Associations of child maltreatment and intimate partner violence with psychological adjustment among low SES, African American children

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Psychological Correlates of Substance Use Disorders Among Black Sexual Minority Women

This study examined the influence of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on Black sexual minority women's mental health and substance use disorders in adulthood. Secondary data analysis was conducted using N = 149 Black sexual minority women's reports from the Generations Study. Study variables included psychological distress, chronic strains, stressful life events, ACEs, and substance use disorders, including alcohol use disorder and drug use disorder. Quantitative data analysis consisted of descriptives and bivariate correlations. Participants' total ACE scores were positively significantly correlated with increased alcohol misuse, chronic life strains, and stressful life events. Exposure to household interpersonal violence and household mental illness during childhood were significantly correlated with alcohol misuse. Black sexual minority women with ACEs are at higher risk for mental health concerns throughout their lifespan and maladaptive coping strategies (e.g., substance use). Implications for counselors and therapists are provided.

Intimate Partner Violence Exposure and Adolescent Mental Health Outcomes: The Mediating Role of Housing Insecurity

The present study investigated pathways from childhood exposure to mothers' intimate partner violence (IPV) to adolescent depression and anxiety. Further, the study examined whether housing insecurity mediated the link from IPV exposure to mental health outcomes. Data came from the Years 5, 9 and 15 interviews of the Fragile Families and Child Well-being Study; the analytic sample was limited to mothers with at least partial custody of children (N = 2,425). Structural equation modeling with latent variables investigated research questions. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) identified observed indicators for latent constructs, and a path analysis tested direct and indirect pathways from IPV exposure to adolescent depression and anxiety. IPV exposure at age five was associated with increased housing insecurity at age nine, which was associated with increased adolescent depression and anxiety at age 15. Although IPV exposure was not directly associated with either mental health outcome, housing insecurity mediated the link from IPV exposure to adolescent depression. Findings point to the long-term consequences of exposure to intimate partner violence in childhood, highlighting pathways to mental disorder in adolescence. The present study emphasizes the need for policies that protect survivors of IPV from eviction and homelessness, empower them to leave abusers without fear of losing their housing, and promote healthy child development in the wake of family violence.

Unique, Additive, and Interactive Effects of Types of Intimate Partner Cybervictimization on Depression in Hispanic Emerging Adults

The advent of modern technology has inadvertently created newer avenues for intimate partner victimization (IPV) to transpire. This study investigated (a) whether psychological, sexual, and stalking intimate partner cybervictimization (cyber IPV) types were uniquely associated with depression and whether there were (b) additive and (c) interactive effects of cyber IPV types on depression, after controlling for face-to-face IPV among Hispanic emerging adults. Participants were 903 Hispanic emerging adults in the age range of 18 to 29 years (M = 20.68, SD = 2.42; 74% female) attending a public university in South Texas. Participants completed an online questionnaire assessing cyber IPV types (psychological, sexual, and stalking), face-to-face IPV types (physical, psychological, and sexual), and depression. Results indicated that nearly three-fourths (73%) of the sample endorsed at least one type of cyber IPV. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that psychological and sexual cyber IPV was uniquely associated with depression. An accumulating effect (additive effect model) of the three types of cyber IPV on depression was also found. Interaction effect model analysis yielded no significant effects. Findings reveal the detrimental effect of cyber IPV on mental health and calls for institutions and clinicians to develop preventive and treatment programs to aid victim-survivors.

Child maltreatment and the development of psychopathology: The role of developmental timing and chronicity

BACKGROUND

The effects of child maltreatment (CM) on psychopathology are well-established, yet the complex effects of timing and chronicity of maltreatment exposure on the development of psychopathology are still unclear.

OBJECTIVE

To elucidate developmental pathways from distinct dimensions of CM (chronicity and timing) to psychopathology during emerging adulthood using data from a longitudinal, multi-method study.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

Children with and without maltreatment exposure were recruited at wave 1 (ages 10-12) to participate in a research summer camp. At wave 2, participants were recontacted during emerging adulthood (ages 18-22). The current study includes 391 participants (51.3% female; 77.5% Black, 11.3% white, 7.4% Hispanic, 3.8% other race).

METHODS

Timing and chronicity of maltreatment exposures were coded from child protective services records using the Maltreatment Classification System. Childhood internalizing and externalizing symptoms were assessed using child- and camp counselor-report. Emerging adults completed self-report questionnaires and were interviewed about their current and past symptoms of psychopathology. Structural equation modeling was used to estimate direct and indirect links between childhood maltreatment dimensions (chronicity and timing) to adult psychopathology via childhood internalizing and externalizing.

