Annual Research Review: Umbrella synthesis of meta-analyses on child maltreatment antecedents and interventions: differential susceptibility perspective on risk and resilience

Strategies to Prevent Violence Against Children in the Home: A Systematic Review of Reviews

Violence against children (VAC) in the home, or by household members, is a human rights and social problem with long-lasting consequences for individuals and society. Global policy instruments like the INSPIRE package have proposed strategies to prevent VAC, including Implementation and enforcement of laws, Norms and values, Safe environments, Parent and caregiver support, Income and economic strengthening, Response and support services, and Education and life skills. This systematic review of reviews aimed to synthesize the recent evidence base (i.e., published since 2000) for each INSPIRE strategy to reduce VAC in the home or by household members. We searched four databases using controlled vocabularies and keywords and searched for additional records in prior reviews of reviews. A total of 67 studies were included in this review, including literature reviews, meta-analyses, systematic reviews, and other types of reviews. We found extensive evidence supporting the effectiveness of parent and caregiver support interventions. However, reviews on other INSPIRE strategies were scarce. We also found a vast underrepresentation of samples from low- and- middle-income countries, children with disabilities, and families affected by forced displacement and conflict. In sum, this systematic review suggests that there are several promising strategies to prevent VAC (e.g., home visiting and parent education), but further research is necessary to strengthen the current body of evidence and effectively inform the implementation and scale-up of evidence-based interventions to protect children from violence globally.

Examination of parents' sensitivity levels to violence against children during the COVID-19: A post-pandemic evaluation

PURPOSE

This study aimed to evaluate parents' thoughts, and sensitivity levels about violence against children during the COVID-19 period after the pandemic.

DESIGN AND METHODS

The population of this descriptive, cross-sectional, correlational, and multicenter study consisted of parents registered in six family health centers in a city in southern Turkey. Study data were collected between April and November 2023 using information forms that included questions about parents' personal information, and their thoughts about violence against children during the pandemic and the Sensitivity to Violence Against Children Scale and analyzed.

RESULTS

According to 42.3% of parents, children's exposure to violence increased during the pandemic; 64.7% stated that children experienced emotional violence the most. Parents who thought that there was a decrease in the reports of violence due to school closures, social distancing, and restriction of children's access to health, and social and legal services had higher SVACS mean scores than those who did not think so (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Most of the parents thought that children's exposure to violence increased and reports of violence decreased during the pandemic. In addition, parents' thoughts toward violence against children during the pandemic period were associated with their level of sensitivity to violence against children.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

During the pandemic period, it is important that pediatric nurses, who are in direct contact with children, are in contact with parents and take an active role in the process in the prevention, early detection and reporting of violence against children.

The mediating role of nurses' attitude towards reporting child abuse and neglect

PURPOSE

Attitudes towards reporting child abuse and neglect play a significant role in determining the tendency to report abuse and neglect. In addition, Cognitive Response Theory (Shen, 2020) suggests that individuals actively process messages by producing pro and/or counter arguments referred to as "Gain - loss thoughts". However, literature positioning the variable, attitudes towards reporting, as a mediator, as well as its importance, are limited. The purpose of the study was to investigate the mediating effect of pediatric nurses' attitudes between "gain-loss thoughts" and the tendency to report child abuse and neglect.

DESIGN AND METHODS

A cross-sectional study examined 124 pediatric nurses working in central Israel's hospital departments concerning nurses' tendency to report (tendency to report = TTR), attitudes towards reporting, and "gain-loss thoughts" (positive and negative consequences for the child).

RESULTS

Most of the nurses had professional experience of 11 years or more (n = 75; 62.5%). According to the findings, nurses' attitudes towards reporting mediate the effect of gain-loss on the TTR child abuse and neglect.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings from this study contributed to our understanding of the importance of pediatric nurses' attitudes in determining the TTR abuse and neglect. Only nurses' positive attitudes towards reporting child abuse had a mediating effect on TTR.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Understanding the importance of attitudes and gain-loss thoughts can serve as a strategy for training programs and in the assimilation of reporting obligations by health professionals in general and nurses in particular.

Intergenerational transmission of health inequalities: towards a life course approach to socioeconomic inequalities in health - a review

Adult health inequalities are a persistent public health problem. Explanations are usually sought in behaviours and environments in adulthood, despite evidence on the importance of early life conditions for life course outcomes. We review evidence from a broad range of fields to unravel to what extent, and how, socioeconomic health inequalities are intergenerationally transmitted.We find that transmission of socioeconomic and associated health (dis)advantages from parents to offspring, and its underlying structural determinants, contributes substantially to socioeconomic inequalities in adult health. In the first two decades of life-from conception to early adulthood-parental socioeconomic position (SEP) and parental health strongly influence offspring adult SEP and health. Socioeconomic and health (dis)advantages are largely transmitted through the same broad mechanisms. Socioeconomic inequalities in the fetal environment contribute to inequalities in fetal development and birth outcomes, with lifelong socioeconomic and health consequences. Inequalities in the postnatal environment-especially the psychosocial and learning environment, physical exposures and socialisation-result in inequalities in child and adolescent health, development and behavioural habits, with health and socioeconomic consequences tracking into adulthood. Structural factors shape these mechanisms in a socioeconomically patterned and time-specific and place-specific way, leading to distinct birth-cohort patterns in health inequality.Adult health inequalities are for an important part intergenerationally transmitted. Effective health inequality reduction requires addressing intergenerational transmission of (dis)advantage by creating societal circumstances that allow all children to develop to their full potential.

Impact of childhood maltreatment on aging: a comprehensive Mendelian randomization analysis of multiple age-related biomarkers

BACKGROUND

Childhood maltreatment (CM) is linked to long-term adverse health outcomes, including accelerated biological aging and cognitive decline. This study investigates the relationship between CM and various aging biomarkers: telomere length, facial aging, intrinsic epigenetic age acceleration (IEAA), GrimAge, HannumAge, PhenoAge, frailty index, and cognitive performance.

METHODS

We conducted a Mendelian randomization (MR) study using published GWAS summary statistics. Aging biomarkers included telomere length (qPCR), facial aging (subjective evaluation), and epigenetic age markers (HannumAge, IEAA, GrimAge, PhenoAge). The frailty index was calculated from clinical assessments, and cognitive performance was evaluated with standardized tests. Analyses included Inverse-Variance Weighted (IVW), MR Egger, and Weighted Median (WM) methods, adjusted for multiple comparisons.

RESULTS

CM was significantly associated with shorter telomere length (IVW: β = - 0.1, 95% CI - 0.18 to - 0.02, pFDR = 0.032) and increased HannumAge (IVW: β = 1.33, 95% CI 0.36 to 2.3, pFDR = 0.028), GrimAge (IVW: β = 1.19, 95% CI 0.19 to 2.2, pFDR = 0.040), and PhenoAge (IVW: β = 1.4, 95% CI 0.12 to 2.68, pFDR = 0.053). A significant association was also found with the frailty index (IVW: β = 0.31, 95% CI 0.13 to 0.49, pFDR = 0.006). No significant associations were found with facial aging, IEAA, or cognitive performance.

CONCLUSIONS

CM is linked to accelerated biological aging, shown by shorter telomere length and increased epigenetic aging markers. CM was also associated with increased frailty, highlighting the need for early interventions to mitigate long-term effects. Further research should explore mechanisms and prevention strategies.

The effectiveness of interventions to prevent and reduce child maltreatment in high-income countries: An umbrella review

BACKGROUND

In recent decades, many interventions targeting the occurrence (primary prevention) or the recurrence (secondary prevention) of child abuse and neglect have been tested. Findings have been synthesized in several meta-analyses and systematic reviews. However, the range of interventions addressed in these studies is very broad, and an integrative assessment of this large spectrum is lacking.

