Recognizing Emotional Neglect and Help-Seeking Intention Among Adolescents in Brussels

Recognition is measured by asking participants to indicate whether emotional neglect is present in the vignette, using a 4-point Likert scale (1 = definitely not, 2 = probably not, 3 = probably yes, 4 = definitely yes). Higher scores indicate greater recognition of emotional neglect.

Scores will be analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) with age as a covariate. Factors include participant gender (boy or girl), vignette gender (boy or girl), and type of situation (ambiguous or clear).

Exploratory analyses may examine recognition of other types of maltreatment (physical abuse, physical neglect, emotional abuse, and sexual abuse).

Help-seeking intention is measured by asking participants to indicate whether they would seek help in the situation described in the vignette, using a 4-point Likert scale (1 = definitely not, 2 = probably not, 3 = probably yes, 4 = definitely yes). Higher scores indicate greater intention to seek help.

Scores will be analyzed using linear regression, with recognition as the independent variable and help-seeking intention as the dependent variable. Additional analyses will test whether perceived severity and anticipated risk of future harm moderate the relationship between recognition and help-seeking intention.

Severity is measured by asking participants to indicate how severe they perceived the situation described in the vignette, using a 4-point Likert scale (1 = not at all severe, 2 = not severe, 3 = severe, 4 = very severe). Higher scores indicate greater perceived severity.

Risk of future harm is measured by asking participants to estimate the probability that the adolescent in the vignette will experience future physical or emotional problems. Each type of problem is rated on a 6-point Likert scale (1 = no chance, 2 = very small chance, 3 = small chance, 4 = moderate chance, 5 = large chance, 6 = very large chance). Higher scores indicate greater anticipated risk of future harm.