RESULTS

Child maltreatment experiences that spanned several developmental periods, including both early and later childhood stages, predicted a cascade of both internalizing and externalizing symptoms in childhood that eventuated in greater symptoms of anxiety, depression, substance use disorder, and antisocial personality disorder in emerging adulthood.

CONCLUSIONS

Results suggest that chronic childhood maltreatment exposure is associated with multifinality in psychopathology presentations that can be detected in childhood and extend into emerging adulthood. Early prevention and intervention efforts to promote positive and safe parenting are essential to decrease the burden of mental health symptoms conferred by chronic maltreatment exposures on individuals, families, and public health systems.

Prevalence and Correlates of the Co-Occurrence of Family Violence: A Meta-Analysis on Family Polyvictimization

OBJECTIVE

The aims of this study are to (a) provide reliable estimates of prevalence rates of family polyvictimization by synthesizing the findings from the existing literature, (b) examine the effect sizes of the impact of one type of family victimization on other types of family victimization, and (c) investigate the correlates of family polyvictimization.

METHOD

Databases of literature published on or before April 2018 were searched. A total of 59 publications met the inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis for the combined odds ratios (ORs) to estimate the associations among different types of family victimization; 38 of them (99,956 participants) were used for the calculation of the combined prevalence rates of family polyvictimization.

FINDINGS

The overall co-occurrence rates of family victimization were 9.7% among the general population and 36.0% among the clinical population. The combined OR of other type(s) of victimization when one was present was 6.01 (p < .001). Longitudinal studies show that, when a family reported intimate partner violence, the odds of child abuse and neglect within the same family at a later stage was 3.64 (p < .001). Depression and post-traumatic stress disorder were two significant correlates associated with family polyvictimization.

CONCLUSION

Family polyvictimization is prevalent across the world. The high co-occurrence rates and strong associations between different types of victimization on different family members warrant the need for the early detection of victims and effective preventions and interventions using a family approach, instead of treating victims from the same family individually.

Association of Child Maltreatment with South African Adults' Wages: Evidence from the Cape Area Panel Study

Child maltreatment is a prevalent public health problem in both developed and developing countries. While many studies have investigated the relationship between violence against children and health of the victims, little is known about the long term economic consequences of child maltreatment, especially in developing countries. Using data from the Cape Area Panel Study, this paper applies Heckman selection models to investigate the relationship between childhood maltreatment and young adults' wages in South Africa. The results show that, on average, any experience of physical or emotional abuse during childhood is associated with a later 12% loss of young adults' wages. In addition, the correlation between physical abuse and economic consequence (14%) is more significant than the relationship between emotional abuse and wages (8%) of young adults; and the higher the frequency of maltreatment, the greater the associations with wages. With respect to gender differences, wage loss due to the experience of childhood maltreatment is larger for females than males. Specifically, males' wages are more sensitive to childhood emotional abuse, while females' wages are more likely to be affected by childhood physical abuse. These results emphasize the importance of prioritizing investments in prevention and intervention programs to reduce the prevalence of child maltreatment and to help victims better overcome the long-term negative effect.

Inadequate Sleep as a Mediating Variable between Exposure to Interparental Violence and Depression Severity in Adolescents

Exposure to violence, including interparental and peer dating violence, is a public health concern associated with negative outcomes, including depression. However, little is known about mechanisms by which exposure to violence influences depressive symptoms. One factor that may help explain this association is problematic sleep. This study sought to determine whether short sleep duration mediates the relationship between exposure to violence (interparental and peer dating violence) and depressive symptoms. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the mediating role of short sleep duration from a 3-year longitudinal study of 1,042 high school students. Results demonstrated interparental violence was negatively related to sleep duration (friends dating violence was not), and sleep duration negatively associated with depressive symptoms. Adolescents exposed to violence between their parents obtained less sleep on school nights. In turn, they reported more depressive symptoms. Short sleep duration mediated the relationship between exposure to interparental violence and depression severity.

Interpersonal polyvictimization and mental health in males

A consistent conclusion within the extant literature is that victimization and in particular polyvictimization leads to adverse mental health outcomes. A large body of literature exists as it pertains to the association between victimisation and mental health in studies utilising samples of childhood victims, female only victims, and samples of male and female victims; less research exists as it relates to males victims of interpersonal violence. The aim of the current study was therefore to identify profiles of interpersonal victimizations in an exclusively male sample and to assess their differential impact on a number of adverse mental health outcomes. Using data from 14,477 adult males from Wave 2 of the NESARC, we identified interpersonal victimization profiles via Latent Class Analysis. Multinomial Logistic Regression was subsequently utilized to establish risk across mental health disorders. A 4-class solution was optimal. Victimisation profiles showed elevated odds ratios for the presence of mental health disorders; suggesting that multiple life-course victimisation typologies exists, and that victimization is strongly associated with psychopathology. Several additional notable findings are discussed.

