Risk and Protective Factors for Treatment Dropout in a Child Maltreatment Population
Date
2020
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Adversity and resilience science
Abstract
Many children start but do not complete trauma treatment, and there is little knowledge of factors that predict treatment dropout in children who have endured maltreatment. The current study examines the risk and protective factors associated with premature treatment dropout within a sample of 118 children (aged 3–18) referred to a Child Advocacy Centre due to maltreatment, specifically abuse and neglect. In this retrospective chart review, data on risk (i.e., adverse childhood experiences [ACEs] and number of presenting clinical symptoms at intake) and protective factors (e.g., peer support, caregiver support) were extracted from clinical files by two trained coders using a standardized data extraction protocol. Results revealed that, after adjusting for child age, ACEs score, and presenting clinical concerns, children with more protective factors were less likely to drop out of treatment (OR=0.40, 95% CI [0.24, 0.69]). Child age also emerged as a significant predictor of treatment dropout, such that older children were more likely to drop out of treatment prematurely (OR=1.16, 95% CI [1.01, 1.32]). Results suggest that older children and children with fewer protective factors present may benefit from increased retention efforts to reduce treatment dropout.
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Keywords
child abuse, treatment, attrition, risk factors
Citation
Eirich, R., Racine, N., Garfinkel, D., Dimitropoulos, G., & Madigan, S. (2020). Risk and protective factors for treatment dropout in a child maltreatment population. Adversity and resilience science, 1(3), 165-177.