OBJECTIVE

Focusing on high-income countries, we ask (i) what is known about the effectiveness of interventions to prevent or reduce child abuse and neglect and (ii) how robust this evidence is.

METHODS

A systematic review of systematic reviews, called an umbrella review, was conducted. Ten databases on OvidSP and Web of Science were searched up until April 2023. Narrative synthesis was used to document the publications' findings.

RESULTS

44 publications were included in the umbrella review. We did not find that any type of intervention had a clear, consistent, and robust track record of preventing or reducing the occurrence of child abuse and neglect. Rather, publications examining the effectiveness of interventions in all areas frequently reported non-existent, small or inconsistent effects. However, positive effects for particular interventions in specific settings did emerge. Research methodologies showed several and often severe problems.

CONCLUSIONS

We suggest several measures to improve the quality of research and call on practitioners to be persistent in developing more effective interventions.

Spillover effects on the relationship with the partner of a mentalization-based intervention for pregnant women

The birth of a child has been associated with a decline in couple satisfaction, which has implications for the child's social-emotional development. This study investigated the potential spillover effect on pregnant women's perceptions of their relationships with their partners of the Supporting the Transition to and Engagement in Parenthood (STEP) program, a brief trauma-informed mentalization-based prenatal group intervention. Participants (94% White) were recruited in prenatal clinics and through online advertisements in Quebec, Canada. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected from participants assigned to the STEP program (n = 42) and those receiving treatment-as-usual (TAU; n = 125). Women participating in STEP reported significant improvements in their relationships with their partners compared to those assigned to TAU. More precisely, they reported higher couple satisfaction, enhanced communication, and increased interest in their partners' emotional experience. The qualitative analysis further substantiated these results, with participants reporting having involved their partners in their pregnancy, shared their insights about themselves with their partners and gained fresh perspectives on their relationships. Participants in STEP also expressed sharing program materials with their partners and considered that such interventions should be extended to expecting fathers. This study underscores the potential of mentalization-based interventions to indirectly contribute to couple relationships, which may have positive implications for parenting and the infant.

Testing the Spillover Effect of Intimate Partner Violence Victimization on Emotionally Abusive and Harsh Parenting Practices: The Application of Propensity Score Matching

Prior research reported a significant association between intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization and negative parenting, but there was an overreliance on U.S. samples and families from low socioeconomic status backgrounds. Therefore, this quasi-experimental study examined the association between recent IPV victimization and abusive parenting practices in a sample of community-based women from Poland. Participants were mothers of children aged 2 to 5 years (N = 610) attending an outpatient clinic located in a city in south-eastern Poland. Mothers were asked about their IPV experiences in the past 12 months and were classed as either IPV positive or IPV negative. Outcome measures assessed emotionally abusive and harsh parenting practices. All data were collected online. To reduce bias in background characteristics (i.e., age, education, employment status, financial distress, self-esteem, childhood violence history, alcohol problems, current mental distress, social support, exposure to COVID-19-pandemic-related stressors, and child sex), we applied the propensity score matching (PSM) technique. Group differences before and after matching were examined using independent samples t-tests. Prematching analyses revealed that IPV-positive mothers used significantly more emotionally abusive and harsh parenting practices than IPV-negative mothers. However, the two samples differed substantially on six background characteristics which are known risk factors for IPV and child maltreatment (financial distress, self-esteem, childhood violence history, current mental distress, social support, and exposure to COVID-19-pandemic-related stressors). PSM was successful in reducing those imbalances. Postmatching group comparisons were statistically nonsignificant for emotionally abusive and harsh parenting, disproving the spillover hypothesis. We conclude that IPV victimization is not related to emotionally abusive and harsh parenting practices when controlling for confounding variables.

Causal and common risk pathways linking childhood maltreatment to later intimate partner violence victimization

Childhood maltreatment and intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization are major psychiatric risk factors. Maltreatment substantially increases the likelihood of subsequent IPV victimization, but what drives this association is poorly understood. We analyzed retrospective self-reports of maltreatment and IPV in 12794 participants (58% women, 42% men) from the Twins Early Development Study at ages 21 and 26 using quantitative genetic methods. We estimated the etiological influences common to maltreatment and IPV, and the direct causal effect of maltreatment on IPV beyond such common influences. Participants exposed to maltreatment (~7% of the sample) were 3 times more likely to experience IPV victimization than their peers at age 21, 4 times more likely at 26. The association between maltreatment and IPV was mostly due to environmental influences shared by co-twins (42-43%) and genetic influences (30-33%). The association between maltreatment and IPV was similar for women and men, but its etiology partly differed by sex. Maltreatment had a moderate-to-large effect on IPV in phenotypic models (β = 0.23-0.34), decreasing to a small-to-moderate range in causal models accounting for their common etiology (β = 0.15-0.21). Risk factors common to maltreatment and IPV victimization are largely familial in origin, environmental and genetic. Even considering common risk factors, experiencing maltreatment is causally related to subsequent IPV victimization. Interventions promoting safe intimate relationships among young adults exposed to maltreatment are warranted and should address family-level environmental risk and individual-level risk shaped by genetics.

Associations of Early-Life Deprivation and Threat with Exploratory Behavior: Moderated Mediation Models of Sensation Seeking and Executive Function

Exploratory behavior, as a crucial aspect of decision-making, plays an indispensable role in maximizing long-term benefits and is, therefore, essential in promoting adolescents' psychological well-being and social adaptation. Recent studies have shown that this adaptive behavior is influenced by previous early experiences. However, little was known about the associations between specific types of childhood maltreatment and exploratory behavior and the roles of individual motivational and cognitive factors in these relationships. The present study aimed to examine whether the subtypes of maltreatment, that is, threat and deprivation, would influence adolescents' exploratory behavior, the mediating role of sensation seeking, and the moderating role of executive function. Using a sample of 720 Chinese adolescents (Mage = 13.29, SDage = 0.82, 54.8% female), we found that sensation seeking fully mediated the relationship between threat and exploratory behavior. That is, adolescents who experienced threat were more likely to increase sensation seeking, which further promote exploratory activities. Moreover, executive function was a second-stage moderator of this full mediation pathway, with the mediating effect of sensation seeking between threat and exploratory behavior increasing with the enhancement of executive function. However, we did not observe the mediating effect of sensation seeking and the second-stage moderating effect of executive function on the relationship between deprivation and exploration. Considering the distinct impact mechanisms of threat and deprivation on exploratory behavior, our study provides empirical support for the Dimensional Model of Adversity and Psychopathology, and highlights the critical role of sensation seeking and the necessity of implementing executive function interventions for those experiencing threat experiences.

The future of intergenerational transmission research: A prospective, three-generation approach

Dr. Dante Cicchetti's pioneering theory and research on developmental psychopathology have been fundamental to the proliferation of research on intergenerational transmission over the last 40 years. In part due to this foundation, much has been learned about continuities and discontinuities in child maltreatment, attachment, parenting, and psychopathology across generations. Looking towards the future, we propose that this field stands to benefit from a prospective, three-generation approach. Specifically, following established prospective, longitudinal cohorts of children over their transition to parenting the next generation will afford the opportunity to investigate the developmental origins of intergenerational transmission. This approach also can address key outstanding questions and methodological limitations in the extant literature related to the confounding of retrospective and prospective measures; examination of mediators and moderators; and investigation of the roles of biology, environment, and their interplay. After considering these advantages, we offer several considerations and recommendations for future research, many of which are broadly applicable to the study of two or more generations. We hope that this discussion will inspire the leveraging of existing prospective cohorts to carry forward Dr. Cicchetti's remarkable contributions, with the ultimate aim to inform the development of preventions and interventions that disrupt deleterious intergenerational cycles.

