Background: The third Netherlands' Prevalence study of Maltreatment of children and youth (NPM-2017) continues the tradition of periodically mapping the national prevalence of child maltreatment... Show moreBackground: The third Netherlands' Prevalence study of Maltreatment of children and youth (NPM-2017) continues the tradition of periodically mapping the national prevalence of child maltreatment.Objective: The NPM-2017 provides an update of the current prevalence rates of child maltreatment and of changes in its prevalence over the last 12 years. In addition, risk factors for child maltreatment and its co-occurrence with domestic violence were investigated.Participants and Setting: Prevalence data were based on cases reported to 'Safe at Home' organizations (former CPS agencies) and observations of professionals working with children (sentinels).Methods: Sentinels (N = 785) filled out a form for each case of suspected child maltreatment that they observed within their professional sample during a three-month period.Results: An overall prevalence estimate of child maltreatment in the Netherlands in 2017 of 26-37 per 1000 children was computed. The most important risk factors for child maltreatment were low parental education (RR = 4.95), parental unemployment (RR = 3.64), immigrant status (RR = 3.61), and single parenthood (RR = 2.29). Neither prevalence rates nor risk factors changed significantly between 2005, 2010, and 2017. Finally, in 46 % of the reported families child maltreatment occurred in a context of domestic violence.Conclusions: The prevalence of co-occurring domestic violence may indicate that family violence observed within one dyad could be a marker for dysfunctional functioning of the family system. Child maltreatment remains a considerable problem in the Netherlands with a stable prevalence over the last 12 years and stability in characteristics that make families vulnerable for child maltreatment. Show less
Vrijhof, C.I.; Euser, S.; Bakermans-Kranenburg, M.J.; Bulk, B.G. van den; Bosdriesz, J.R.; Linting, M.; ... ; Van IJzendoorn, M.H. 2019
Missing data is a problem that occurs frequently in many scientific areas. The most sophisticatedmethod for dealing with this problem is multiple imputation. Contrary to other methods, like... Show moreMissing data is a problem that occurs frequently in many scientific areas. The most sophisticatedmethod for dealing with this problem is multiple imputation. Contrary to other methods, like listwise deletion, this method does not throw away information, and partly repairs the problem ofsystematic dropout. Although from a theoretical point of view multiple imputation is consideredto be the optimal method, many applied researchers are reluctant to use it because of persistentmisconceptions about this method. Instead of providing an(other) overview of missing data methods, or extensively explaining how multiple imputation works, this article aims specifically atrebutting these misconceptions, and provides applied researchers with practical arguments supporting them in the use of multiple imputation. Show less
Alink, L.; Prevoo, M.; Berkel, S.R. van; Linting, M.; Klein Velderman, M.; Pannebakker, F. 2019
BACKGROUND\nThe effects of child care services on several domains of child development have been extensively investigated, but evidence regarding the effects of child care on language development... Show moreBACKGROUND\nThe effects of child care services on several domains of child development have been extensively investigated, but evidence regarding the effects of child care on language development remains inconclusive.\nMETHODS\nWithin a large-scale population-based study, we examined the longitudinal associations between non-parental child care and language development from 1 to 6 years (n = 5375).\nRESULTS\nResults showed that more hours in non-parental child care were associated with better language abilities. However, more hours in care in the first year of life were associated with less language proficiency at ages 1 to 1.5. At later ages, this effect disappeared and language proficiency increased. Furthermore, children who spent more hours in centre-based care had better language scores than children in home-based care. Ethnicity, socio-economic status, gender or parity did not change these results.\nCONCLUSIONS\nThis large, multi-ethnic study demonstrates beneficial effects of non-parental child care, particularly centre-based care, on language proficiency later in childhood. Show less
