Contents

#### **Preface XI**


Chapter 8 **Interaction Design for Preventing Child Abuse 161**  Euichul Jung and Joonbin Im

Preface

been physically abused.

maltreatment both from theoretical and applied view.

responsible for the form finally adopted by psychopathology.

Child maltreatment constitutes a social problem that affects all societies of the world. A recent study by the World Health Organisation points out that millions of children suffer some form of maltreatment and require medical and social attention. It should be noted that around 53,000 children are murdered every year; the prevalence of sexual abuse is 73 million (7%) and 150 million (14%) in boys and girls, respectively, under 18 years of age; and between 25% and 50% of the children inform that they have

Child maltreatment in childhood and adolescence is recognized as an important psychopathological risk factor and is associated with poor psychological function in childhood and adolescence and adulthood. The aim of this book is to address the issue of child abuse and neglect from a multidimensional perspective. The reader will find a selection of internationally recognized works addressing the issue of child

In the opening chapter, Dr Muela, Dr López de Arana, Dr Barandiaran, Dr Larrea, and Dr Vitoria tackle the difficulties present in adequately conceptualizing child abuse and neglect, provide data on its incidence and describe the main psychopathological consequences associated with each type of child maltreatment. Thus, Dr Muela and colleagues focus on the heterogeneity of the phenomenon and on the complexity that gives rise to that heterogeneity to define the child abuse and neglect. In respect to negative impact of child maltreatment, they emphasize that it is wrong to believe that current knowledge has enabled the identification of clearly differentiated consequences for each type of child maltreatment. There is a high degree of comorbidity among the different types, in such a way that many children experience more than one form of maltreatment and display common consequences. Moreover, it still needs to be clarified whether child abuse and neglect produce a general vulnerability towards psychopathology, in such a way that other factors would be

In the second chapter, Prof Al-Shail Essam, Dr Kattan Hoda, Dr Aldowaish Abdullah, and Dr Hassan Ahmed, focusing on Saudi Arabia, examine cultural factors that contribute to child abuse and neglect. Saudi Arabia is a country occupying most of the Arabian Peninsula with a population of about 27 million who are entirely Muslims. The country is governed according to the Islamic Sharia law whereby the Islamic
