Feasibility of the kemp assessment screening for potential child abuse and neglect in the postnatal period

Abstract

Objectives
To implement and evaluate the application of the Kemp Assessment, designed to screen for parental child abuse and neglect.
Method
The Kemp Assessment, translated from the Family Stress Checklist into Japanese for women at postnatal settings in Japan, was implemented by interview to access the risk for child abuse and neglect. The Kemp Assessment is comprises of ten items each weighted from 0 (no risk) to 10 points (highest risk) discriminating low-risk of child abuse and neglect from high-risk with a maximum score of 100. The cutoff point was a score of 25 (higher risk). Cronbach's α of the Kemp Assessment was 0.57.
Utility of the Kemp Assessment Process was evaluated through screening method, scoring, and follow-up for high-risk women using an evaluation questionnaire. The Ethics Committee of St.Luke's College of Nursing approved the protocol.
Results
Participants were 88 (95.6%) of the 92 eligible women in the postnatal period at an urban hospital. The average total score was 9.8 (SD=9.8). Scoring 0 were 26.1% and eight women (10.0%) scored at high-risk for child abuse.
According to the evaluation questionnaires the screening interviews were appropriate for timing and place. While interviews lasted 25-77 minutes; about half the participants required over 40 minutes, only 20.5% responded that the interview was slightly long. More than 60.0% responded that the interview was helpful in easing anxiety and for obtaining community resource information. For follow up of identified high-risk women, the researchers used participants' background information and details of the women's situation and of their families. Researchers and the midwives referred high-risk women to community health centers to continue support.
Conclusion
Participants' evaluation indicated positive reactions for the screening and follow-up methods. Researchers referred high-risk women to community health centers to continue support. The Kemp Assessment could be safely utilized in prenatal settings in Japan, when the psychometric properties of the instrument and study design are strengthened.