Children's Exposure to Violence: The Underlying Effect of Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms on Behavior Problems

In this study we investigated whether witnessing violence and violence victimization were associated with children's internalizing and externalizing behavior problems and examined the mediating role of posttraumatic stress (PTS) symptoms in these relationships. Secondary data analysis was conducted using 3 waves of data from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being. Path analyses were conducted to test direct and indirect effects of violence exposure on behavior problems, using 2,064 children (ages 8-15 years) reported to Child Protective Services for maltreatment. Being a victim of violence in the home was directly associated with more internalizing (β = .06, p = .007) and externalizing behavior problems (β = .07, p = .002), whereas witnessing violence was not directly related to either internalizing (β = .04, p = .056) or externalizing behavior problems (β = .03, p = .130). PTS symptoms mediated the effects of witnessing violence and violence victimization on internalizing behavior problems (β = .02, p = .002). Our findings suggest that PTS symptoms may be a mechanism underlying the association between violence exposure and internalizing behavior problems (R(2) = .23), underscoring the potential importance of assessing PTS symptoms and providing targeted trauma-focused interventions for children exposed to violence at home.

Poly-traumatization and harmful behaviors in a sample of emergency department Psychiatric Intake Response Center youth

The purpose of this study is to examine risk factors for poly-traumatization, and the impact of poly-traumatization on harmful behaviors (suicidal, self-harm, and violent), among a group of pediatric patients presenting at an emergency department's psychiatric intake response center. We employed a retrospective medical chart review in a children's hospital for a 2-year span (N=260). The study employed 2 statistical analyses. The first analysis used multinomial logistic regression to model the odds of harmful behaviors comparing increasing numbers of co-occurring traumatization types. The second analysis employed latent class modeling techniques in three ways to (a) define different poly-traumatization populations, (b) examine the relationship between predictors and class assignment, and (c) examine the relationship between class assignment and harmful behavioral outcomes. About 62% of the sample presented with at least 1 traumatization type and about 50% one harmful behavior type. Compared to those with 1, 2, or 3 traumatization types, patients with 4 or more traumatization types have higher odds of harmful behaviors. The latent class analysis revealed 2 populations: High serious victimization and minimal traumatization. History of family mental health issues was the only significant predictor of class membership. Class membership was associated with all of the harmful behavioral outcome categories. These findings support consideration of poly-traumatization as a risk factor for the high occurrence of harmful behaviors in this sample of pediatric psychiatric patients and that history of family mental health issues may contribute to the high co-occurrence of poly-traumatization.

Vulnerability in child development: influence of weak family bonds, substance abuse and domestic violence

Exploratory qualitative research with the aim to learn the nurses' understanding of vulnerability in child development. Participants were 39 nurses working at 39 health units in Curitiba, state of Paraná, Brazil. Data were collected by means of semi-structured interviews and analyzed by dialectical hermeneutics. Results showed that, according to the nurses, child vulnerability is influenced by weak family bonds, substance abuse and domestic violence. Study participants report the expression of individual processes that reflect postmodern society, and understand the society-family relationship as a deleterious situation for child development. The use of the concept of vulnerability in the professional lives of nurses and healthcare teams enables a critical analysis of their practice. The application of this concept in childcare allows to restructure the care model, thus overcoming the fragmented and biologicist concept of child development.

Risk factors for intimate partner violence during pregnancy and postpartum

This longitudinal investigation examined potential risk factors for intimate partner violence (IPV) among women during pregnancy and 6 weeks postpartum. A sample of 180 pregnant women was collected in order to investigate (1) whether associations between partner alcohol misuse, partner jealousy, partner suspicion of infidelity, and stress were associated with IPV victimization; (2) the indirect effects of alcohol misuse on these relationships; and (3) factors related to changes in IPV victimization over time. At baseline, partner alcohol misuse was associated with each type of IPV victimization and the combination of partner alcohol misuse, partner jealousy, and partner suspicion of infidelity was most strongly associated with severe physical victimization. Partner alcohol misuse mediated the relationship between partner jealousy and psychological and severe physical victimization. At follow-up, partner jealousy and stress were related to women's psychological victimization and partner alcohol misuse was related to women's severe physical victimization. Findings suggest that partner alcohol misuse is a risk factor for women's IPV victimization during pregnancy and jealousy and that stress may increase risk for some types of IPV. Findings also suggest that intervention should target parents early in pregnancy in order to reduce the risk for future IPV.