Childhood adversity is associated with reduced BOLD response in inhibitory control regions amongst preadolescents from the ABCD study

Adolescence is characterized by dynamic neurodevelopment, which poses opportunities for risk and resilience. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) confer additional risk to the developing brain, where ACEs have been associated with alterations in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) BOLD signaling in brain regions underlying inhibitory control. Socioenvironmental factors like the family environment may amplify or buffer against the neurodevelopmental risks associated with ACEs. Using baseline to Year 2 follow-up data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, the current study examined how ACEs relate to fMRI BOLD signaling during successful inhibition on the Stop Signal Task in regions associated with inhibitory control and examined whether family conflict levels moderated that relationship. Results showed that greater ACEs were associated with reduced BOLD response in the right opercular region of the inferior frontal gyrus and bilaterally in the pre-supplementary motor area, which are key regions underlying inhibitory control. Further, greater BOLD response was correlated with less impulsivity behaviorally, suggesting reduced activation may not be behaviorally adaptive at this age. No significant two or three-way interactions with family conflict levels or time were found. Findings highlight the continued utility of examining the relationship between ACEs and neurodevelopmental outcomes and the importance of intervention/prevention of ACES.

Annual Research Review: Mapping the multifaceted approaches and impacts of adverse childhood experiences - an umbrella review of meta-analyses

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) significantly impact lifelong health and well-being. Despite extensive research, a comprehensive understanding of ACEs' multifaceted impacts continues to be challenging to achieve. This study synthesizes meta-analytic evidence to provide a comprehensive view of ACEs' effects, addressing various approaches to conceptualizing ACEs and their diverse outcomes. Employing an umbrella synthesis methodology, this review integrated findings from 99 meta-analyses involving 592 effect sizes. We examined ACEs through specificity, lumping, dimensional, and child maltreatment-centric approaches, assessing their impact across six domains: biological system dysregulation, neuropsychological impairments, physical health complications, mental health conditions, social and behavioral challenges, and criminal justice involvement. The findings reveal a small to moderate overall effect size of ACEs across outcome domains. Specific ACE approaches exhibited varying impact levels, with notable differences in effects on mental health, social/behavioral issues, and criminal justice involvement. When ACEs were aggregated without distinguishing between different types, but with consideration of their cumulative effects, adverse outcomes were significantly exacerbated. The child maltreatment-centric approach consistently demonstrated substantial effects across all evaluated domains. This review underscores the heterogeneity in ACEs' impacts, influenced by the type of ACE and specific outcomes considered. It highlights the necessity for comprehensive approaches to understanding, preventing, and mitigating the effects of ACEs. These insights are vital for developing targeted interventions and informing policy-making, emphasizing the complexity and varied nature of ACEs' influence on individual development and societal well-being.

Emergence and evolution of developmental resilience science over half a century

This reflection on the history and future of developmental resilience science (DRS) highlights its co-emergence with developmental psychopathology (DP), as well as the roles of this journal and its founding editor, Dante Cicchetti, in the evolution of these intertwined domains of scholarship. A remarkable constellation of scholars at the University of Minnesota shaped the course of both conceptual frameworks and their dissemination. I describe fundamental assumptions common to DP and DRS frameworks that reflect their common roots and the pervasive influence of systems theory on developmental science. I describe four waves of DRS and key principles of DRS at the present time. In conclusion, I consider the possibility that a fifth wave of DRS is emerging with a focus on understanding patterns of multisystem, multilevel processes of resilience and their implications for interventions in the context of interacting, interdependent, and complex adaptive systems. I close this commentary with questions for future research and a hopeful outlook on the future of human resilience.

From adverse childhood experiences to harsh parenting: Psychological symptoms as a mediator

BACKGROUND

Research evidence has demonstrated a direct link between ACEs and harsh parenting. However, the mechanisms linking paternal ACEs to harsh parenting have remained largely unexplored among Asian populations.

OBJECTIVE

In the current study, we examined the relationships between parental ACEs and harsh parenting and explored the potential mediating effect of psychological symptoms on the relationship between parental ACEs and harsh parenting.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

A total of 6195 Taiwanese parents of children aged 6 to 12 were recruited from 58 primary schools in the Taiwanese cities of Taipei and New Taipei.

METHOD

Using probability-proportional-to-size sampling and a self-report survey, we collected data relating to parental ACEs, psychological symptoms, and child-rearing behaviors. A hierarchical regression analysis was completed to examine the effects of parental ACEs and psychological symptoms on harsh parenting. In addition, we tested the potential mediating effects of psychological symptoms on the relationship between parental ACEs and harsh parenting by employing a simple mediation model (PROCESS) with a bootstrapping procedure.

RESULTS

We found that both parental ACEs and psychological symptoms were significant predictors for mothers' and fathers' adoption of harsh parenting behaviors. Moreover, after adjusting for covariates, we discovered the unique finding that psychological symptoms mediated the relationship between parental ACEs and harsh parenting among Taiwanese parents.

CONCLUSIONS

The study revealed a direct link between parental ACEs and harsh parenting, with psychological symptoms serving as a mediator. Our findings suggest that trauma-recovery programs should promote regular screening and interventions for parents with ACEs.

The role of emotion recognition in the intergenerational transmission of child maltreatment: A multigenerational family study

BACKGROUND

Understanding how child maltreatment is passed down from one generation to the next is crucial for the development of intervention and prevention strategies that may break the cycle of child maltreatment. Changes in emotion recognition due to childhood maltreatment have repeatedly been found, and may underly the intergenerational transmission of child maltreatment.

OBJECTIVE

In this study we, therefore, examined whether the ability to recognize emotions plays a role in the intergenerational transmission of child abuse and neglect.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

A total of 250 parents (104 males, 146 females) were included that participated in a three-generation family study.

METHOD

Participants completed an emotion recognition task in which they were presented with series of photographs that depicted the unfolding of facial expressions from neutrality to the peak emotions anger, fear, happiness, and sadness. Multi-informant measures were used to examine experienced and perpetrated child maltreatment.

RESULTS

A history of abuse, but not neglect, predicted a shorter reaction time to identify fear and anger. In addition, parents who showed higher levels of neglectful behavior made more errors in identifying fear, whereas parents who showed higher levels of abusive behavior made more errors in identifying anger. Emotion recognition did not mediate the association between experienced and perpetrated child maltreatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings highlight the importance of distinguishing between abuse and neglect when investigating the precursors and sequalae of child maltreatment. In addition, the effectiveness of interventions that aim to break the cycle of abuse and neglect could be improved by better addressing the specific problems with emotion processing of abusive and neglectful parents.

Beyond abuse and neglect: validation of the childhood interpersonal trauma inventory in a community sample of adults

Introduction

Childhood trauma is not restricted to abuse or neglect and other potentially traumatic experiences need to be pondered in practice and research. The study aimed to collect validity evidence of a new measure of exposure to a broad range of potentially traumatic experiences, the Childhood Interpersonal Trauma Inventory (CITI), by evaluating whether the CITI provides important additional information compared to a gold standard measure of childhood trauma.

Methods

The sample consisted of 2,518 adults who completed the CITI and self-reported measures of trauma (Childhood Trauma Questionnaire; CTQ) and psychiatric symptoms (PTSD Checklist for DSM-5; Kessler Psychological Distress Scale; Dissociative Experiences Scale).

Results

First, the sensitivity to properly detect participants having been exposed to childhood maltreatment, as measured by the CTQ (here used as the gold standard), ranged between 64.81% and 88.71%, and the specificity ranged between 68.55% and 89.54%. Second, hierarchical regressions showed that the CITI predicted between 5.6 and 14.0% of the variance in psychiatric symptoms while the CTQ only captured a very small additional part of variance (0.3 to 0.7%). Finally, 25% (n = 407) of CTQ-negative participants screened positive at the CITI. The latter reported higher severity of psychiatric symptoms than participants without trauma, suggesting that the CITI permits the identification of adults exposed to significant traumas that remain undetected using other well-validated measures.

