Table 5.

Comparison between conceptual descriptions of different forms of child maltreatment provided by WHO, US-CDC and DSM-5

WHO	US-CDC*	DSM-5
Physical abuse	Physical abuse	Child physical abuse
“Physical abuse of a child is defined as the intentional use of physical force against a child that results in – or has a high likelihood of resulting in – harm for the child’s health, survival, development or dignity. This includes hitting, beating, kicking, shaking, biting, strangling, scalding, burning, poisoning and suffocating. Much physical violence against children in the home is inflicted with the object of punishing.” (World Health Organization, 2006)	“Physical abuse is the intentional use of physical force that can result in physical injury. Examples include hitting, kicking, shaking, burning, or other shows of force against a child.” (Centers for Disease and Control Prevention, 2022)	“Child physical abuse is nonaccidental physical injury to a child ranging from minor bruises to severe fractures or death—occurring as a result of punching, beating, kicking, biting, shaking, throwing, stabbing, choking, hitting (with a hand, stick, strap, or other object), burning, or any other method that is inflicted by a parent, caregiver, or other individual who has responsibility for the child. Such injury is considered abuse regardless of whether the caregiver intended to hurt the child. Physical discipline, such as spanking or paddling, is not considered abuse as long as it is reasonable and causes no bodily injury to the child.” (American Psychiatric Association, 2013)
Sexual abuse	Sexual abuse**	Child sexual abuse
“Sexual abuse is defined as the involvement of a child in sexual activity that he or she does not fully comprehend, is unable to give informed consent to, or for which the child is not developmentally prepared, or else that violates the laws or social taboos of society. Children can be sexually abused by both adults and other children who are – by virtue of their age or stage of development – in a position of responsibility, trust or power over the victim.” (World Health Organization, 2006)	“Sexual abuse involves pressuring or forcing a child to engage in sexual acts. It includes behaviors such as fondling, penetration, and exposing a child to other sexual activities.” (Centers for Disease and Control Prevention, 2022)	“Child sexual abuse encompasses any sexual act involving a child that is intended to provide sexual gratification to a parent, caregiver, or other individual who has responsibility for the child. Sexual abuse includes activities such as fondling a child's genitals, penetration, incest, rape, sodomy, and indecent exposure. Sexual abuse also includes noncontact exploitation of a child by a parent or caregiver— for example, forcing, tricking, enticing, threatening, or pressuring a child to participate in acts for the sexual gratification of others, without direct physical contact between child and abuser.” (American Psychiatric Association, 2013)
Emotional and psychological abuse	Emotional abuse	Child psychological abuse
“Emotional and psychological abuse involves both isolated incidents, as well as a pattern of failure over time on the part of a parent or caregiver to provide a developmentally appropriate and supportive environment. Acts in this category may have a high probability of damaging the child’s physical or mental health, or its physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social development. Abuse of this type includes: the restriction of movement; patterns of belittling, blaming, threatening, frightening, discriminating against or ridiculing; and other non-physical forms of rejection or hostile treatment.” (World Health Organization, 2006)	“Emotional abuse refers to behaviors that harm a child’s self-worth or emotional well-being. Examples include name-calling, shaming, rejecting, withholding love, and threatening” (Centers for Disease and Control Prevention, 2022)	“Child psychological abuse is nonaccidental verbal or symbolic acts by a child's parent or caregiver that result, or have reasonable potential to result, in significant psychological harm to the child. (Physical and sexual abusive acts are not included in this category). Examples of psychological abuse of a child include berating, disparaging, or humiliating the child; threatening the child; harming/ abandoning—or indicating that the alleged offender will harm/abandon—people or things that the child cares about; confining the child (as by tying a child's arms or legs together or binding a child to furniture or another object, or confining a child to a small enclosed area [e.g., a closet]); egregious scapegoating of the child; coercing the child to inflict pain on himself or herself; and disciplining the child excessively (i.e., at an extremely high frequency or duration, even if not at a level of physical abuse) through physical or nonphysical means.” (American Psychiatric Association, 2013)
Neglect	Neglect	Child Neglect
“Neglect includes both isolated incidents, as well as a pattern of failure over time on the part of a parent or other family member to provide for the development and well-being of the child – where the parent is in a position to do so – in one or more of the following areas: health; education; emotional development; nutrition; shelter and safe living conditions. The parents of neglected children are not necessarily poor. They may equally be financially well-off.” (World Health Organization, 2006)	“Neglect is the failure to meet a child’s basic physical and emotional needs. These needs include housing, food, clothing, education, access to medical care, and having feelings validated and appropriately responded to.” (Centers for Disease and Control Prevention, 2022)	“Child neglect is defined as any confirmed or suspected egregious act or omission by a child's parent or other caregiver that deprives the child of basic age-appropriate needs and thereby results, or has reasonable potential to result, in physical or psychological harm to the child. Child neglect encompasses abandonment; lack of appropriate supervision; failure to attend to necessary emotional or psychological needs; and failure to provide necessary education, medical care, nourishment, shelter, and/or clothing.” (American Psychiatric Association, 2013)

Abbreviations: WHO (World Health Organization); Centers of Disease Control and Prevention of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (US-CDC); DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). Notes: *= descriptions reported in the tables are the ones found at https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/childabuseandneglect/fastfact.html, more details and information about definitions are reported in the document by Leeb et al. (2008); ** = further information on description of Child Sexual Abuse can be found also at https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/childsexualabuse/fastfact.html.