Child Abuse Negl Research Articles

Mental health impacts of interpersonal violence in sports

Mental health impacts of interpersonal violence in sports

Research in Child Protection Against Abuse and Neglect: at the crossroads of analysis, strategy, and policy

Research in Child Protection Against Abuse and Neglect: at the crossroads of analysis, strategy, and policy

Assessing the Toxic Levels in Parenting Behavior and Coping Strategies Implemented During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Assessing the Toxic Levels in Parenting Behavior and Coping Strategies Implemented During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The Importance of Sexuality Education for Children With and Without Intellectual Disabilities: What Parents Think

Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) experience much higher rates of forced sexual interactions than non-disabled individuals, with incidence ranges from 44% in children (Ballan in J Autism Dev Disord 42:676–684, 2012; Kvam in Child Abuse Negl 24:1073–1084, 2000; van der Put et al. in J Intellect Disabil Res 58:979–991, 2014) to 83% in adults (Johnson and Sigler in J Fam Violence 15:95–108, 2000). These incidents may be perpetrated by others with disabilities (van der Put et al. in J Intellect Disabil Res 58:979–991, 2014) or, more frequently, by caregivers or others known to the individual. This may be the case because individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD)—especially those with very low IQs—tend to receive little by way of sex education. This study assessed parental beliefs of sexuality education needs of children with and without disabilities through an online survey comprised of questions about the parents, their child, and their attitudes about their child’s sexuality. Results showed that parents of children with IDD are less likely to believe their children will have consensual or non-consensual sex before age 18 than parents of children without IDD, but favor sexuality education for their children, with parents preferring to provide it themselves, with the assistance of or through preparation by workshop with a professional. These finding are discussed in the context of implications for intervention and increasing options for sexuality education for learners with IDD.

Traumatic Experiences in Individuals With Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Individuals with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) are excessively concerned about perceived defects in their appearance (e.g., blemishes on their skin). BDD is a severe mental disorder often associated with increased suicidality as well as significant social and occupational interference (e.g., J Clin Psychiatry 2005;66:717-725). Recently, investigators have begun to explore variables that might function as risk factors in the development of BDD, such as traumatic experiences (e.g., Child Abuse Negl 2006;30:1105-1115). As such, one of the goals of the current study was to examine the role of early-life sexual, physical, or emotional abuse in BDD. Specifically, the Traumatic Stress Institute Life Event Questionnaire (Treat Abuse Today 1992;2:9-11) was used to examine whether individuals with BDD (n = 18) self-reported having experienced more traumatic events than mentally healthy controls (n = 19). The BDD group reported more retrospective experiences of sexual and physical abuse in childhood or adolescence than did healthy controls. Surprisingly, there was no significant group difference in reports of emotional abuse in early life. This study provides preliminary evidence of the importance of examining abuse as a potential risk factor in the development of BDD.

Midwifery practice and childhood sexual abuse: CSA, birth and powerlessness

British Journal of MidwiferyVol. 19, No. 11 Book ReviewMidwifery practice and childhood sexual abuse: CSA, birth and powerlessnessElsa MontgomeryElsa MontgomerySearch for more papers by this authorElsa MontgomeryPublished Online:16 Aug 2013https://doi.org/10.12968/bjom.2011.19.11.746AboutSectionsView articleView Full TextPDF/EPUB ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail View article References Aldcroft D (2001) A guide to providing care for survivors of child sex abuse. BJM 9(2): 81–5 Google ScholarFinkelhor D, Browne A (1985) The traumatic impact of childhood sexual abuse: A conceptualization. Am J Orthopsychiatry 55(4): 530–41 Crossref, Google ScholarGarratt L (2002) Maternity care of survivors of sexual abuse. MIDIRS Midwifery Digest 12(1): 26–8 Google ScholarGutteridge K (2001) Failing women: the impact of sexual abuse on childbirth. BJM 9(5): 312–5 Google ScholarMay-Chahal C, Cawson P (2005) Measuring child maltreatment in the United Kingdom: A study of the prevalence of child abuse and neglect. Child Abuse Negl 29(9): 969–84 Crossref, Google ScholarRose A (1992) Effects of childhood sexual abuse on childbirth: one woman’s story. Birth 19(4): 214–18 Crossref, Google ScholarRouf K (1999) Child sexual abuse and pregnancy: a personal account. Pract Midwife 2(6): 29–31 Google ScholarSmith M (1998) Childbirth in women with a history of sexual abuse (I): A case history approach. Pract Midwife 1(6): 20–3 Google Scholar FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails 1 November 2011Volume 19Issue 11ISSN (print): 0969-4900ISSN (online): 2052-4307 Metrics History Published online 16 August 2013 Published in print 1 November 2011 Information© MA Healthcare LimitedPDF download

Pregnancy complications in women with childhood sexual abuse experiences

Objective Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) has an estimated prevalence of 20% and has a constantly growing list of known long-term consequences on physical as well as psychological health which may also influence obstetrical care attributed to it. However, scientific data on the association of CSA and pregnancy are sparse. Therefore, the study investigated pregnancy complications in women exposed to CSA. Methods The study was designed as a cohort study comparing 85 women exposed to CSA with 170 matched unexposed women. CSA was identified by interview using modified questions from Wyatt [ Child Abuse Negl 9 (1985) 507–519]. Data on pregnancy complications were collected by questionnaire and based on entries in a booklet ( Mutterpass) in which all relevant data on pregnancy are documented at each prenatal consultation for any women attending prenatal care in Germany. Statistical analysis was performed with chi square, Fisher's Exact Test, and multiple logistic regression analysis to control the association between CSA and pregnancy complications for confounders significant in univariate analysis, i.e., physical abuse, other adverse experiences during childhood, abuse during pregnancy, substance abuse, and occupation. Results Women exposed to CSA were significantly more often hospitalized during pregnancy (41.2%/19.4%; OR 2.91, CI 1.64–5.17). They presented more often complications such as premature contractions (38.8%/20%; OR 2.54 CI 1.43–4.51), cervical insufficiency (25.9%/9.4%; OR 3.36, CI 1.65–6.82), and premature birth (18.8%/8.2%; OR 2.58, CI 1.19–5.59). Conclusion Therefore, health care providers should adapt prenatal care to the specific needs of women exposed to CSA.