Discussion

The findings underscore the utility of the CITI for research purposes and the latter's equivalence to a gold standard self-reported questionnaire to predict negative outcomes.

Reflections on resilience

Resilience research has long sought to understand how factors at the child, family, school, community, and societal levels shape adaptation in the face of adversities such as poverty and war. In this article we reflect on three themes that may prove to be useful for future resilience research. First is the idea that mental and physical health can sometimes diverge, even in response to the same social process. A better understanding of explanations for this divergence will have both theoretical and public health implications when it comes to efforts to promote resilience. Second is that more recent models of stress suggest that stress can accelerate aging. Thus, we suggest that research on resilience may need to also consider how resilience strategies may need to be developed in an accelerated fashion to be effective. Third, we suggest that if psychological resilience interventions can be conducted in conjunction with efforts to enact system-level changes targeted at adversities, this may synergize the impact that any single intervention can have, creating a more coordinated and effective set of approaches for promoting resilience in young people who confront adversity in life.

Fathers' mental Ill-health and child maltreatment: A systematic review of the literature

Background

Parental mental ill-health is often described as a risk factor for child maltreatment. Yet the literature commonly foregrounds maternal mental ill-health. To obtain a more complete picture, it is crucial to also understand the associations between fathers' mental health and child maltreatment.

Aim

To provide a narrative synthesis of evidence about the relationship between fathers' mental health and child maltreatment.

Method

Four electronic databases were searched, identifying 5479 citations. 151 studies were brought to full-text review. 37 were included in the study.

Results

Studies revealed mixed evidence for associations between forms of paternal mental ill health and child maltreatment, with stronger evidence for paternal depression and weak or no evidence for PTSD and anxiety. Many confounding factors were identified across the papers.

Discussion

The small number and limited range of good quality studies indicate the need to correct the relative invisibility of fathers within research about mental health and child maltreatment. At present, the available evidence is not sufficient to draw firm conclusions about the association between fathers' mental health and child maltreatment or appropriate policy and practice responses.

The Role of Psychopathology and Emotion Regulation in the Intergenerational Transmission of Childhood Abuse: A Family Study

Previous studies have shown that parents with a history of childhood abuse are at increased risk of perpetrating child abuse. To break the cycle of childhood abuse we need to better understand the mechanisms that play a role. In a cross-sectional extended family design including three generations (N = 250, 59% female), we examined the possible mediating role of parental psychopathology and emotion regulation in the association between a history of childhood abuse and perpetrating child abuse. Parents' own history of childhood abuse was associated with perpetrating abuse toward their children, and externalizing (but not internalizing) problems partially mediated this association statistically. Implicit and explicit emotion regulation were not associated with experienced or perpetrated abuse. Findings did not differ across fathers and mothers. Findings underline the importance of (early) treatment of externalizing problems in parents with a history of childhood abuse, to possibly prevent the transmission of child abuse.

Maternal cognitive functioning and psychopathology predict quality of parent-child relationship in the context of substance use disorder: A 15-month longitudinal study

This longitudinal study aimed to investigate the role of maternal cognitive functioning and psychopathology in parent-child relationship quality during residential treatment for mothers with Substance Use Disorder (SUD), in order to identify factors that may enhance or limit intervention effects.We assessed cognitive functioning (Esame Neuropsicologico Breve-2 [ENB-2]) and psychopathology (Symptom Checklist-90 Revised [SCL-90-R]) in 60 mothers diagnosed with SUD (Mage = 30.13 yrs; SD = 6.79) at treatment admission. Parent-child relationship quality was measured during free-play interactions using the Emotional Availability Scales every three months from admission (Child Mage = 17.17m; SD = 23.60) to the 15th month of the residential treatment.A main effect of maternal psychopathology and an interaction effect of time and cognitive functioning were found. More maternal psychopathology predicted lower mother-child relationship quality. Mothers with higher cognitive functioning presented a better treatment trajectory, with an increase in mother-child relationship quality, whereas mothers with lower cognitive functioning showed a decrease in relationship quality after initial improvement.These findings suggest that maternal psychopathology and cognitive functioning may influence the treatment of parent-child relationships in the context of SUD, although causality is not yet established. Implications for assessment and intervention are discussed.

The Effectiveness of Parenting Programs in Preventing Abusive Head Trauma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Parenting programs are the most common intervention for preventing the lethal form of child maltreatment, abusive head trauma (AHT). However, certain results of the effects of these programs have not yet been compared across studies. A systematic review with meta-analysis is warranted to quantitively synthesize the available evidence to identify effective elements and strategies of the programs for preventing AHT. This review aims to estimate AHT preventive parenting programs' pooled effect on the reduction of AHT incidence, the improvement of parental knowledge, and the increased use of safe strategies in response to infants' inconsolable crying. Studies published in English and Mandarin were searched and retained if they were randomized control trials (RCTs) or with a quasi-experimental design, included an AHT preventive parenting program, and provided data that quantified targeted outcomes. Eighteen studies were included in this review. AHT preventive parenting programs had a pooled effect on improving parents' knowledge and increasing the use of safe coping strategies in response to inconsolable crying but not on the incidence of AHT and parents' emotional self-regulation. Subgroup analyses showed that the intervention effects were mostly present across study designs or measurements and emerged in the reduction of AHT incidence compared with historical controls. The findings suggest that AHT preventive parenting programs enhance parenting knowledge and skills to provide safe care for infants. Further efforts to evaluate AHT parenting programs on the reduction of AHT incidence are necessary for decision-making on allocating and disseminating interventions.

Educators' experiences of coping with cases of child abuse and neglect: Challenges and supports

BACKGROUND

Although educational staff are uniquely positioned to identify and intervene in cases of child abuse and neglect (CAN), concerns have been raised as to their capacity to intervene appropriately in such cases.

OBJECTIVE

The current study examines the perspectives of educators on their experience of reporting CAN and on the barriers and facilitators experienced within this process.

METHODS

To that end, in-depth interviews were conducted with 29 educational staff in Israel (27 Jewish, 2 Arabs), including 17 school teachers and 12 counselors who had experienced coping with cases of CAN within their professional role.

RESULTS

The findings showed that educators experienced immense challenges related to the reporting of CAN. At the professional level, deciding whether or not reporting was required or would serve the best interest of the child, was the most pronounced challenge reported. The heavy burden of protecting children as well as the bearing witness to the abuse and neglect of young children had a tremendous emotional impact on interviewees, arousing feelings of helplessness and undermining their sense of trust in the world. Support provided within schools emerged as a very substantial facilitator of reporting that fulfilled various functions, including providing educators with professional guidance, a sense of togetherness in the face of challenge and emotional containment.

CONCLUSIONS

In order for educators to be able to successfully cope with such sensitive and complex cases they must be receive regular support and supervision that would address their professional as well as their emotional needs.

A Developmental Psychopathology Perspective on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs): Introduction to the Special Issue

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), including child maltreatment and other adversities in the home context and beyond (e.g., witnessing domestic violence; parental mental illness; parental separation; living in a disadvantaged neighborhood) are prevalent in the population and often covary together. Research based on the construct of ACEs has transformed the field of adult mental health, yet child and adolescent mental health has often been overlooked in this work. This special issue of Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology focuses on the developmental science of ACEs and child psychopathology. The research presented here draws on the extensive evidence base that now exists regarding the co-occurrence of common childhood adversities, while informing the integration of theory and research on ACEs with that of developmental psychopathology at large. This Introduction provides an overview of ACEs and child mental health from a developmental psychopathology perspective, with an emphasis on key concepts and recent progress spanning the prenatal period through to adolescence and intergenerational pathways. Models of ACEs that emphasize the multi-dimensional nature of adversity and the importance of developmental timing to risk and protective pathways, have played a driving role in this progress. Methodological innovations in this work are highlighted, along with implications for prevention and intervention.

