Abuse Outcomes Research Articles

Assessing risk among women who perpetrate intimate partner abuse

ABSTRACT This paper presents a prospective evaluation of the predictive validity of three risk assessment instruments in a sample of Australian women identified by police as intimate partner abuse (IPA) perpetrators. Using a subsample from Spivak et al. (2020), 410 female IPA perpetrators were screened using the Victoria Police Screening Assessment for Family Violence Risk (VP-SAFvR) and evaluated alongside two samples of 60 and 229 female IPA perpetrators assessed using the Brief Spousal Assault Form for the Evaluation of Risk (B-SAFER) and a modified version of the Lethality Screen respectively. Of the three instruments, the VP-SAFvR possessed indicators of effective discrimination (i.e. sensitivity, specificity, area under the curve) and predictive validity (i.e. positive predictive value, negative predictive value) on general IPA recidivism and its intended outcome of family or intimate partner abuse. The B-SAFER risk judgement similarly predicted its intended outcome of physical IPA recidivism, with notable indicators of discrimination and predictive validity. The results of the Modified Lethality Screen were conversely mixed on measures of discrimination and prediction for its intended outcome of severe IPA. The current findings suggest that these instruments function consistently for women and men who are identified by police as perpetrating family or intimate partner abuse.

Disentangling the impact of poverty threshold and material hardship on child maltreatment: a mediating role of parenting aggravation

ABSTRACT To examine the role of subjective and objective poverty in relation to child maltreatment through parenting aggravation, the current study selected the biological mothers in wave 5 of the Future of Families & Child Wellbeing Study. The results showed that material hardship was consistently associated with all the child maltreatment outcomes through parenting aggravation, while only certain poverty threshold categories were related to physical abuse, neglect, and ever CPS involvement. Caregivers whose income is above 200% but experiencing more material hardship and those whose income is below 200% and experiencing more material hardship, showed a higher likelihood of child maltreatment.

Outcomes of elder abuse and neglect in Central Europe: exploring the link between EAN and well-being among non-institutionalized older adults

ABSTRACT Informed by existing gaps in the research of elder abuse and neglect (EAN) outcomes and very limited knowledge from Central-European cultural contexts, this paper analyzes the link between domestic-based EAN and three measures of well-being, namely subjective loneliness, sense of control over one’s life, and a broader outlook on life. To do this, we used recently (2022) collected EAN survey fielded among home-dwelling residents of the Czech Republic aged 65 + . The results show that there is a clear relationship between EAN and these selected outcomes. Controlling for several sets of potential modifying or confounding factors further indicates that this relationship is substantial and direct, rather than weak and indirect. Among controls, only variables related to disadvantage (health, income, dependency, history of abuse) partly account for the link between EAN and its outcomes due to their relation to both heightened risk of EAN and lower well-being.

Evaluating the real-world implementation of the Family Nurse Partnership in England: a data linkage study.

