Al-Azahar Assiut Medical Journal September 2010, Vol.8 N.(3)
Impact of child labor on psychosocial development of under fourteen years in Assiut city, Egypt.
Eman S. Masoud,1 Salwa A. Marzouk2 and Safaa R. Mahmoud3
1Pediatric Nursing department, faculty of Nursing, Minia University and 2Pediatric Nursing department,3 Community health, faculty of Nursing, Assiut University.
Abstract: Child labor is a pervasive problem in Egypt. For the last two decades there has been growing concern for child labor across the globe and several efforts are being made by the governments and civil society organizations to eliminate child labor. It has a great impact on child health whether psychosocially or physically. Objectives: this study aimed to assess the impact of child labor on the psychosocial development of under fourteen years in Assiut. Design: A descriptive research design was used in this study. Subjects and Methods: The study was conducted on 248 children divided equally into two groups (working children and school children). Data are collected using an interview questionnaire sheet. Results: the present results revealed that children work because the family is in need of financial support or children fail in school. Also, the results revealed that working children had lower score of anger control and had elevated scores regarding excessive suffering and weak ego strength. Conclusion: Even work has negative effect on their Psychosocial condition, but it also has positive effect as the children become independent. From the study results the researcher recommended that the ministry of manpower must have strict enforcement and real application of existing law against all forms of child labor.