Coping strategies of school-going adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic in the climate vulnerable Manafwa watershed, Uganda

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted daily life, economies, and health, prompting strict government measures, including nationwide lockdowns and school closures in Uganda, resulting in significant academic setbacks for adolescents. The coping strategies employed by school-going adolescents in Uganda amidst the COVID-19 pandemic remain inadequately understood. This study aimed to assess the coping strategies adopted by school-going adolescents (early, middle and late adolescents) in the Manafwa watershed, recognized as one of Uganda's most vulnerable regions, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

A cross sectional study design was conducted from I5th May, 2023 to 30th June, 2023 on 762 school going adolescents from government-aided secondary schools within the Manafwa watershed area. The adolescent version of the KidCope tool was used to evaluate adolescents' coping strategies. Factor analysis identified correlations among adolescents' coping strategies. Independent Samples t-Test and One-Way Variance of Analysis (ANOVA) was used for comparing the mean score differences of the coping strategies among the gender and adolescents' stages respectively.

RESULTS

Majority (n = 141, 36.2%) of the participants employed adaptive coping followed by negative-emotion coping (n = 127, 32.6%) and avoidant coping (n = 122, 31.3%). Females employed statistically higher resignation as a coping strategy compared to males, (mean of 1.2 vs. 1.0, respectively; P = 0.026). A higher proportion (n = 88, 69.3%) of middle age adolescents employed negative-emotion regulation (P-value = 0.040). However, those in early adolescence significantly utilized distraction as a coping strategy more than those in middle adolescence (mean difference = 0.36, p = 0.013).

CONCLUSION

During the pandemic, majority of school-going adolescents employed adaptive coping mechanisms, including positive emotional regulation and social support. However, compared to males, females employed resignation more frequently. Moreover, middle-aged adolescents had a greater propensity for negative emotion copying. Findings from this study contribute valuable information for the development of targeted interventions and support mechanisms for adolescents facing unprecedented challenges.

Coping strategies and its relationship with sexual dysfunction in adults receiving haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis: A cross-sectional study

AIM

To explore relationship coping strategies and sexual dysfunction, and the predictive factors of sexual dysfunction in adults receiving haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis.

BACKGROUND

Sexual dysfunction is a common problem in adults receiving haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. This problem may be related to psychological and physiological conditions. However, the association between psychological conditions such as coping strategies and sexual dysfunction is not clearly understood.

DESIGN

This study is a cross-sectional study.

METHODS

The data were collected from November 2021 to July 2022 using the General Information Form, Arizona Sexual Experiences Scale: Female and Male Versions, and the Ways of Coping Inventory. Correlation and multiple regression analyses were conducted to investigate the relationship between coping strategies and sexual dysfunction.

REPORTING METHOD

STROBE checklist.

RESULTS

A total of 110 adults, 67 on haemodialysis and 43 on peritoneal dialysis, who met the eligibility criteria were included in this study. The optimistic, helpless and submissive approach sub-dimensions of coping strategies had positive correlation with sexual dysfunction in adults receiving haemodialysis. Among the sub-dimensions of the ways of coping inventory, helpless approach was positive predictor and seeking social support was negative predictor of sexual dysfunction in adults receiving haemodialysis. The coping strategies were not predictors of sexual dysfunction for adults receiving peritoneal dialysis.

CONCLUSIONS

This study showed that helpless coping strategy increases sexual dysfunction, and seeking social support decreases sexual dysfunction in haemodialysis.

IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND/OR PATIENT CARE

According to this study, social support is effective coping strategy for reducing sexual dysfunction. Education and support for effective coping strategies should be provided to dialysis patients by healthcare professionals at the start of dialysis treatment. Effective coping strategies should be integrated into routine care standards and nursing or hospital policies.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

Adults receiving haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis were involved in this study.

Purpose maintained: Adverse childhood experiences and meaning in life

OBJECTIVE

Three studies examined the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and meaning in life, focusing on the facets of meaning-coherence, significance, and purpose.

METHOD

In Study 1 (N = 1804), college students rated adverse childhood experiences, global meaning in life, and its facets. In Study 2 (N = 822), noncollege adults rated childhood trauma, meaning in life facets, attachment style, mood, and neuroticism. In Study 3 (N = 380) college students wrote about a positive and negative childhood memory, rating the facets of meaning immediately after each writing task.