The Family Nurse Partnership is an intensive home visiting programme for adolescent mothers. We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the Family Nurse Partnership on outcomes up to age 7 using national administrative data. We created a linked cohort of all mothers aged 13-19 using data from health, educational and children's social care and defined mothers enrolled in the Family Nurse Partnership or not using Family Nurse Partnership system data. Propensity scores were used to create matched groups for analysis. One hundred and thirty-six local authorities in England with active Family Nurse Partnership sites between 2010 and 2017. Mothers aged 13-19 at last menstrual period with live births between April 2010 and March 2019, living in a Family Nurse Partnership catchment area and their firstborn child(ren). The Family Nurse Partnership includes up to 64 home visits by a family nurse from early pregnancy until the child's second birthday and is combined with usual health and social care. Controls received usual health and social care. Indicators of child maltreatment (hospital admissions for injury/maltreatment, referral to social care services); child health and development (hospital utilisation and education) outcomes and maternal hospital utilisation and educational outcomes up to 7 years following birth. Family Nurse Partnership Information System, Hospital Episode Statistics, National Pupil Database. Of 110,520 eligible mothers, 25,680 (23.2%) were enrolled in the Family Nurse Partnership. Enrolment rates varied across 122 sites (range: 11-68%). Areas with more eligible mothers had lower enrolment rates. Enrolment was higher among mothers aged 13-15 (52%), than 18-19 year-olds (21%). Indicators of child maltreatment: we found no evidence of an association between the Family Nurse Partnership and indicators of child maltreatment, except for an increased rate of unplanned admissions for maltreatment/injury-related diagnoses up to age 2 for children born to Family Nurse Partnership mothers (6.6% vs. 5.7%, relative risk 1.15; 95% confidence interval 1.07 to 1.24). Child health and developmental outcomes: there was weak evidence that children born to Family Nurse Partnership mothers were more likely to achieve a Good Level of Development at age 5 (57.5% vs. 55.4%, relative risk 1.05; 95% confidence interval 1.00 to 1.09). Maternal outcomes: There was some evidence that Family Nurse Partnership mothers were less likely to have a subsequent delivery within 18 months of the index birth (8.4% vs. 9.3%, relative risk 0.92; 95% confidence interval 0.88 to 0.97). Younger and more vulnerable mothers received higher numbers of visits and were more likely to achieve fidelity targets. Meeting the fidelity targets was associated with some outcomes. Bias by indication and variation in the intervention and usual care over time and between areas may have limited our ability to detect effects. Multiple testing may have led to spurious, significant results. This study supports findings from evaluations of the Family Nurse Partnership showing no evidence of benefit for maltreatment outcomes measured in administrative data. Amongst all the outcomes measured, we found weak evidence that the Family Nurse Partnership was associated with improvements in child development at school entry, a reduction in rapid repeat pregnancies and evidence of increased healthcare-seeking in the mother and child. Future evaluations should capture better measures of Family Nurse Partnership interventions and usual care, more information on maternal risk factors and additional outcomes relating to maternal well-being. The study is registered as NIHR CRN Portfolio (42900). This award was funded by the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health and Social Care Delivery Research programme (NIHR award ref: 17/99/19) and is published in full in Health and Social Care Delivery Research; Vol. 12, No. 11. See the NIHR Funding and Awards website for further award information.

긍정적행동지원 연구 동향에 대한 서지학적 분석*

In the 1980s, Positive Behavior Support (PBS) emerged in response to inappropriate or abusive outcomes applied to students with developmental disabilities such as intellectual disabilities and autism spectrum disorders. Throughout its half-century history, PBS has made a lot of progress. This study systematically reviewed research in the PBS field using bibliometric analysis. To perform this study, 530 papers on PBS were extracted from the Web of Science database (1996-2023) and visual analysis of PBS research trends was conducted using the “CiteSpace” tool. The results are as follows: Firstly, based on the number of published studies related to PBS, the timeline can be divided into four phases: (1) the initial period from 1996 to 2001, (2) the growth period from 2002 to 2015, (3) the maturity period from 2016 to 2020, and (4) the adjustment period from 2021 to the present. Secondly, based on the number of authors in PBS-related studies, researchers such as R. H. Horner, K. McIntosh, G. Sugai, T. J. Dishion, and G. Dunlap are taking a leading position. Thirdly, based on the keywords of PBS-related research, research hot-spots are concentrated in areas such as intervention, students, children, implementation, and challenging behaviors. Fourthly, based on the keyword cluster of PBS-related research, while there was initially an emphasis on individual student behavior problems, recent emphasis has shifted towards school-wide application. This study contributes to understanding the historical progress and future directions of PBS research, aiding in the systematic comprehension of PBS development and application trends.

The Effectiveness of the Project of White Schools Free from Drugs and Vices for Prevention of Substance Abuse Among University Students, Mahasarakham Province, Thailand

Background: Adolescent substance use in Thailand is a serious problem that has adverse effects on their physical and mental health and social life. Therefore, there is an urgent need for effective interventions to improve substance abuse outcomes among adolescents. Methods: A mixed-methods research was conducted on 1392 university students in Mahasarakham Province, Thailand, from May to September 2023 to assess the predictors of drug abuse prevention behaviours. Additionally, action research was used to develop and evaluate the project for the prevention of substance use. The data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 25.0. Multiple linear regression analysis and an independent samples t-test were applied to analyze the data. Results: Most students (46.84%) had a moderate level of drug prevention behaviour. Additionally, social support from the university, peer groups, family relationships, and self-control were significant predictors of substance abuse prevention behaviours. In terms of the effectiveness of white school free from drugs and vice, most subjects reported high levels of substance abuse prevention behaviours. The most effective factors in preventing drug abuse and solving drug-related problems included support from the university, friends, family, self-esteem, and stakeholders. Conclusion: Self-control, family relationships, peer group support, and social support from the university were correlated with substance abuse prevention behaviour among university students. The project of White School Free from Drugs and Vices was found to be an effective intervention in preventing substance abuse, encouraging students to promote drug abuse prevention behaviours.

