Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Child Abuse and Neglect, cilt.177, 2026 (SSCI, Scopus)
Aim: To examine and compare the proficiency of pediatric physicians and nurses in recognizing the signs of and risk factors for child maltreatment, as well as to determine the relationship between this proficiency and their reporting attitudes. Participants and setting: This comparative cross-sectional study included 300 health professionals (248 nurses and 52 physicians) employed in the pediatric departments of two training and research hospitals in Istanbul. Method: Participants were assessed using the Scale for Diagnosis of Symptoms and Risks of Child Abuse and Neglect (DSRCAN) and the Healthcare Providers Attitude Towards Child Maltreatment Reporting Scale (HPAT-CMRS). Data analysis included independent-samples t-tests and Pearson correlation analysis. Results: The mean total DSRCAN score was higher among pediatric physicians (3.95 ± 0.36) than pediatric nurses (3.78 ± 0.35) (p = 0.001). However, the mean total HPAT-CMRS score did not differ significantly between the professional groups (physicians: 72.5 ± 7.7; nurses: 70.8 ± 7.93; p = 0.159). Among pediatric physicians, the total DSRCAN score demonstrated a significant positive correlation with the HPAT-CMRS subscale scores (Reporting Responsibilities, p = 0.027; Concerns about Reporting, p = 0.002) and total score (p = 0.001). Similarly, among pediatric nurses, the total DSRCAN score was significantly correlated with both HPAT-CMRS subscales (Reporting Responsibilities, p = 0.001; Concerns about Reporting, p = 0.002) and total HPAT-CMRS score (p = 0.001). Conclusion: In this study, pediatric physicians were more proficient than pediatric nurses in recognizing the signs of and risks for child maltreatment, whereas reporting attitudes did not differ significantly between the groups. Greater proficiency in recognizing possible child maltreatment was associated with significantly stronger attitudes toward reporting responsibility and lower concern about reporting.