RESULTS

In Studies 1-2, at the level of zero-order correlations, adverse childhood experiences related negatively to coherence, significance, and purpose. Controlling for the other facets, adverse childhood experiences remained negatively related to coherence and significance but were unrelated to purpose. Negative relationships between adverse childhood experiences and coherence and significance maintained controlling for covariates (Study 2). In Study 3, the predicted 3-way interaction showed that after recalling a negative childhood memory, adverse childhood experiences predicted lower significance and coherence but higher purpose.

CONCLUSIONS

Adverse childhood experiences consistently predict lower feelings of coherence and significance but, accounting for these associations, are unrelated to purpose. Purpose may represent a motivational strength emerging out of childhood adversity.

Exposure to negative life events, change in their perceived impact, and subsequent well-being among U.S. adults: A longitudinal outcome-wide analysis

OBJECTIVE

Negative life events have the potential to undermine an individual's ability to function and thrive, but less is known about the implications of changes in subjective appraisals of those events for long-term well-being. This research examines how exposure to negative life events and subsequent changes in the perceived impact of those events are related to longer-term well-being in adulthood.

METHOD

Drawing on three waves of data from the Midlife in the United States study (M1: 1995-1996, M2: 2004-2006, M3: 2013-2014), we applied the analytic template for outcome-wide longitudinal designs to investigate associations of (a) negative life event exposure between M1 and M2 and (b) change in the perceived impact of negative life event exposure assessed at M2 with 25 outcomes across several domains of well-being assessed approximately 9 years later at M3: psychological distress, psychological well-being, social well-being, prosociality, physical health, and health behavior.

RESULTS

Whereas negative life event exposure was associated with worse subsequent well-being on selected outcomes (5/25 in total) in some domains, positive change in the perceived impact of negative life event exposure was associated with better well-being on one or more outcomes in most domains (11/25 in total). Effect sizes in both sets of analyses were generally small, with more consistent associations found for psychological and social outcomes.

CONCLUSION

Subjective appraisals of negative life events (particularly positive changes in those appraisals over time) may be more closely related to individual well-being in the long run than mere exposure to negative life events themselves. The findings bring attention to the possibility that positive changes in a person's subjective appraisal of negative life events could have beneficial consequences for long-term well-being.

How does social support relate to emotional availability for learning during COVID-19? A multi-group structural equation model of university students from the U.S. and Israel

Given the social and emotional tolls of the COVID-19 pandemic on college and university students, many students have become academically disengaged during the pandemic. Although some colleges and universities have the capacity to promote social support for their students, research has yet to comprehensively demonstrate the relationship between social support and academic engagement. To fill this gap, we leverage survey results from four universities across the United States and Israel. Through multi-group structural equation modelling, we explore (a) how perceived social support relates to being emotionally unavailable for learning, (b) how this relationship is partially explained through coping and COVID-19 concerns, and (c) how these relationships can differ across countries. We find that students who perceived higher levels of social support had lower rates of being emotionally unavailable for learning. Part of this relationship occurred through greater rates of coping and, subsequently, fewer concerns about the pandemic. We also noticed significant differences in these relationships between countries. We conclude with a discussion of study implications for higher education policies and practices.

Meaning in Life and Coping With Everyday Stressors

Meaning in life (MIL) has been proposed to improve coping and resilience. Yet MIL's association with coping has primarily been investigated in the context of extreme stressors and trauma, often using varied measures of MIL. Is MIL associated with varied coping strategies, coping self-efficacy, and distress in relation to commonly experienced, everyday challenges? Using diverse methodological designs, five studies (total N = 1,646) investigated the association between MIL and coping strategies/appraisals pertaining to varied challenging, stressful events. Across recalled (Studies 1 and 2), anticipated (Study 3), and experienced stressors (Studies 3-5), MIL was consistently associated with positive reinterpretation, proactive planning, coping self-efficacy, and stress. MIL was inconsistently related to threat/emotion-coping.

