A Study on the Relationship of Child Abuse to Academic Achievement

아동의 학습능력 저해요인으로서의 학대경험에 관한 연구

Three groups of maltreated Korean children (Grades 1 through 3) drawn from Child Protective Services (CPS) agencies were compared to a control group of nonmaltreated children on academic achievement as measured by standardized tests of reading, spelling, arithmetic, and writing. Findings were that maltreated children performed significantly below their nonmaltreated children on the standardized tests, in particular in arithmetic. In first grade, maltreated children did not perform below nonmaltreated children on writing and reading, but maltreated children gradually declined in academic performance in these skills. The older, grade 3, children showed more serious academic problems than the younger children (Grades 1 and 2) on four academic skills. This suggests that early experience of child abuse have a strong affect on children's academic achievement.