Definition

Self-reported child emotional abuse data is retrospective data collected from adults via the Utah BRFSS Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Module and youth via the Utah YRBS tier 2 ACEs and Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) questionnaire. Adult prevalence is looking retrospectively at their whole childhood (<18), while youth prevalence only looks back at the previous 12 months.

Numerator

The number of youth or adults who indicated at least one instance of emotional abuse on the YRBS (2021) or BRFSS (2013, 2016, 2018, 2020).

Denominator

The total number of youth or adults who provided any response to the emotional abuse question on the YRBS (2021) or BRFSS (2013, 2016, 2018, 2020).

Data Interpretation Issues

BRFSS (Adults) - How often did a parent or adult in your home ever swear at you, insult you, or put you down? Was it . . . (Possible answers: Never, Once, More than once; question refers to the time period before the respondent was 18 years of age) YRBS (Youth) - During the past 12 months, how many times has a parent or other adult in your home sworn at you, insulted you, or put you down? (Possible answers: 0, 1, 2 or 3, 4 or 5, or 6+) Response options from both surveys were dichotomized into whether or not emotional abuse occurred at all during the referenced time frame. The responses are subjective, however, the subjective reality is what seems to matter when considering the potential for long-term negative impacts.

Why Is This Important?

All types of child abuse represent a threat to public health. Child emotional abuse is one of eight commonly tracked adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and research into child abuse and neglect (CAN) and ACEs has consistently shown the potential for many negative long-term impacts on health, opportunity, and well-being. Tracking child abuse prevalence is a complicated task and some of the best data available are self-reported retrospective data which gives a more complete view of prevalence over child protective services or hospital data.

Healthy People Objective IVP-38:

Reduce nonfatal child maltreatment
U.S. target: 8.5 maltreatment victims per 1,000 children

How Do We Compare With the U.S.?

When comparing BRFSS data, the prevalence of emotional child abuse in Utah is higher than nationally (38.3% vs 34.4%, both ~1 in 3). National prevalence comes from a 2018 Merrick, et al. study that included 2011-2014 BRFSS data from 23 states, while Utah prevalence is from the ACEs Module included in the Utah BRFSS in 2013, 2016, 2018, and 2020. Source: Merrick, M.T., Ford, D.C., Ports, K. A., Guinn, A. S. (2018). Prevalence of Adverse Childhood Experiences From the 2011-2014 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System in 23 States. JAMA Pediatrics, 172(11), 1038-1044.

Evidence-based Practices

Promote safe stable nurturing relationships and environments for all children by: *Strengthen economic support for families *Strengthen social norms to connect with and support parents and youth *Enhance parenting skills to promote healthy child development *Promote quality care and education early in life *Intervene to lessen harm and prevent future risk

Female adults indicated a significantly higher prevalence of emotional abuse during their childhood than male adults (both ~1 in 3). Among youth, females also indicated a significantly higher prevalence of emotional abuse in the last 12 months than males (~1 in 2 vs ~1 in 3).

Data Notes

Adult/BRFSS and youth/YRBS emotional abuse data are each collected with different questions that include different time frames. The emotional abuse question utilized in the YRBS has only been asked one time in 2021, while the BRFSS question has been asked in 2013, 2016, 2018, and 2020.

11th-grade youth respondents indicated the highest prevalence of emotional abuse in the last 12 months (~1 in 2). Adults 18-34 and 35-49 indicated a significantly higher prevalence of emotional abuse during their childhood than the overall state adult prevalence (~1 in 2 and 1 in 3 vs ~1 in 3).

Data Notes

Adult/BRFSS and youth/YRBS emotional abuse data are each collected with different questions that include different time frames. The emotional abuse question utilized in the YRBS has only been asked one time in 2021, while the BRFSS question has been asked in 2013, 2016, 2018, and 2020.

Adults who did not specify a race or ethnicity had a significantly higher prevalence of emotional abuse during their childhood than all races and ethnicities together (~1 in 2 vs ~1 in 3), while Asian (non-Hispanic) adults had a significantly lower prevalence (both ~1 in 3).

Data Notes

Analysis by race and ethnicity only utilizes age-adjusted adult data collected in the 2013, 2016, 2018, and 2020 BRFSS and not youth/YRBS data.

Adults who indicated a sexual orientation other than heterosexual (homosexual, bisexual, or other) had a significantly higher prevalence of emotional abuse during their childhood than the overall state prevalence (~1 in 2 vs ~1 in 3).

Data Notes

Analysis by sexual orientation only utilizes age-adjusted adult data collected in the 2013, 2016, 2018, and 2020 BRFSS and not youth/YRBS data.

Adults who indicated any type of disability (cognitive, mobility, self-care, independent living, difficulty seeing/blind, or difficulty hearing/deaf) all had a significantly higher prevalence of emotional abuse during their childhood than adults with no disability, and significantly higher than the overall state prevalence (all ~1 in 2 vs ~1 in 3).

Data Notes

Analysis by disability type only utilizes age-adjusted adult data collected in the 2013, 2016, 2018, and 2020 BRFSS and not youth/YRBS data.

There was no significant difference in the prevalence of emotional abuse during childhood when comparing different levels of adult educational attainment (all ~1 in 3).

Data Notes

Analysis by education only utilizes age-adjusted adult data collected in the 2013, 2016, 2018, and 2020 BRFSS and not youth/YRBS data.

Adults who indicated a household income of <$25,000 a year had a significantly higher prevalence of emotional abuse during their childhood than the overall state prevalence (~1 in 2 vs ~1 in 3).

Data Notes

Analysis by income only utilizes age-adjusted adult data collected in the 2013, 2016, 2018, and 2020 BRFSS and not youth/YRBS data.

Adults in Salt Lake County had a significantly higher prevalence of emotional abuse during their childhood than the overall state prevalence (both ~1 in 3). Adults in Wasatch County had a significantly lower prevalence than the state (~1 in 4 vs ~1 in 3).

Data Notes

Analysis by geography only utilizes age-adjusted adult data collected in the 2013, 2016, 2018, and 2020 BRFSS and not youth/YRBS data.

Adults in the Utah Small Areas of Roy/Hooper, Centerville, Salt Lake City (Downtown) V2, South Salt Lake, Taylorsville (West), West Jordan (Northeast) V2, Daybreak, Riverton/Bluffdale, and Tooele County (Other) had a significantly higher prevalence of emotional abuse during their childhood than the overall state prevalence (~1 in 2 vs ~1 in 3). Adults in the Utah Small Areas of North Logan, Woods Cross/West Bountiful, Bountiful, West Valley (West) V2, South Jordan V2, Sandy (Northeast), Provo (East City Center), Summit County (East), Wasatch County, Nephi/Mona, and Hurricane/La Verkin had a significantly lower prevalence of emotional abuse during their childhood than the overall state prevalence (~1 in 3-5 vs ~1 in 3).

Data Notes

Analysis by geography only utilizes age-adjusted adult data collected in the 2013, 2016, 2018, and 2020 BRFSS and not youth/YRBS data.