Coping with Stress During the COVID-19 Outbreak: The Contribution of Self-Control Skills and Religiosity in Arab Israeli-Palestinian Students in Israel

The reported high rates of deaths and negative psychological outcomes of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic have led to an increased empirical interest in examining the contributing factors of coping during the COVID-19 pandemic. Adolescents living in Arab societies have unique challenges that may increase the likelihood of exhibiting symptoms of stress during this crisis. However, this population has been understudied in this context. The current research aims to elucidate factors that may contribute to Arab Israeli-Palestinian students' coping abilities during the COVID-19 pandemic by investigating the relationship between coping with stress during the COVID-19 outbreak and both self-control and religiosity. To our knowledge, the present study is the first to investigate the relationship of coping with stress during the COVID-19 outbreak with self-control skills and religiosity among Arab Israeli-Palestinian college students in Israel (n = 465). Correlational analyses and stepwise multiple regression models were used to examine these relationships. The stepwise multiple regression model demonstrated that (1) higher levels of self-control (β = .19, p < .01) and religiosity (β = .16, p < .01) predicted higher levels of adaptive, problem-focused coping, and (2) higher levels of self-control (β = -.21, p < .01) and religiosity (β = -.17, p < .01) predicted lower levels of maladaptive, emotion-focused coping. Thus, the current research demonstrates the importance of these variables in countering stress resulting from the COVID-19 outbreak in non-Western societies. These findings are consistent with previous literature that has addressed the impact of self-control and religiosity in improving coping behaviours in Western societies.

How does psychological capital lead to better well-being for students? The roles of family support and problem-focused coping

Recent studies have shifted the attention on the beneficial role of psychological capital from workplace to academic contexts. Moreover, the mediating role of psychological capital in the effect of social support on student outcomes remains unknown. This topic has become more imperative under the pandemic. The current study aimed to investigate the impact of psychological capital on students' well-being with family support as an antecedent and problem-focused coping as a mediator. Two hundred and eighty-one students completed the questionnaire at two time points. Results of the cross-lagged mediation analysis showed that family support positively predicted psychological capital, psychological capital positively predicted problem-focused coping, and problem-focused coping predicted well-being. Moreover, the chain mediation path between family support and well-being via psychological capital and problem-focused coping was significant. The current findings identify the antecedent and underlying mechanism behind the relationship between psychological capital and well-being, providing insights into psychological capital interventions for students.

An international study on psychological coping during COVID-19: Towards a meaning-centered coping style

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE

This study examined the role of different psychological coping mechanisms in mental and physical health during the initial phases of the COVID-19 crisis with an emphasis on meaning-centered coping.

METHOD

A total of 11,227 people from 30 countries across all continents participated in the study and completed measures of psychological distress (depression, stress, and anxiety), loneliness, well-being, and physical health, together with measures of problem-focused and emotion-focused coping, and a measure called the Meaning-centered Coping Scale (MCCS) that was developed in the present study. Validation analyses of the MCCS were performed in all countries, and data were assessed by multilevel modeling (MLM).

RESULTS

The MCCS showed a robust one-factor structure in 30 countries with good test-retest, concurrent and divergent validity results. MLM analyses showed mixed results regarding emotion and problem-focused coping strategies. However, the MCCS was the strongest positive predictor of physical and mental health among all coping strategies, independently of demographic characteristics and country-level variables.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings suggest that the MCCS is a valid measure to assess meaning-centered coping. The results also call for policies promoting effective coping to mitigate collective suffering during the pandemic.

Meaning Making for Psychological Adjustment and Quality of Life in Older Long-Term Breast Cancer Survivors

Objectives: This study aims to explore in depth the meaning and meaning discrepancies among older Norwegian breast cancer survivors in light of the meaning making model by Park (2013).

Design: We utilized a qualitative design collecting data using semi-structured interviews of 23 elderly breast cancer survivors 7–8 years after treatment. The interviews followed an interview guide structured along three main themes: “everyday life activities,” “follow-up-care experiences” and “health status and QoL.”

Results: Several health problems were reported by the women in the aftermaths of the disease, such as sleeping problems, pain, and fatigue—including cognitive and emotional impairments. Meaning discrepancies were concentrated on six main themes: shifting perspectives and priorities, growing sense of autonomy, widening the limits of normality, dissociating oneself from the disease, embracing alternative health services, and feeling lucky. The women engaged in a wide range of coping techniques as efforts to change global meaning, and to develop a more positive view on the cancer experience. Common coping efforts across the six main themes were social comparison, denial, positive reappraisal, problem-focused coping, and revaluing ordinary events.

