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Gender Differences in Child Abuse, Emotional Processing Difficulties, Alexithymia, Psychological Symptoms and Behavioural Problems among Chinese Adolescents

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Abstract

Child abuse among adolescents in China has been documented and can lead to a whole range of psychological and behavioural problems. This study examined whether male and female adolescents would differ in level of child abuse, emotional processing difficulties, alexithymia, psychological symptoms and behavioural problems, and whether the pattern of association between these variables would vary depending on gender. Eight hundred adolescents were recruited from China and completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Emotional Processing Scale, Toronto Alexithymia Scale, General Health Questionnaire, and Prediction Test of Problem Children. Male adolescents reported significantly higher levels of emotional and physical neglect, and external oriented thinking style than female adolescents. Females reported significantly more anxiety symptoms and problems with learning than males. For males, child abuse was associated with emotional processing difficulties which were associated with alexithymia. In turn, alexithymia was associated with both psychological and behavioural problems. For females, the same association was established for predicting behavioural problems but not psychological symptoms. Male and female adolescents differed in level of child abuse, alexithymia, psychological symptoms and behavioural problems. These psychological constructs were connected in a specific pattern to trigger psychological and behavioural problems for male adolescents whereas for females, different patterns were involved.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Department of Educational Psychology, Ho Tim Building, Faculty of Education, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong

    Man Cheung Chung

  2. The Criminal Psychology Research Center, China University of Political Science and Law, Beijing, China

    Zhuo Sheng Chen

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  1. Man Cheung Chung
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Correspondence to Man Cheung Chung.

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Note: The α level was generated based on Bonferroni correction.

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Chung, M.C., Chen, Z.S. Gender Differences in Child Abuse, Emotional Processing Difficulties, Alexithymia, Psychological Symptoms and Behavioural Problems among Chinese Adolescents. Psychiatr Q 91, 321–332 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11126-019-09700-w

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