Fourth National Incidence Study of Child Abuse and Neglect (NIS–4)

Figure 4–4.Age Differences in Incidence Rates for Harm Standard Physical andEmotional Abuse.Physical abuse. The incidence of Harm Standard physical abuse issignificantly lower for the youngest children (2.5 per 1,000 children ages 0 to 2 years)compared to children ages 6 to 14 (whose rates were 4.6 per 1,000 or higher).Emotional abuse. The youngest children (ages 0 to 2) were at significantlylower risk of Harm Standard emotional abuse compared to children ages 6 or older. Theincidence rate for children ages 2 years or younger was 0.3 per 1,000 children, whereasfor children ages 6 or older the rate was at least 2.4 children per 1,000. Also, childrenages 3 to 5 years experienced a significantly lower risk of emotional abuse (at a rate of1.0 child per 1,000) compared with children ages 12 to 14 years (where 2.7 children per1,000 were victims). 4343 The estimates for children younger than 9 are less reliable because fewer than 100 sample children are ineach of those age categories.4-9