Exploring subtypes of child maltreatment in a large Brazilian sample: Co-occurrence patterns and associated characteristics

Background

Child maltreatment subtypes often co-occur, revealing complex victimization patterns that variable-centered approaches may overlook. Understanding these patterns is challenging in under-researched regions, where limited evidence hinders insights into multiple maltreatment in diverse contexts.

Objective

To identify subgroups of child maltreatment based on systematic relationships among the maltreatment subtypes, and to explore whether these subgroups differ according to case characteristics.

Participants and setting

Data were collected from 123,609 reports of child maltreatment (ages 0–18) recorded in Brazil's Notifiable Diseases Information System from 2018 to 2022.

Methods

A 3-step latent class analysis was conducted to identify maltreatment subgroups based on the occurrence of physical, psychological, sexual violence, and neglect, and to compare them according to case characteristics (age, gender, race/ethnicity, disability, and victim–perpetrator relationship).

Results

Four classes were identified: ‘polyvictimization’ (19.4 %), ‘sexual violence’ (27.0 %), ‘neglect’ (30.7 %), and ‘physical violence’ (22.9 %). ‘Polyvictimization’ and ‘sexual violence’ classes were predominantly younger girls, multiracial/multiethnic individuals, and those with disabilities, with fathers/stepfathers or boyfriend/girlfriend as common perpetrators. Boys were more vulnerable to neglect at younger ages and to physical violence at older ages, with neglect often perpetrated by fathers/stepfathers and both forms of maltreatment perpetrated by mothers/stepmothers.

Conclusions

Findings highlight the heterogeneity of child maltreatment, revealing co-occurrence patterns with overrepresentation of younger children, girls, and those from multiracial/multiethnic backgrounds and with disabilities, often victimized in family contexts. Findings can help professionals identify individuals with high-risk profiles and common victim-perpetrator relationships, enhancing detection, reporting, and targeted interventions, particularly for groups disproportionately affected by multiple maltreatment.