In Japan, despite the continuing decline in the birth rate, the number of consultations regarding child abuse is increasing year by year. Twins and other multiple births are considered to be at higher risk of abuse than single births, as the physical and mental burden of raising them is greater for mothers.

 In this study, a research group led by Professor Yokoyama Mie of the Graduate School of Nursing at Osaka Municipal University used data from health checkups for 3-year-olds and records of abused children or children suspected of being abused who were supported by local government public health nurses to analyze the incidence of abuse of 3-year-old twins and related factors among the birth population (all children living in the area).

 The results showed that there were 1,000 abused children per 4.31 singletons, compared with 1,000 abused children per 14.31 twins, meaning that the incidence of abuse in twins was approximately three times higher than in singletons, even after controlling for other factors.

 The study also found that 86% of twin abusers were mothers, and that mothers in twin households were more likely to suffer from depression than mothers in single-child households. In many of the households where twin abuse was confirmed, the mother's physical and mental health had significantly deteriorated, suggesting that the occurrence of abuse is strongly related to the mother's health condition.

 These results make it clear that the incidence of child abuse is higher in families with multiple children than in families with a single child, and suggest that a childcare environment in which the excessive burden of raising multiple children leads to a deterioration in the mother's health may be a contributing factor to the occurrence of abuse. Professor Yokoyama reports that since local governments can become aware of multiple pregnancies through pregnancy notifications, it is important to start providing information and support from the pregnancy stage. If this can reduce the burden of childcare in families with multiple children, it is expected that this will lead to the prevention of child abuse and a reduction in the incidence rate.

Paper information:[Twin Research and Human Genetics] Risk factor for child maltreatment at 3 years of age in Japanese multiplesand singletons: a population-based study

Osaka Metropolitan University

In April 2022, “Osaka Public University” will open with Osaka Prefectural University and Osaka City University as its parent organization.

Osaka Metropolitan University was opened in April 2022 by integrating Osaka Prefectural University and Osaka City University.Both are universities with a history of about 4 years, and are general universities with 140 faculties, and the number of students is about 12.It is the largest public university in Japan.A new "base of knowledge" that connects people, society, cities, and the world to the metropolis of Osaka […]

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