The effect of childhood maltreatment on psychological well-being and associated factors among public High School and Preparatory School students of Gondar Town, Northwest Ethiopia: Structural Equation Modelling

Abstract

Background: - Childhood maltreatment is the major experience that affects psychological well being. There are few studies across the globe and no studies in Ethiopia which shows the effect of childhood maltreatment on psychological well-being. Objective: - To assess the effect of childhood maltreatment on psychological well-being and identifying associated factors among public High School and Preparatory School students of Gondar Town, Ethiopia 2023. Method: - Institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted from April 18 to May 9, 2023. A simple random sampling technique was used to select 1276 public High school and Preparatory school students in Gondar Town. Data was collected using a structured, self administered questionnaire. Structural Equation Modeling was employed to assess predictors' direct, indirect, and total effects. Result: - Majority 85.42% of the respondent had been exposed to at least one form of some degree of childhood maltreatment. About 19.76% of respondents had low psychological well being. The age of respondents [𝛽 =0.015, 95% CI: 0.008, 0.027], being male [𝛽 = -0.068, 95% CI: -0.130, -0.008], growing up with a biological mother and father [𝛽 = -0.166, 95% CI: - 0.284, -0.068], the parent not able to read and write [𝛽 = 0.113, 95% CI: 0.022, 0.200], family size [𝛽 =0.016, 95% CI: 0.002, 0.033] had a significant effect on childhood maltreatment. Others significant support [𝛽 = 0.026, 95% CI: 0.009, 0.042], not drinking alcohol in the past 12 months [𝛽 = 0.277, 95% CI: 0.045, 0.535], the parent not able to read and write [𝛽 =-0.301, 95% CI: -0.506, -0.098], sex (male) [𝛽 =0.084, 95% CI: 0.011, 0.167], age [𝛽 = -0.007, 95% CI: -0.036, -0.009], family size [𝛽 = -0.019, 95% CI: -0.041, -0.003] and growing up with mother and father [𝛽 = 0.205, 95% CI: 0.083, 0.378] had a significant effect on psychological well-being. childhood maltreatment had a direct negative effect [𝛽 = -1.212, 95% CI: -1.587, -0.887] on psychological well-being. Conclusion and recommendation: - Childhood maltreatment effected the psychological well being of respondents. Emphasis should be given to the prevention and management of mental health problems of students, particularly targeting adolescents with the aforementioned factors.