Conclusion: Many cancer patients report on unmet needs for help with their meaning making, and the facilitation of meaning making processes is rarely included in the follow-up care of cancer survivors. The findings of the present study may help health care professionals provide care for women who have experienced breast cancer. The concrete knowledge of common coping efforts in the meaning making process may contribute to the development of future interventions and for gaining a deeper understanding for older survivors of breast cancer.

Two birds with one stone.-Addressing depressive symptoms, emotional tension and worry improves tinnitus-related distress and affective pain perceptions in patients with chronic tinnitus

BACKGROUND

Psychological factors link the co-occurrence of tinnitus-related distress and pain perceptions in patients with chronic tinnitus.

OBJECTIVE

This study examines, if treatment-related changes in these factors ameliorate both tinnitus-related distress and pain perceptions in a sample of patients with chronic tinnitus.

METHODS

N = 1238 patients with chronic tinnitus provided pre- and post-treatment ratings of tinnitus-related distress and affective or sensory pain perceptions alongside measures of depressive symptoms and perceived stress. Treatment comprised an intensive tinnitus-specific multimodal treatment program. Using serial indirect-effects analyses, we examined association patterns between baseline values and change rates of those variables that were found to respond to treatment.

RESULTS

Small effect sizes emerged for changes in tinnitus-related distress, affective (but not sensory) pain perceptions, depressive symptoms, emotional tension and worry. At pre- or post-treatment respectively, baseline values and change rates intercorrelated. Across timepoints, (1) baseline tinnitus-related distress and affective pain perceptions were positively associated with improvements in tinnitus-related distress, affective pain perceptions and depressive symptoms. (2) Baseline depressive symptoms or emotional tension mediated positive associations between baseline tinnitus-related distress and improvement in affective pain perceptions. (3) Change in depressive symptoms mediated the effect of baseline tinnitus-related distress on change in affective pain perceptions-partly through associated change in emotional tension or worry. Mood-independent aspects of emotional tension were negatively associated with improvement in affective pain perceptions.

CONCLUSIONS

Depressive symptoms, emotional tension and worry emerge as key predictors of treatment response and transdiagnostic treatment targets for alleviating tinnitus-related distress and functionally associated affective pain perceptions.

Coping strategies, cyberbullying behaviors, and depression among Chinese netizens during the COVID-19 pandemic: a web-based nationwide survey

BACKGROUND

As a major life stressor now, the COVID-19 pandemic could substantially increase risks of cyberbullying and depression for global people, especially in the context of increased digital interconnectedness and strict social distancing. Though people are adopting different coping strategies, still little is known about their cyberbullying and depression and how the two associated with coping strategies.

METHODS

A web-based nationwide questionnaire survey was conducted among 5,608 netizens during the peak time of COVID-19 in China. The study collected cross-sectional data on participants' coping strategies, general cyberbullying behaviors, cyberbullying behaviors specifically to residents of Hubei Province where first COVID-19 case was reported, and depression.

RESULTS

A two-factor structure applied to participants' coping strategies, namely problem-focused coping and emotion-focused coping, and the former was more adopted. There existed gender, age, education, and income differences in the coping strategies. Problem-focused coping was associated with less cyberbullying behaviors while had no correlation with depression; emotion-focused coping was found positively correlated with cyberbullying and depression. The association between emotion-focused coping and depression was mediated by cyberbullying.

LIMITATIONS

The study used cross-sectional design, and its findings should be cautioned to be generalized to other countries, due to the differences in culture, stage of crisis, and government policies on COVID-19.

CONCLUSIONS

Problem-focused coping was associated with less cyberbullying, and emotion-focused coping predicted cyberbullying and depression. Cyberbullying mediated the correlation between emotion-focused coping and depression. These findings provide new perspectives for interventions on people's coping strategies towards COVID-19 pandemic.

Coping with Stress During the Coronavirus Outbreak: the Contribution of Big Five Personality Traits and Social Support

This study investigated the relationships between active, problem-focused, and maladaptive coping with stress during the Coronavirus outbreak, the Big Five personality traits, and social support among Israeli-Palestinian college students (n = 625). Emotion-focused coping negatively correlated with social support, openness, extraversion, conscientiousness, and agreeableness, while it positively correlated with neuroticism. On the other hand, problem-focused coping was found to positively correlate with social support, openness, extraversion, conscientiousness, and agreeableness, but negatively correlate with neuroticism. Thus, positive social support may increase one's ability to cope actively, adaptively, and efficiently. In addition, Israeli-Palestinian college students high in openness, extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness tend to use active problem-focused coping while those high in neuroticism tend to use maladaptive emotion-focused coping.