Impact of a family treatment court on child permanency and safety

BACKGROUND

Family Treatment Courts have been linked to promising effects on key child welfare outcomes, though few rigorous program evaluations have been conducted.

OBJECTIVE

This study employs a robust quasi-experimental design to evaluate effects associated with Family Treatment Court participation on child permanency and safety.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

The sample included 648 eligible adults who were referred to a Family Treatment Court in a Midwest metropolitan area, including 266 program participants and 382 non-participants.

METHODS

Propensity score weighting was applied to match program and comparison groups on demographic and case characteristics. Child welfare records yielded safety and permanency outcomes. Participants and non-participants were compared following an intent-to-treat principle, with logistic regressions used to test the odds of reunification and maltreatment recurrence, and Kaplan-Meier analyses used to explore time to reunification and permanency. Moderation tests were performed to analyze differences in program impact across racial/ethnic groups and substance use types.

RESULTS

Compared to non-participants, program participants were 81 % more likely to reunify. Group differences in time to reunification and permanency were mixed, and there was no evidence of program impact on maltreatment recurrence. Substance use type and race/ethnicity did not moderate associations between program participation and study outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Mounting evidence suggests that Family Treatment Courts are more effective than usual services in promoting family reunification, though it is unclear if these interventions hasten reunification or increase safety post-reunification. Rigorous evaluations are needed to explore moderating and mediating processes and identify implementation drivers and local conditions that contribute to heterogeneous results.

The Emotionally Sensitive Child-Adverse Parenting Experiences-Allostatic (Over)Load (ESCAPE-AL) Model for the Development of Secondary Psychopathic Traits

Understanding and treatment of antisocial behavior have improved through efforts to subtype individuals based on similar risk factors and outcomes. In particular, the presence of psychopathic traits is associated with distinct etiological factors and antisocial behavior that begins early in life, is aggressive, persistent, and less likely to normalize with traditional treatments, relative to individuals low on psychopathy or its childhood precursor, callous-unemotional (CU) traits. However, important distinctions can be made within individuals with CU/psychopathic traits according to the presence of elevated anxiety symptoms and/or adverse childhood experiences, known as secondary psychopathy/CU traits. This paper provides a broad and brief overview of theory and empirical literature supporting the existence of secondary psychopathy/CU variants as a distinct subtype of childhood antisocial behavior. It outlines the Emotionally Sensitive Child-Adverse Parenting Experiences-Allostatic (Over)Load (ESCAPE-AL) model for the developmental psychopathology of secondary psychopathic/CU traits and discusses research and theory supporting this perspective. Future research directions for testing this conceptual model and its implications for assessing and treating high-risk individuals with secondary CU/psychopathic traits are discussed.

Child maltreatment and resilience in adulthood: a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Although child maltreatment (CM) has been linked to health problems and poor psychosocial functioning, not all individuals exposed to CM develop or experience negative consequences later in life. This suggests that some individuals show resilience after being exposed to CM. However, conclusions have been limited by inconsistent findings across different CM subtypes and resilience domains.Objective: To develop a protocol for conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis to quantify associations between CM (overall and its subtypes) and resilience (global and its multiple domains) in adulthood, and to examine moderators and mediators of these associations.Method: PubMed, PsycINFO, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science will be searched to identify relevant studies on the association between CM (exposure) and resilience (outcome) in adults (≥ 18 years). Data will be screened and extracted by at least two independent reviewers. The methodological quality of the included studies will be independently assessed with a modified version of the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). If deemed viable, a meta-analysis will be conducted using a random effects model. Heterogeneity of evidence will be estimated with the I2 statistic, and publication bias will be assessed. The effects of potential moderators (e.g. timing and severity of CM, age, sex, family cohesion, socio-economic status, country/region) will be analysed using meta-regression and subgroup analyses, and meta-analytical structural equation modelling will be employed to synthesise indirect mediation effects. Candidate moderators and mediators (e.g. genetic factors, brain functioning, attachment style, personality traits, physical activity, and social support) will be also examined qualitatively.Conclusions: This protocol will facilitate a systematic review and meta-analysis that has the potential to enhance our knowledge about the association between CM exposure in early life and resilience in adulthood. Understanding associations and underlying mechanisms between CM and resilience is potentially important in informing prevention and interventions to sustain health and improve outcomes among adults with a history of CM.PROSPERO registration: CRD42023394120.

Adverse childhood experiences: a meta-analysis of prevalence and moderators among half a million adults in 206 studies

Exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), including maltreatment and family dysfunction, is a major contributor to the global burden of disease and disability. With a large body of international literature on ACEs having emerged over the past 25 years, it is timely to now synthetize the available evidence to estimate the global prevalence of ACEs and, through a series of moderator analyses, determine which populations are at higher risk. We searched studies published between January 1, 1998 and August 5, 2021 in Medline, PsycINFO and Embase. Study inclusion criteria were using the 8- or 10-item ACE Questionnaire (±2 items), reporting the prevalence of ACEs in population samples of adults, and being published in English. The review protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42022348429). In total, 206 studies (208 sample estimates) from 22 countries, with 546,458 adult participants, were included. The pooled prevalence of the five levels of ACEs was: 39.9% (95% CI: 29.8-49.2) for no ACE; 22.4% (95% CI: 14.1-30.6) for one ACE; 13.0% (95% CI: 6.5-19.8) for two ACEs; 8.7% (95% CI: 3.4-14.5) for three ACEs, and 16.1% (95% CI: 8.9-23.5) for four or more ACEs. In subsequent moderation analyses, there was strong evidence that the prevalence of 4+ ACEs was higher in populations with a history of a mental health condition (47.5%; 95% CI: 34.4-60.7) and with substance abuse or addiction (55.2%; 95% CI: 45.5-64.8), as well as in individuals from low-income households (40.5%; 95% CI: 32.9-48.4) and unhoused individuals (59.7%; 95% CI: 56.8-62.4). There was also good evidence that the prevalence of 4+ ACEs was larger in minoritized racial/ethnic groups, particularly when comparing study estimates in populations identifying as Indigenous/Native American (40.8%; 95% CI: 23.1-59.8) to those identifying as White (12.1%; 95% CI: 10.2-14.2) and Asian (5.6%; 95% CI: 2.4-10.2). Thus, ACEs are common in the general population, but there are disparities in their prevalence. They are among the principal antecedent threats to individual well-being and, as such, constitute a pressing social issue globally. Both prevention strategies and downstream interventions are needed to reduce the prevalence and mitigate the severity of the effects of ACEs and thereby reduce their deleterious health consequences on future generations.

Experiences of Interpersonal Trauma Among Parents With Intellectual Disabilities: A Systematic Review

Research has suggested highly elevated levels of interpersonal trauma (IPT) among parents with intellectual disabilities (ID), and that such experiences may contribute to the caregiving and child developmental problems often seen in this population. Conflicting results have however been reported, and there is no systematic review on this matter. This study therefore systematically reviewed the empirical evidence concerning (a) prevalence of IPT among parents with ID, and links with (b) caregiving-relevant and (c) child developmental outcomes, in accordance with the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Searches were conducted in MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and PTSDpubs. Peer-reviewed empirical articles reporting exposure to any form of systematically assessed IPT (unspecified IPT, physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, neglect, prolonged childhood separations from caregivers, witnessing abuse in the family) among parents with ID were included, yielding a final selection of 20 studies. Findings consistently indicated markedly elevated levels of IPT among parents with ID, with a majority (>50%) having experienced some form of IPT. Estimates for both unspecified and specific forms were typically higher than corresponding estimates in other groups at elevated risk, and than meta-analytical general population estimates in comparable countries. Findings regarding caregiving-relevant outcomes were mixed but indicated links with adverse outcomes, particularly regarding parental mental health. Reports pertaining to child developmental outcomes were scant and inconsistent. We highlight important limitations in the extant literature and provide directions for future research and clinical practice.

