OBJECTIVETo study the effect of childhood physical and emotional abuse on psychological health in undergraduate students.

METHODSA questionnaire investigation (Bernstein, revised) on childhood abuse history was performed in 1 200 undergraduate students in Xi'an. Their psychological states were assessed by Symptom Check List-90.

RESULTSSix hundred and sixty-eight students (55.7%) had physical and emotional abuse experiences, including humiliation, corporal punishment, beating or activity confinement, before 16 years old. Twenty-one percent of the 1 200 students experienced beating, even serious beating with equipment. The students who experienced serious physical and emotional abuse during childhood were more prone to the development of somatization symptoms, obsession, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, hostility, phobic anxiety and paranoia than those students without abuse experiences.

CONCLUSIONSChildhood physical and emotional abuse is common in China and this may adversely affect the psychological health of undergraduate students who have experienced it.