Risk Perception of COVID-19, Meaning-Based Resources and Psychological Well-Being amongst Healthcare Personnel: The Mediating Role of Coping

The well-being of healthcare personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic depends on the ways in which they perceive the threat posed by the virus, personal resources, and coping abilities. The current study aims to examine the mediating role of coping strategies in the relationship between risk perception of COVID-19 and psychological well-being, as well as the relationship between meaning-based resources and psychological well-being amongst healthcare personnel in southern Poland. Two hundred and twenty-six healthcare personnel who worked in hospitals, outpatient clinics, and medical laboratories during the first few months of the coronavirus pandemic (March–May 2020) filled in questionnaires measuring risk perception of COVID-19, meaning-based resources, coping, and psychological well-being. The results demonstrate that risk perception was negatively related to psychological well-being, whereas meaning-based resources were positively associated with well-being. Two coping strategies—problem-focused and meaning-focused coping—mediated the relationship between risk perception and psychological well-being as well as the relationship between meaning-based resources and psychological well-being. This indicates that perception processes and personal factors do not directly influence healthcare personnel’s psychological well-being, but rather they do indirectly through coping processes.

Adaptive capacity of midwives participating in pregnancy termination procedures: Polish experience

A cross-sectional study was conducted in 181 midwives working in hospitals in Poland. The midwives completed professional psychological tests (CISS questionnaire, EPQ-R questionnaire, OLBI questionnaire) and a questionnaire developed for this study. Midwives participating in pregnancy termination procedures most commonly used the task-oriented coping style. The emotion-oriented coping style was positively related to burnout in the group which performed pregnancy terminations. The analysis showed that the higher the indices of neuroticism, the greater the severity of burnout in both groups. The results indicate the need to conduct an initial assessment of personality resources when employing midwives to the wards.

Emotion Regulation Tendencies and Leadership Performance: An Examination of Cognitive and Behavioral Regulation Strategies

Emotion regulation is advocated to be an important factor underlying effective leadership given the task demands and interpersonal stressors facing organizational leaders. Despite the recognition of emotion regulation processes in leadership literature, there is a need for additional theorizing and empirical research on the specific cognitive and behavioral strategies utilized by leaders. This effort attempts to address this gap by examining individual tendencies in four emotion regulation strategies, situation modification, attentional deployment, cognitive reappraisal, and suppression, and their association with leadership task performance. Using an undergraduate student sample, this correlational study assessed the relationship between emotion regulation tendencies and performance in emotionally-relevant domains of leadership. Results provide partial support, suggesting that situation modification and cognitive reappraisal are positively related to leadership performance, whereas suppression was found to relate negatively with performance. Emotion regulation strategies were also found to account for variance in leadership performance above and beyond other emotion-related individual differences. Taken together, these findings suggest that certain regulation processes may be more functional for leaders and extend emotion regulation research in the leadership domain. Theoretical and practical implications of this study are discussed.

The role of meaning in gastric cancer patients: relationships among meaning structures, coping, and psychological well-being

Background and Objectives: Research demonstrates that the experience of cancer invariably violates patients' meaning structures, prompting them to use coping strategies to alleviate stress and enhance well-being. The current study aimed to examine the mediating effects of coping strategies in the relationship between global and situational meaning and psychological well-being in gastric cancer patients. Design and Method: One hundred eighty-seven patients (96 women and 91 men) with gastric cancer completed questionnaires measuring meaning in life, changes of beliefs and goals, coping, and psychological well-being. Participants were between 27 and 82 years of age. They were diagnosed with gastric cancer from 1 to 3.2 years ago. Using Structural Equation Modeling, both the direct and indirect associations between meaning structures, coping, and psychological well-being were examined. Results: Meaning in life exerted significant indirect effects on psychological well-being through three coping strategies: problem-, emotion-, and meaning-focused. The relationship between changes of beliefs and goals and psychological well-being was also mediated by coping. Conclusions: Findings suggest that coping strategies are mediators in the relationship between global and situational meaning and psychological well-being. They also provide empirical evidence that in severe cancer-related stress conditions both meaning structures and coping strategies influence patients' psychological well-being.