Breaking the Cycle of Family Violence: A Critique of Family Violence Interventions

As the intergenerational transmission of family violence is associated with numerous negative outcomes, interventions are needed to interrupt this cycle. Our aim is to review the family violence intervention literature and to assess whether and how interventions interrupt the intergenerational transmission of family violence. Papers about interventions were identified through database searches (PubMed, JSTOR, CINAHL, PsycINFO), supplemented by review of references and relevant review papers. Eligibility criteria included: empirical studies detailing interventions to interrupt or prevent child abuse/maltreatment and/or intimate partner violence, published between January 2000 and August 2020, and written in English. Of the 14 papers included in this narrative review, only 3 explicitly stated that they aimed to break the cycle of family violence; 12 papers came from high-income countries, and 10 focused on individuals, with half focusing on mothers. We identify effective intervention approaches, including long-term one-on-one coaching and home visits to improve parenting. Results demonstrate a dose-response relationship, suggesting the lasting value of increased intervention frequency and duration. We highlight gaps in the literature, including the need for interventions in low-income countries, and those geared toward fathers and neighborhoods/communities. We also examine the many methodological challenges of this work, such as possible biases related to the use of retrospective data, lack of objective outcome measures, and absence of long-term follow-up. Our recommendations for future research include incorporating trauma-informed frameworks, developing standardized definitions and measures to facilitate the comparison of intervention results, and designing more interventions specifically for fathers/husbands and for the prevention of intimate partner violence.

Early detection of risk for maltreatment within Dutch preventive child health care: A proxy-based evaluation of the long-term predictive validity of the SPARK method

BACKGROUND

For effective prevention of child maltreatment, it is crucial that risk factors for child maltreatment are identified as early as possible. In the Dutch preventive child healthcare, the SPARK-method is used for this purpose.

OBJECTIVE

The current study investigated the predictive validity of the SPARK-method for predicting child protection activities, as a proxy for child maltreatment, and whether the estimation can be improved with an actuarial module.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

Participants included a community sample of 1582 children of approximately 18-months-old for whom the SPARK was administered during well-child visits at home (51 %) or at the well-baby clinic (49 %).

METHODS

SPARK measurements were linked to data on child protection orders and residential youth care over a 10-year follow-up period. The predictive validity was evaluated using Area Under the receiver operating characteristic Curve (AUC) values.

RESULTS

Results showed good predictive validity for the SPARK clinical risk assessment (AUC = 0.723; large effect). The actuarial module led to a significant improvement in predictive validity (AUC = 0.802; large effect), z = 2.05, p = .04.

CONCLUSION

These results show that the SPARK is suitable for estimating the risk of child protection activities and that the actuarial module is a valuable addition. The SPARK can be used to support professionals in preventive child healthcare with their decision on appropriate follow-up actions.

Mentalization-Based Parenting Program for Child Maltreatment Prevention: A Pre-Post Study of 12-Week Lighthouse Group Program

The aim of this study was to assess the 12-week group version of the mentalization-based Lighthouse Parenting Program for child maltreatment prevention. Parents who might be facing mentalizing difficulties due to challenges in the parent-child relationship were invited to participate in the program. The aim of the program was to promote mentalizing-to encourage parents' curiosity about their children's minds and their willingness to reflect on their own feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. Study participants were 101 parents (82 mothers, 19 fathers). Parenting practices and parental and family adjustment were assessed using the Parent and Family Adjustment Scale and mentalization was measured using Mentalization Scale at pre- and post-intervention assessments. Parents' feedback on the program was gathered after the program. Results revealed that mentalization, parental adjustment, and family functioning improved while coercive parenting practices decreased after the intervention. Study results provide preliminary indications of the benefits of the 12-week Lighthouse Parenting Program for parents referred or self-referred for mental health services due to their own or their child's difficulties.

Childhood attachment security mediates the effect of childhood maltreatment chronicity on emotion regulation patterns in emerging adulthood

This study uses a 2-wave, longitudinal design to evaluate mother-child attachment security (child-reported) and emotion regulation capacities (wave 1, age 10-12) as mediators linking childhood maltreatment chronicity and emotion regulation (ER) patterns in emerging adulthood (wave 2; N = 399; 48.1% male; 77.2% Black/African-American, 11.3% White, 7.8% Hispanic, 3.8% other race). Children from families eligible for public assistance with and without maltreatment exposure participated in a summer research camp (wave 1) and were recontacted in emerging adulthood (wave 2). SEM results showed that greater maltreatment chronicity predicted lower childhood attachment security, which in turn predicted membership in ER profiles marked by emotion dysregulation and limited access to ER strategies. Greater attachment security predicted membership in adaptive ER profiles in emerging adulthood. Results suggest that insecure attachment is one process by which childhood maltreatment disrupts adaptive ER across development, whereas greater attachment security in childhood can promote multiple forms of adaptive emotion regulation.

Maternal history of maltreatment and offspring's emotional and behavioral problems in adolescence: Do family factors contribute to the intergenerational risk transmission?

BACKGROUND

A history of childhood maltreatment often has a negative and long-lasting impact across different domains in life. A childhood maltreatment experience in parents may even affect the next generation. So far, the effects of family factors have been considered in the intergenerational transmission of adversity across the childhood years, but whether the effects remain until adolescence is less clear.

OBJECTIVE

Using data from a large population-based study in the Netherlands, including both mother and child reports, we examined whether maternal childhood maltreatment history is associated with increased mental health problems in offspring and the role of family functioning and harsh parenting as a potential pathway.

PARTICIPANTS

4912 adolescents (aged 13 years) and their mothers were recruited in the Generation R study.

METHODS

Mothers reported childhood maltreatment experiences using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), and adolescents reported on their mental health using the Youth Self Report (YSR). Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the association of maternal childhood maltreatment on mental health problems in offspring and family functioning and harsh parenting as mechanisms to explain this association.

RESULTS

Adolescents of mothers with a history of maltreatment had greater internalizing (β = 0.07, p < .01) and externalizing problems (β = 0.08, p < .01). Moreover, we found an indirect effect via family functioning over time and harsh parenting at ages 3 and 8 years which mediated this association.

CONCLUSION

We concluded an intergenerational effect of maternal childhood maltreatment on adolescents internalizing and externalizing problems. The findings might enable earlier intervention within the family context to mitigate the consequences of maternal childhood maltreatment.

Attachment, Mentalizing and Trauma: Then (1992) and Now (2022)

This article reviews the current status of research on the relationship between attachment and trauma in developmental psychopathology. Beginning with a review of the major issues and the state-of-the-art in relation to current thinking in the field of attachment about the impact of trauma and the inter-generational transmission of trauma, the review then considers recent neurobiological work on mentalizing and trauma and suggests areas of new development and implications for clinical practice.

Risk and protective factors for children's psychopathology in the context of domestic violence - A study using nationally representative longitudinal survey data

BACKGROUND

Little is known about the causal pathways through which domestic violence affects children's internalising, externalising and prosocial behaviours over time, and the role that risk and protective factors play in mediating and moderating direct effects.

OBJECTIVE

We explored how different risk and protective factors affect children's psychopathology in the context of domestic violence. We focused on the mother and child bond and explored if this moderates or mediates the effect of domestic violence on children's internalising, externalising and prosocial behaviours.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

A prospective longitudinal nationally representative study of children in Scotland aged 6 to 13 years (N:2554).

METHODS

Multivariate logit models, moderation and mediation analysis.

