Who Gets Protection? A National Study of Multiple Victimization and Child Protection Among Taiwanese Children

Do dimensions of childhood adversity differ in their direct associations with youth psychopathology? A meta-analysis

Growing evidence supports the unique pathways by which threat and deprivation, two core dimensions of adversity, confer risk for youth psychopathology. However, the extent to which these dimensions differ in their direct associations with youth psychopathology remains unclear. The primary aim of this preregistered meta-analysis was to synthesize the associations between threat, deprivation, internalizing, externalizing, and trauma-specific psychopathology. Because threat is proposed to be directly linked with socioemotional development, we hypothesized that the magnitude of associations between threat and psychopathology would be larger than those with deprivation. We conducted a search for peer-reviewed articles in English using PubMed and PsycINFO databases through August 2022. Studies that assessed both threat and deprivation and used previously validated measures of youth psychopathology were included. One hundred and twenty-seven articles were included in the synthesis (N = 163,767). Results of our three-level meta-analyses indicated that adversity dimension significantly moderated the associations between adversity and psychopathology, such that the magnitude of effects for threat (r's = .21-26) were consistently larger than those for deprivation (r's = .16-.19). These differences were more pronounced when accounting for the threat-deprivation correlation. Additional significant moderators included emotional abuse and youth self-report of adversity. Findings are consistent with the Dimensional Model of Adversity and Psychopathology, with clinical, research, and policy implications.

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.

Peer Victimization Trajectory and Psychosocial Maladjustment in Early Taiwanese Adolescents: A Longitudinal Study

This study examined the peer victimization trajectory and maladjustment outcomes among early Taiwanese adolescents. Data were extracted from a large-scale longitudinal study with a national representative sample. A total of 1691 school students in 4th, 6th, and 8th grade were analyzed. Using latent profile analysis, students were classified into four trajectories, chronic victims, late onset victims, desisters, and non-victims, based on their self-reported physical and verbal victimization at three time points. Maladjustment, including psychological distress, reduced school attachment, internet addiction, and suicidal ideation in 8th grade, were assessed. The results showed significant differences in adjustment among students in the four trajectories. Chronic victims had the poorest outcomes on most variables, followed by late onset victims and desisters, while non-victims had the least maladjustment. The findings highlight the need for future interventions that would consider students' victim status over time and pay particular attention to those who suffer constant bullying and abuse.

Violência emocional intrafamiliar contra crianças e adolescentes e suas repercussões

O objetivo deste estudo foi identificar as repercussões na infância, na adolescência e na vida adulta da violência emocional intrafamiliar vivenciada no período infanto-juvenil em artigos publicados entre 2009 e 2019, por meio de uma revisão sistemática de literatura. Para a organização dos dados, utilizou-se o software Zotero; para a sistematização e análises, o software SPSS (versão 2.3). Na infância e na adolescência, as principais repercussões foram sintomas internalizantes (ex.: ansiedade, depressão, problemas psicossomáticos, insegurança), problemas cognitivo-comportamentais e impactos no rendimento escolar. Na idade adulta, as principais repercussões foram sintomas externalizantes (ex.: agressividade, reprodução da violência) e sintomas internalizantes. Conclui-se que a violência emocional vivenciada na infância e na adolescência é transcultural, transgeracional e um fator de risco para o desenvolvimento, podendo ocasionar prejuízos cognitivo-comportamentais e interferir nos relacionamentos interpessoais ao longo do ciclo de vida. Tornar visível este tipo de violência contribui para enfrentamento e minimização dos efeitos negativos da violência.

Exploring Family Backgrounds of Chinese Adolescents Who Are Vulnerable to Victimization and Repeated Victimization

There is abundant evidence in the literature to show that victimization has a series of adverse consequences on child victims' physical and mental health. However, some studies detailed whether the family correlates of repeat victims differ from those who are victimized only once. This study fills this gap by describing the probabilities that children who fit certain profiles will be repeat victims and implies that it is possible to identify and screen individual and family factors who are at high risk of repeated victimization. Using the 2009-2010 Child Victimization Survey, we analyzed data from 14,564 Chinese adolescents aged 14-18 years from five major cities in China. We employed a multinomial logit regression model, using child victimization as the dependent variable and demographic factors as independent variables. We identified the top 1% of the most vulnerable cases and summarized their demographic characteristics. Our analysis revealed that older boys with siblings in the same household whose mothers' education was below average were the most vulnerable to one-time victimization. Further, boys with siblings whose parents were less-educated than average, unemployed, and unmarried were the most vulnerable to repeated victimization. This study has vast practical implications, including different ways to confront the problem of repeated child victimization (both practically and in the literature), develop a quick screening tool, and apply cost-effective prevention and interventions in China.

Effects of childhood adversity trajectories on mental health outcomes in late adolescence: The buffering role of parenting practices in Taiwan

BACKGROUND

Childhood adversities (CAs) have been linked with unfavorable development; however, the chronic trajectories of multiple CAs and possible heterogeneous effects are understudied.

OBJECTIVES

This study examined the trajectories of multiple CAs and their associations with mental health outcomes in adolescence and investigated the buffering effect of parenting practices.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

We used population-representative data from the Taiwan Education Panel Survey (2005 and 2007, n = 10,416).