How trauma influences cardiovascular responses to stress: contributions of posttraumatic stress and cognitive appraisals

Mechanisms for the association between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and cardiovascular diseases remain poorly understood. The present study examined associations among PTSD symptoms, appraisals of a current stressor, baseline cardiovascular indices, and cardiovascular responses to the stressor, including appraisals as a potential mediator of PTSD symptoms and cardiovascular responses. A sample of 125 undergraduates provided information about demographics, physical health, trauma history, and PTSD symptoms. Weight, height, blood pressure (BP), and heart rate (HR) measurements were obtained. During a modified Trier Social Stress Task, appraisals of the stressor were assessed and BP and HR were measured again. Findings suggest that PTSD symptoms are associated with current physical health (resting BP and HR) and more negative appraisals of the stressor; in turn, more negative appraisals were associated with increases in cardiovascular response. In particular, threat appraisal mediated the relationship between PTSD symptoms and increases in systolic BP response.

Hispanic Male Cancer Survivors’ Coping Strategies

Cancer survivors manage their new status using a multitude of coping mechanisms. Coping strategies vary by individual, but are also socioculturally mediated. Scarce evidence on coping strategies adopted by Hispanic male cancer survivors (HMCS) is available to date. The purpose of this study was to explore the reaction to diagnosis and subsequent coping strategies employed by HMCS. Data were gathered through focus groups ( n = 18), cognitive interviews ( n = 12), and phone interviews ( n = 84). Coping strategies included positive attitudes, humor, optimism and social support, use of home remedies, lifestyle changes, and faith. Findings are consistent with research on non-cancer-related coping showing that HMCS use active coping strategies, such as religion and support from family and friends. The analysis of existing strategies and needs points to the need to develop evidence-based psychosocial services that build on strengths and coping behaviors already employed by HMCS.

Blogs Written by Families During Their Child's Hospitalization: A Thematic Narrative Analysis

PURPOSE

To identify stressors experienced by parents whose child is hospitalized in an intensive care unit, and identify coping mechanisms utilized to ameliorate those stressors.

DESIGN AND METHODS

Using Lazarus and Folkman's Transactional Model of Stress and Coping as a framework, 20 publicly available blogs written by parents while their child was a patient in intensive care were analyzed using thematic analysis techniques. Stressors and coping techniques were identified, and grouped by theme for further analysis.

RESULTS

The most frequently noted types of stressors were related to information; both knowing and not knowing information related to their child's condition was reported as stressful, as well as waiting for information and when the information was not what was expected. Reframing was the emotion-focused technique most often identified by the parents, and seeking support was the most frequently noted problem-focused coping mechanism.

CONCLUSIONS

Illness blogs represent a rich source of information regarding the experiences of families with a child in the hospital. Parents transitioned from more emotion-focused coping strategies to problem-focused strategies during their child's hospital stay.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

When nurses give information to parents, they should be aware that knowing information can be stressful as well as not knowing, and care should be taken to provide support for parents after information is given. Nurses can also help parents identify sources of support. Writing about their experiences, either online or in a journal, may help parents cope in stressful situations.

Correlates of child abuse potential among African American and latina mothers: A developmental-ecological perspective

The child victimization rate in the US has rapidly grown over the past five years. Today, nine out of every 1000 children are victims of some type of child maltreatment, and lifetime costs of child victimization exceed $100 billion per year. Effective policies promoting fairness and child safety must target the most salient indicators of child maltreatment. In this study, we examined three groups of risk factors for child abuse potential with the goal of identifying the most prominent indicators in a sample of 170 African-American and Latina mothers. Specifically, we analyzed the effect of socio-demographic variables (e.g., SES), child-specific behaviors, maternal trauma and corresponding psychological sequelae on child abuse potential. Variables from all three groups were significantly associated with child abuse potential with maternal SES, alexithymia, depression, and child self-control as well as internalizing behaviors having the largest effects. All factors combined captured over 50% of the variation in child abuse potential. The results highlight the need for programs that not only address the financial needs of low SES mothers, but also the mental health outcomes correlated with low SES. Particular emphasis should also be placed on interventions that address children's social needs, specifically their socio-emotional functioning.