Abstract
The objective of this study was to examine Chinese students’ awareness of Child Maltreatment (CM)
and factors related to their awareness. As relational factors, we explored parenting attitude and attitude
towards younger child. From September 2018 to October 2018, an anonymous questionnaire survey was
conducted to students from junior high school (n=294), senior high school (n=222), and university
(n=344) in Zhejiang Province, China. The completion rate of this questionnaire was 93.5% (n=804).
Based on exploratory factor analysis, all participants’ perspectives on CM included “indirect
abuse” and “direct abuse”. And results of multiple regression analyses indicated “knowledge of child’s
development” had a positive influence on both “indirect abuse” and “direct abuse”. Additionally, junior
high school students’ “father’s control” had a negative influence on “direct abuse”. Senior high school
students’ “pro-social behavior towards child” had a positive influence on “indirect abuse” and “direct
abuse”. These findings suggest the importance of knowledge about child development for improving
junior high school, senior high school and university students’ awareness of CM in China.
