College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

Summer 8-20-2023

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Department

Nursing

Abstract

Child abuse and neglect is a major health problem in the United States and has lasting and detrimental effects. This review examines the screening instruments that are in existence today to detect child maltreatment. The instruments are compared and evaluated for their feasibility of use in an emergency department setting.

Four electronic databases were searched to identify screening instruments that assessed for child physical, emotional, and sexual abuse and neglect. The following subject heading keywords were used: ‘child abuse or child maltreatment or child mistreatment or child neglect or child sexual abuse or non-accidental trauma or head trauma or battered child syndrome or shaken baby syndrome or Munchausen syndrome’ and ‘screening or instrument or tool or questionnaire’ and ‘emergency department or emergency room’.

Six instruments (one with multiple versions) met the inclusion criteria. Variation among the instruments included the number of questions, scoring method, target demographics, and type of injury/abuse. The psychometrics of each screening instrument were examined and included the study that tested each tool, study setting, the instrument name, type of study design, sample size, sensitivity and specificity (if calculated), and whether or not a reference standard was used.

It can be concluded that there is not one standardized, validated, and comprehensive screening tool that exists to accurately detect child maltreatment in a United States ED. Although a screening tool that can successfully screen for all types of abuse does not exist, there is something to be learned from each tool. A new screening tool needs to be created in order to most accurately diagnose child maltreatment.

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yes

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