RESULTS

Domestic violence exposure predicted higher internalising and externalising behaviours and lower prosocial skills (e.g. OR2.17, 95%CI 1.15-4.08 for externalising symptoms). Children with a strong mother-child bond had lower odds of internalising and externalising symptoms, and were more likely to manifest prosocial skills (OR4.14, 95%CI 3.09-5.55). We found evidence that the mother-child relationship both moderated and mediated the effect that domestic violence exposure had on children's internalising, externalising and prosocial scores. The mediation effect was strongest for prosocial behaviours, and strongest in cases where the abuse was less intense.

CONCLUSIONS

We show how domestic violence directly and indirectly affects children, via the mother-child relationship. We propose a model which could explain how the mother-child bond both mediates and moderates the effect of domestic violence on children's psychopathology. Our findings suggest mothers need support to in turn support children in the context of domestic violence.

Emotion Recognition in Adults With a History of Childhood Maltreatment: A Systematic Review

Child maltreatment has many well-documented lasting effects on children. Among its consequences, it affects children's recognition of emotions. More and more studies are recognizing the lasting effect that a history of maltreatment can have on emotion recognition. A systematic literature review was conducted to better understand this relationship. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol was used and four databases were searched, MEDLINE/PubMed, PsycINFO, EMBASE, and FRANCIS, using three cross-referenced key words: child abuse, emotion recognition, and adults. The search process identified 23 studies that met the inclusion criteria. The review highlights the wide variety of measures used to assess child maltreatment as well as the different protocols used to measure emotion recognition. The results indicate that adults with a history of childhood maltreatment show a differentiated reaction to happiness, anger, and fear. Happiness is less detected, whereas negative emotions are recognized more rapidly and at a lower intensity compared to adults not exposed to such traumatic events. Emotion recognition is also related to greater brain activation for the maltreated group. However, the results are less consistent for adults who also have a diagnosis of mental health problems. The systematic review found that maltreatment affects the perception of emotions expressed on both adult and child faces. However, more research is needed to better understand how a history of maltreatment is related to adults' perception of children's emotions.

The prevalences, changes, and related factors of child maltreatment during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been extensive and drastic during the twenty-first century. The increasing phenomenon of child maltreatment during the pandemic is a significant public health concern.

OBJECTIVE

This study is the first systematic review to analyze and summarize the prevalence rates, risk factors, and protective factors related to child maltreatment during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

Four electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase) were systematically searched. Some potential studies were also identified from the reference lists of previously included articles. The quality of the included studies was assessed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Quality Assessment Tool and Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) Quality Assessment Tool.

RESULTS

A total of 35 articles were included in the analysis, with 16 having prevalence information and 22 having factor information. Sixteen studies were conducted in the US, the other 17 studies were from 12 countries, and only two studies contained mixed countries. The prevalences of child maltreatment during the pandemic varied widely in different types and measurements. The pandemic rates of physical abuse, psychological abuse, neglect, and sexual abuse were 0.1 %-71.2 %, and 4.9 %-61.8 %, 7.3 %-40 % and 1.4 %-19.5 %, respectively. There was a decline in allegations of child maltreatment and an increase in severe cases of child maltreatment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lockdown measures and their side effects were the main risk factors contributing to child maltreatment.

CONCLUSIONS

This review calls for targeted measures to prevent child maltreatment during the COVID-19 pandemic and current and future lockdowns and more future replication studies conducted in countries other than the US.

Prevalence and factors associated child neglect in a Brazilian state

ABSTRACT Objective To quantify the prevalence of neglect against the child and identify its associated factors, based on the cases reported in the state of Espírito Santo between 2011 and 2018. Methods Cross-sectional study with data reported in the Notifiable Diseases Information System (SINAN) with all reported cases of child neglect from 2011 to 2018 in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil. The characteristics of the victim, author, and aggression were studied, and the associations were analyzed by Poisson regression. Results The frequency of neglect was 31.3%, being more prevalent in males (PR: 1.48; 95%CI: 1.34-1.63); for the age group of zero to two years (PR: 3.05; 95%CI: 2.65-3.51); among female aggressors (PR: 16.20; 95%CI: 9.98-26.32), and regarding the bond to the victim, we note the highest prevalence of parents/stepfathers (PR: 6.69; 95%CI: 4.16-10.74), both parents (PR: 4.41; 95%CI: 2.84-6.85) and mothers/stepmothers (PR: 2.94; 95%CI: 2.20-3.93). Conclusions and Implications for the practice The magnitude of child neglect in Espírito Santo was significant, showing the need to advance in the understanding of this phenomenon and in the implementation of expanded intersectoral public policies aimed at ensuring adequate conditions for growth and development in childhood.

Prevalência e fatores associados à negligência contra crianças em um estado brasileiro

RESUMO Objetivo Quantificar a prevalência da negligência contra a criança e identificar seus fatores associados, a partir dos casos notificados no estado do Espírito Santo no período entre 2011 e 2018. Métodos Estudo transversal com dados notificados no Sistema de Informação de Agravos de Notificação (SINAN) com todos os casos notificados de negligência contra a criança no período de 2011 a 2018 no Espírito Santo, Brasil. Foram estudadas as características da vítima, do autor e da agressão e as associações foram analisadas por meio da Regressão de Poisson. Resultados A frequência de negligência foi 31,3%, sendo mais prevalente no sexo masculino (RP: 1,48; IC95%: 1,34-1,63); na faixa etária de 0 a 2 anos (RP: 3,05; IC95%: 2,65-3,51); entre agressores do sexo feminino (RP: 16,20; IC95%: 9,98-26,32), e, em relação ao vínculo nota-se a maior prevalência de pais/padrastos (RP: 6,69; IC95%: 4,16-10,74), ambos os pais (RP: 4,41; IC95%: 2,84-6,85) e mães/madrastas (RP: 2,94; IC95%: 2,20-3,93). Conclusões e Implicações para a prática A magnitude de negligência contra crianças no Espírito Santo foi expressiva, demonstrando a necessidade de avançar no entendimento deste fenômeno e na implementação de políticas públicas intersetoriais ampliadas que visem garantir condições adequadas para o crescimento e desenvolvimento na infância.

Multigenerational patterns of parenting-at-risk: A test of interpersonal specificity using copy process theory

OBJECTIVES

This study tests ways in which the perception of intergenerational continuity in parenting behaviors among child-maltreatment (CM) and non-CM families conform to Benjamin's (2006) Copy Process Theory, which considers three copy processes: Identification (be like him/her), Recapitulation (behave as if he/she is still present and in charge), and Introjection (treat myself as he/she treated me).

METHOD

Across two home visits and a laboratory session, 171 mothers of preschoolers (M = 3.7 years) completed the SASB Intrex Questionnaire relative to herself, her history with her parents, and her present relationship with her child.

RESULTS

Mothers' retrospective reports of her interactions with caregivers were correlated with the quality of self-reported parenting processes in interactions with her preschooler. Analyses indicated high rates of intergenerational copying in both samples for each copy process. While copying in general was observed in nearly all mothers (roughly 80%-90%) and emphasized warm, securely attached patterns, the copying of hostility and/or lack of affiliation occurred in copied profiles for about one-third of mothers. About the more problematic profiles, CM mothers tended to rate themselves as being in the child-like position they experienced in their own childhood, with themes involving hostile control perceived from their child. By contrast, non-CM mothers copied disaffiliative themes primarily in relation to themselves.

CONCLUSION

Findings verify that interpersonal patterns and internalized relational histories are important keys for understanding CM risk. The use of a method that offers interpersonal specificity at the level of individual profiles has application to clinical practice with at-risk parents.