METHODS

This study was based on retrospectively self-reporting of six CAs, namely physical abuse, family economic hardship, parental problematic drinking, parental catastrophic health problems, parental divorce, and parental death, at three developmental periods: early childhood, middle childhood, and early adolescence. Group-based multitrajectory modeling and multiple regressions were used to identify distinct trajectories of multiple CAs and evaluate the association estimates.

RESULTS

A total of four trajectory groups were identified: increasing family economic hardship (12.3 %), chronic physical abuse (3.3 %), chronic parental problematic drinking (2.8 %), and low adversity (81.6 %). The chronic physical abuse group had the highest levels of depressive symptoms (β = 6.61, p < .001) and suicidal ideation (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] = 2.67, p < .001), whereas the chronic parental problematic drinking group had the highest level of substance abuse (AOR = 4.59, p < .001). Positive parental practices buffered the harmful effects of increasing family economic hardship in late adolescence, particularly for depressive symptoms and substance abuse.

CONCLUSIONS

Adverse mental health outcomes varied among groups with distinct multiple CA trajectories. The provision of social services to train or support positive parenting practices in families experiencing economic hardship is a potentially valuable resilience strategy.

Health effects of repeated victimization among school-aged adolescents in six major cities in China

BACKGROUND

Child victimization is a public health concern in China. Existing studies documented associations between victimization and negative health effects, while cumulative health effects of repeated victimization have attracted relatively little attention from scholars.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the health effects of various types of repeated victimization by using a large representative sample of school children in six major cities in China.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

This study used data from a large representative sample of 18,452 Chinese adolescents aged 15-17 from six cities, Tianjin, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Xi'an, Wuhan, and Hong Kong.

METHODS

We carried out a two-stage data analysis in this study, including descriptive statistics to describe the prevalence of repeated victimization, and multiple analysis of variance (MANOVA) to examine the health consequences of repeated victimization.

RESULTS

27.54% of respondents experienced one-time victimization, and 44.26% suffered repeated victimizations, and those adolescents with repeated victimization reported significantly higher levels of depression and lower levels of self-esteem and overall health when compared to those with one-time victimization and those without victimization experience.

CONCLUSIONS

Experiences of repeated victimization can have much stronger associations with negative health outcomes when compared to experiences of one-time victimization. Promoting awareness of both the severity and repetition of victimization and designing integrative screening tool could be meaningful strategies to address the issue of child victimization in China.

Improving measurement of child abuse and neglect: A systematic review and analysis of national prevalence studies

OBJECTIVES

Child maltreatment through physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, neglect, and exposure to domestic violence, causes substantial adverse health, educational and behavioural consequences through the lifespan. The generation of reliable data on the prevalence and characteristics of child maltreatment in nationwide populations is essential to plan and evaluate public health interventions to reduce maltreatment. Measurement of child maltreatment must overcome numerous methodological challenges. Little is known to date about the extent, nature and methodological quality of these national studies. This study aimed to systematically review the most comprehensive national studies of the prevalence of child maltreatment, and critically appraise their methodologies to help inform the design of future studies.

METHODS

Guided by PRISMA and following a published protocol, we searched 22 databases from inception to 31 May 2019 to identify nationwide studies of the prevalence of either all five or at least four forms of child maltreatment. We conducted a formal quality assessment and critical analysis of study design.

RESULTS

This review identified 30 national prevalence studies of all five or at least four forms of child maltreatment, in 22 countries. While sound approaches are available for different settings, methodologies varied widely in nature and robustness. Some instruments are more reliable and obtain more detailed and useful information about the characteristics of the maltreatment, including its nature, frequency, and the relationship between the child and the person who inflicted the maltreatment. Almost all studies had limitations, especially in the level of detail captured about maltreatment, and the adequacy of constructs of maltreatment types.

CONCLUSIONS

Countries must invest in rigorous national studies of the prevalence of child maltreatment. Studies should use a sound instrument containing appropriate maltreatment constructs, and obtain nuanced information about its nature.

Childhood poly-victimization and children's health: A nationally representative study

BACKGROUND

Although research on the negative effects of childhood poly-victimization is substantial, few studies have examined the relationship between poly-victimization and younger children's physical health and diseases.

OBJECTIVE

This study examines the associations between poly-victimization and children's health problems requiring medical attention.

METHODS

A national stratified cluster random sampling was used to select and approach 25% of the total primary schools in Taiwan, and 49% of the approached schools agreed to participate in this study. We collected data with a self-report questionnaire from 6233 (4th-grade) students aged 10-11, covering every city and county in Taiwan.

RESULTS

Logistic regression analyses demonstrate a significant dose-response relationship between children's poly-victimization exposure and their health problems including hospitalization, serious injury, surgery, daily-medication requirements, heart murmurs, asthma, dizziness or fainting, allergies, kidney disease, therapies for special needs, smoking, and alcohol use. The results indicate that children's risk of having a health problem grew significantly with each increase in the number of victimization types that children experienced.

CONCLUSIONS

These research findings underscore the effect of poly-victimization on children's health problems requiring medical attention, and stress the need for both proper screening methods for children's exposure to poly-victimization and stronger awareness of poly-victimization's effects on health conditions in healthcare clinics.