Somdetchaopraya Institute of Psychiatry, Bangkok, Thailand
2 Songkhla Rajanagarindra Psychiatric Hospital, Songkhla, Thailand
3 Faculty of Medicine, King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, Bangkok, Thailand
4 The Department of Mental Health, Nonthaburi, Thailand
Background : Violence against children, a violation of basic human rights, is common. There are limited studies to date that examine
the impact of child maltreatment, and mental health outcomes in adulthood.
Objective : To examine the association between child maltreatment (physical or sexual abuse, and witnessing of domestic violence
[DV]), mental disorders, and re-victimization by intimate partner violence [IPV] in adulthood.
Materials and Methods : The authors used the data from the Thai National Mental Health Survey of 2013, which was a population-
based cross-sectional national survey. A representative sample of 4,727 participants, aged over 18 years, completed the diagnostic
interviews (the World Mental Health-Composite International Diagnostic Interview 3.0 [WMH-CIDI 3.0]).
Results : The individuals that experienced violence during childhood (physical, sexual abuse, and witnessing of DV), are at a
higher risk of developing mental disorders in adulthood, and being re-victimized in the form of IPV. Women were more likely to
be associated with common mental disorders [CMD] and suicide than men, but men were observed to be more associated with
substance use disorders [SUD].
Conclusion : These results provide support for the need for early intervention in those children exposed to maltreatment.
Educating these families on healthier con(cid:976)lict resolution, and treatment strategies for subsequent adverse mental health outcomes,
including re-victimization by IPV, should be made easily available to these children.
Keywords : Child physical abuse [CPA], Witnessing of domestic violence [DV], Intimate partner violence [IPV], Child sexual abuse
[CSA], Mental disorders
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