Parental protection in fathers with negative caregiving experiences: Heightened amygdala reactivity to infant threatening situations

Parental protection is an important, yet understudied, aspect of parenting behavior. Predictors of the quality of protection and potential underlying neural mechanisms are still unknown. In this study, we examined whether negative caregiving experiences in fathers' own childhood are related to protective behavior and neural reactivity to infant threatening situations. Paternal protective behavior was measured with self- and partner-reported protective behavior and behavioral observations in an experimental set-up (auditory startling task) in 121 first-time fathers (mean age child = 19.35 weeks, SD = 11.27). Neural activation during exposure to videos of infant-threatening (vs. neutral) situations was measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We found a significant and positive association between negative caregiving experiences and amygdala reactivity to infant-threatening situations. A history of negative caregiving experiences was not significantly related to reported or observed paternal protective behavior. Our findings suggest that fathers with negative caregiving experiences show emotional hyperreactivity to cues of infant threat.

Prevention of violence against children in the home: an overview of reviews protocol

BACKGROUND

Violence against children (VAC) in the home, or by household members, is a widespread problem with devastating and costly consequences for individuals and societies. In the past two decades, much research has been dedicated to the prevention of VAC in the home, in particular, in low- and- middle-income countries, but there are few systematic examinations of the growing body of literature. We present a protocol for an overview of reviews to synthesize the evidence from recent reviews on the effectiveness and characteristics of both universal and selective interventions to prevent VAC in the home or by household members.

METHODS

We will conduct an overview of reviews of quantitative studies of universal and selective interventions to prevent VAC in the home published after 2000. Our outcomes will be VAC in the home (e.g., physical, sexual, or psychological violence or neglect) and drivers or direct risk factors for VAC (e.g., beliefs or attitudes towards VAC, parenting stress). We will search for reviews in multiple databases using controlled vocabularies and keywords. We will use the AMSTAR 2 to assess the quality of reviews and will extract information on outcomes, main results, and geographic distribution of primary studies, among other data. We will conduct a narrative synthesis of the findings.

DISCUSSION

The proposed overview will provide timely evidence on effective strategies to prevent VAC in the home and will identify the key strengths and limitations of the current body of evidence on this topic. In doing so, we will inform future research, policy, and practice aimed at building effective strategies to prevent VAC globally.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42022304784.

Parental attachment and emotional intelligence mediates the effect of childhood maltreatment on callous-unemotional traits among incarcerated male adolescents

This study aimed to examine the impact of childhood maltreatment on callous-unemotional (CU) traits among incarcerated male adolescents, focusing primarily on the roles of parental attachment and emotional intelligence. A total of 454 male incarcerated adolescents from two juvenile correctional facilities, ranging in age from 14 to 18 years, completed a set of questionnaires consisting of a childhood trauma questionnaire, parent-attachment scale, emotional intelligence scale, and the Inventory of CU traits. The results revealed that childhood maltreatment, parental attachment, and emotional intelligence were all correlated with CU traits. Structural equation modeling analysis and the bootstrap test indicated that parental attachment and emotional intelligence mediated, in part, the effect of childhood maltreatment on CU traits. These findings expand the outcomes of previous research and shed light on how childhood maltreatment is related to CU traits.

The missing link between poverty and child maltreatment: Parental burnout

BACKGROUND

Child maltreatment remains a major social welfare and public health issue. The relationship between SES and child maltreatment has been intensively studied. And syntheses of meta-analyses have identified low SES as one of the five major antecedents of child maltreatment.

OBJECTIVE

The underlying mechanism that explains the association between low SES and child maltreatment, has however not been clearly demonstrated.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

In a sample of 3429 parents (51.53 % low SES), we postulated a double mediation to explain this relationship, namely that low SES increased the imbalance between the parent's risk and resource factors, and that this imbalance in turn increased parental burnout, which itself increased parental neglect and violence.

METHODS

We estimated three successive models encompassing the direct and indirect effects of low SES on the imbalance between risk and resource factors, parental burnout, parental neglect and parental violence.

RESULTS

The results provide little support for the direct effect of poverty on parental burnout, parental neglect and parental violence. They rather confirm the mediating role of the imbalance between risk and resource factors and parental burnout.

CONCLUSIONS

Parental burnout could be the missing link between poverty and child maltreatment. The results are discussed for research and clinical purposes.

Childhood Experiences of Companion Animal Abuse and its Co-Occurrence with Domestic Abuse: Evidence from a National Youth Survey in Norway

It is increasingly acknowledged that companion animal abuse often occurs in the same contexts as other types of abuse, particularly domestic abuse. However, the co-occurrence and strengths of these associations in the general population have not been well established in research. With data from a large representative sample of Norwegian adolescents, we aimed to determine 1) the extent to which Norwegian children are exposed to companion animal abuse in the family, 2) whether and how companion animal abuse is linked to other forms of domestic abuse that children experience, and 3) background factors associated with companion animal abuse. A total of 9240 adolescents aged 12-16 years (M_age 14.7) participated in the digital school-based survey. Four percent (n = 380) reported that they had ever witnessed a parent being violent towards a family companion animal, whereas 1% (n = 125) had experienced that an adult in the household had threatened to harm a companion animal. There was a substantial overlap between companion animal abuse and child abuse, and it most frequently co-occurred with psychological abuse and less severe forms of physical child abuse. This resonates with conceptualizations of domestic abuse as an ongoing pattern of psychological abuse and coercive control. The risk factors identified for companion animal abuse in this representative sample of adolescents were similar to known risk factors for domestic abuse. Low socioeconomic status and parents' substance abuse, parents' psychiatric illness, and parents' history of incarceration entailed a greater risk of experiencing companion animal abuse. We conclude that companion animal abuse co-occurs with other forms of domestic abuse and that it may be considered a part of the repertoire of domestic abuse that impacts children.

Intimate partner violence and child maltreatment in Scotland - Insights from nationally representative longitudinal survey data

BACKGROUND

Research on child maltreatment in the context of intimate partner violence (IPV) rarely draws on nationally representative samples, and rarely accounts for maternal, paternal and child reports of parental aggression towards children separately.

OBJECTIVE

We explore if living with IPV makes children more likely to be smacked or slapped by their parents.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

A prospective longitudinal and nationally representative child cohort study for Scotland (starting sample N:5217).

METHODS

Questions for children at ages 2-7 include: maternal and paternal reports of aggression towards children; children's reports of being 'smacked' by parents; maternal reports of IPV. Multivariate logit models explore how maternal IPV is associated with child maltreatment, controlling for socio-economic confounders.

RESULTS

In homes with a long-term abusive partner, children are more likely to have been smacked/slapped by the father (OR1.91, p ≤ 0.05), mother (OR1.84 p ≤ 0.05), and both parents (OR2.31, p ≤ 0.05). Maternal IPV frequency and intensity was incrementally associated with children's odds of being smacked/slapped (OR range 1.47-1.70, p ≤ 0.05). Ethnic minority boys were more likely (predicted probability of 42 % p ≤ 0.05) to have been smacked/slapped by their mother frequently compared to other children (predicted probability range: 19-27 %).

CONCLUSIONS

When mothers report IPV, the extent and severity of the abuse is incrementally associated with children's experiences of parental aggression, and ethnic minority boys are far more at risk. Parental aggression should be understood within the context of the stresses associated with living with an abusive partner. We discuss the fragmented picture which surveys of children provide when interviewing mainly the mother.

Differential Susceptibility: An Explanation for Variability in Life Course Health and Developmental Outcomes

Differential susceptibility theory posits that some individuals, with specific characteristics, are more, or less susceptible than others, to both adverse and beneficial environmental influences. It offers a perspective for understanding the directional trajectories across the life course affected by daily context and individual characteristics, in order to identify influential components. The aim of this article is to describe differential susceptibility theory, critically evaluate research findings in which the theory is tested, and consider implications of differential susceptibility theory as a theoretical framework for nursing science. Preterm birth trajectories and outcomes research are used as a lens for this examination.