Poly-Victimization and Risk of Posttraumatic, Depressive, and Substance Use Disorders and Involvement in Delinquency in a National Sample of Adolescents

Adolescents exposed to multiple forms of psychological trauma ("poly-victimization," Finkelhor et al. Child Abuse Negl 2007;31:7-26) may be at high risk for psychiatric and behavioral problems. This study empirically identifies trauma profiles in a national sample of adolescents to ascertain correlates of poly-victimization. Latent Class analyses and logistic regression analyses were used with data from the National Survey of Adolescents to identify trauma profiles and each profile's risk of posttraumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder, substance use disorders, and delinquency involvement and deviant peer group relationships. Poly-victimization classes were also compared to classes with trauma exposure of lesser complexity. Six mutually exclusive trauma profiles (latent classes) were identified. Four classes were characterized by high likelihood of poly-victimization, including abuse victims (8%), physical assault victims (9%), and community violence victims (15.5%). Poly-victimization class members, especially abuse and assault victims, were more likely than do youth traumatized by witnessing violence or exposure to disaster/accident trauma to have psychiatric diagnosis and (independent of psychiatric diagnoses or demographics) to be involved in delinquency with delinquent peers. Poly-victimization is prevalent among adolescents and places youth at high risk for psychiatric impairment and for delinquency. Moreover, poly-victimized youths' risk of delinquency cannot be fully accounted for by posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, or substance use problems, suggesting that adolescent healthcare providers should consider poly-victimization as a risk for behavioral and legal problems even when PTSD, depression, or addiction symptoms are not clinically significant.

Polytraumatization and psychological symptoms in children and adolescents

Previous research on the impact of traumatic experiences in children and adolescents has focused almost entirely on the effect of single trauma. Research on cumulative traumas has been lacking, but Finkelhor (Child Abuse Negl 31:7-26, 2007) has recently directed the attention to the concept of polyvictimization. As an extension of this concept, this study examined the impact of polytraumatization, operationalized as the number of different potentially traumatic events. The study population comprised two cross-sectional samples of school-aged children (n = 270) and adolescents (n = 400). Information of life-time incidence of traumatic events was collected by the life incidence of traumatic events (LITE), and psychological symptoms by the parent version of the strengths and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ) for the school children and the self-report trauma symptom checklist for children (TSCC) for the adolescents. We found that exposure to at least one traumatic event was common in both the samples (63% of the children and 89.5% of the adolescents). The number of different traumatic events, polytraumatization, was highly predictive of symptoms in both samples, and with a few exceptions surpassed the impact of specific events in exploratory analyses. We furthermore replicated previous findings of the important impact of interpersonal over non-interpersonal events on symptoms in both samples, and found an indication that this effect differed by gender in different manners in the two samples. This study emphasizes the significance of both the quantity of traumatic events, polytraumatization, as well as the quality, interpersonal events.

Impaired Reproduction of Three-Dimensional Objects by Cocaine-Dependent Subjects

Impaired Reproduction of Three-Dimensional Objects by Cocaine-Dependent Subjects

Empathy in individuals at risk for child physical abuse: The effects of victim's pain cues on aggression

Exposure of an aggressor to the suffering of his/her victim generally inhibits subsequent attacks [e.g., Baron, Aggression as a function of magnitude of victim's pain cues, level of prior anger arousal, and aggressor-victim similarity, J Pers Soc Psychol 18:48-54, 1971a], presumably because of an empathic process. Physically abusive parents and individuals at high-risk for child physical abuse are thought to present a deficit of empathy [e.g., Milner et al., Empathic responsiveness and affective reactivity to infant stimuli in high- and low-risk for physical child abuse mothers, Child Abuse Negl 19:767-780, 1995]. This study examined whether individuals at high-risk for child physical abuse show empathy and inhibit aggression when exposed to cues thought to be associated with victim suffering. Eighty undergraduate female students participated. A 2 x 2 factorial design based upon 2 levels of the participant's risk status (high, low) and 2 levels of victim's pain cues (present, absent) was employed. Findings suggest that high-risk participants in the pain cues condition selected higher intensities of shocks to aggress than high-risk participants in the absent cues condition. However, risk status was not associated with reports of personal distress or empathic concern. Aggress. Behav. 31:336-349, 2005.

Editorial: Two practitioner tasks—Interviewing children and assessing adults with eating disorders

Comment on: Childhood sexual and physical abuse as risk factors for the development of bulimia nervosa: a community-based case control study. Welch SL, Fairburn CG. Child Abuse Negl. 1996; 20(7):633-42. Language: en

Child Abuse in Saudi Arabia: Report of Ten Cases

Ten abused children under five years of age (four males, six females) were seen in King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSH&RC) between 1989G and 1992G. Two children died, five had serious injuries and three had moderately severe injuries. In one of the fatalities, the diagnosis was not suspected until four years after death, when her sister was diagnosed as a case of child abuse. Six children suffered varying degrees of physical neglect and abuse and sexual abuse. The remaining four children had Munchausen syndrome by proxy. Parentally induced illness should therefore be considered in the differential diagnosis of unusual illness with bizarre features, even if the parents' behavior appears normal.

Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy in a Saudi Child

Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy in a Saudi Child