The Combined and Independent Impact of Witnessed Intimate Partner Violence and Child Maltreatment

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a pervasive issue, generating startling facts regarding its detrimental societal effects. There is also considerable overlap between witnessing IPV and experiencing childhood maltreatment. The current article reviews the state of the knowledge about the short- and long-term impact of witnessing IPV as well as a review of the literature exploring the unique impact of experiencing both IPV and maltreatment compared to witnessing only. Seventy-three articles were included in the present review. Negative outcomes in youth have been reported in both the internalizing and externalizing domains of functioning, in health and cognitive domains, as well as in youth’s relationships with family, peers, and romantic partners. The current literature suggests that these negative impacts persist into adulthood. Mixed results, whether there are significant additive effects of witnessing IPV and child maltreatment compared to witnessing IPV only, were found in youth and again into adulthood. Policy implications and recommendations for future research are suggested.

Maternal experiences of childhood abuse and intimate partner violence: Psychopathology and functional impairment in clinical children and adolescents

OBJECTIVES

The current study examined the independent effects of mothers' childhood abuse (CA) and intimate partner violence (IPV) on psychopathology and functional impairment in children; and the potential moderating and mediating role of individual and family factors in these relationships. Additionally, this study explored the potential cumulative effects of both maternal CA and IPV on children's outcomes.

METHOD

The sample included 547 Spanish children and adolescents aged between 8 and 17 years, and their parents, who had accessed mental health services. The assessment was based on structured interviews with the children and their parents. Statistical analyses were carried out through hierarchical multiple, negative-binomial and logistic regressions, and Structural Equation Models.

RESULTS

Children whose mothers experienced CA and those whose mothers suffered physical IPV showed increased DSM-IV disruptive disorders and externalizing behavior problems, respectively. Children who directly observed physical IPV and also suffered physical punishment by parents showed increased internalizing problems. IPV had effects, either direct or indirect by physical punishment, on children's externalizing problems. Cumulative effect analyses indicated that the prevalence of disruptive disorders was highest in children whose mothers had suffered both CA and IPV.

CONCLUSION

Spanish children whose mothers have suffered CA, IPV or both, are at high risk of serious conduct problems, whereas children exposed to IPV and who were also physically abused are at greater risk of internalizing problems. Physical punishment of children contributes in part to explain externalizing problems of IPV-exposed children. These findings indicate potential targets of assessment and intervention for families seeking help in mental health services.

Children exposed to child maltreatment and intimate partner violence: a study of co-occurrence among Hong Kong Chinese families

OBJECTIVE

This study assessed the co-occurrence of child maltreatment and intimate partner violence (IPV) and examined the association between them.

METHOD

The cross-sectional study recruited a population-based sample of 1,094 children aged 12-17 years in Hong Kong. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data from the children. The prevalence of occurrence of child abuse and neglect by parents and exposure to IPV in both the past year and lifetime was examined, and their correlates were assessed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression.

RESULTS

The results show that 26% and 14.6% of child participants had been exposed to IPV physical assault, and 44.4% and 22.6% had been subjected to a parent's corporal punishment or to physical maltreatment from a parent in their lifetime and the year preceding the study, respectively. Among those families characterized by IPV, 54.4% and 46.5% were involved in child physical maltreatment over the child's lifetime and in the preceding year, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that children exposed to IPV were at higher risk of being victims of neglect, corporal punishment, and physical maltreatment or severe physical maltreatment by their parents than children who were not exposed to IPV, even when child and parent demographic factors were controlled for.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

The higher risk of child physical maltreatment associated with IPV highlights the need for an integrated assessment to screen for the presence of multiple forms of family violence within the family, and for intervention to assess effective responses to both IPV and child maltreatment by child protective service workers and domestic violence agencies.

The impact of childhood abuse history and domestic violence on the mental health of women in Japan

OBJECTIVE

To understand the independent and interactive effects of childhood abuse history (CAH) and domestic violence (DV) on the mental health status of women in Japan.

METHODS

A self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted among a sample of 340 women staying in 83 Mother-Child Homes in Japan to assess the women's CAH and DV experiences, along with their current mental health problems, including dissociated, depressed, and traumatic symptoms.

RESULTS

Independent from DV, CAH, especially psychological abuse, had a significant impact on all of the women's mental health symptoms. DV was found to have an independent effect on traumatic symptoms. Weak interactive effects of CAH and DV were found on dissociated and traumatic symptoms. Among those women without CAH, DV was significantly associated with dissociated and traumatic symptoms; however, DV had no impact on dissociated and traumatic symptoms if CAH was present.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings suggest the significant impact of CAH on women's mental health problems, independent from DV. CAH and DV weakly interact on women's mental health.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

In psychological therapy for battered women with mental health problems, if the cases were abused during childhood, it is recommended that therapy be focused on childhood abuse, especially if the client was psychologically abused. In addition, mental health care and welfare providers should be aware that the mental health problems of mothers without CAH might be exacerbated by DV; thus, appropriate resource allocation should be considered.