Legal and secondary biopsychosocial outcomes of child sexual abuse: Experience from a hospital-based multidisciplinary child protection unit in an urban lower-middle income country setting

BackgroundChild sexual abuse (CSA) is prevalent in the Philippines. The Philippine General Hospital–Child Protection Unit (PGH-CPU) provides multidisciplinary management. Local literature on legal and secondary biopsychosocial outcomes of CSA is limited. ObjectiveDetermine legal and biopsychosocial outcomes among CSA survivors and determine factors associated with reaching court and perpetrator conviction. ParticipantsCSA survivors evaluated at the PGH-CPU in 2009–2013. MethodsA mixed transdisciplinary design to obtain data from medical records, court documents, and interviews of study participants and key informants. ResultsFactors associated with CSA cases reaching court were having multiple perpetrators (OR 5.26, 95% CI 1.45–19.05, p = 0.011) and an age difference of more than 10 years between child and perpetrator (OR 2.51, 95% CI 1.26–5.01, p = 0.009). A 10-year age difference between child and perpetrator was a significant determinant for conviction (OR 3.69, 95% CI 1.04–13.14, p = 0.044). Interviews showed that the child's testimony is the most significant factor for successful prosecution. CSA survivors have increased risks for negative biopsychosocial outcomes. Children who followed-up at PGH-CPU showed a significantly lower rate of suicide attempts (0% vs. 7.7% in children without follow-up, p = 0.023) and had lower odds of having multiple sexual partners (OR 0.12, 95% CI 0.03–0.49, p = 0.003) and being employed (OR 0.23, 95% CI 0.07–069, p = 0.009). ConclusionsThere is a need to strengthen capacities of professionals to optimize legal processes and outcomes. CSA survivors have varied long-term outcomes requiring continued holistic aftercare interventions.

Childhood trauma histories in men and women assessed by the childhood attachment and relational trauma screen (CARTS) and the global psychotrauma screen (GPS): Results from the global collaboration on traumatic stress (GC-TS)

BackgroundWhether there are biological sex differences in rates of childhood trauma exposure perpetrated by female versus male biological parents remains largely unknown. Moreover, the relative risk posed by various vulnerability factors for transdiagnostic mental health outcomes among females vs. males in adulthood has received insufficient attention. ObjectiveTo compare biological sex differences in the long-term impact of childhood abuse and neglect on transdiagnostic mental health outcomes, especially comparing the outcomes of childhood maltreatment perpetrated by biological mothers vs. fathers. Participants and setting3129 participants (2784 female [89 %]) were recruited online, the majority (82 %) of whom endorsed having a childhood trauma history and a high number of mental health problems. MethodsOnline surveys were administered. Specifically, the Childhood Attachment and Relational Trauma Screen (CARTS) was completed as a relationally-contextualized screening measure of both positive and traumatic-neglectful experiences during childhood, comparing severity of perpetration by male vs. female biological parents. Further, the Global Psychotrauma Screen (GPS) was completed to assess the relative risk of five vulnerability factors, including childhood abuse and neglect, for long-term transdiagnostic mental health outcomes. Statistical analyses elucidate group differences between males and females primarily by way of t-tests and associated effect sizes (Cohen's d). ResultsBiological sex differences were shown for childhood maltreatment perpetration by male vs. female biological parents, wherein responses to CARTS showed that females reported that their biological mothers exhibited less positivity (d = 0.21), less attachment security (d = 0.22), more negative feelings toward them (d = 0.28), were more emotionally abusive (d = 0.17), and held more negative relational beliefs about them (d = 0.24). Comparably, males reported that their biological fathers were more physically abusive (d = 0.15) and that they held more negative relational beliefs toward their fathers (d = 0.25). Risk factors including having a history of childhood trauma and neglect were associated with transdiagnostic mental health problems among both females (d = 0.57) and males (d = 0.46), with other risk factors evidencing similar results. ConclusionsChildhood trauma and neglect is a risk factor for transdiagnostic mental health outcomes among both females and males, although the two biological sexes may exhibit different levels of risk of being maltreated by female and male biological parents. Specifically, females reported having more emotionally abusive biological mothers, while males reported having more physically abusive biological fathers.

Unveiling the Uncommon: Cocaine-Induced Budd-Chiari Syndrome - A Rare Medical Puzzle

Cocaine, a potent stimulant derived from coca plant leaves, is well-documented for its adverse cardiovascular effects. Among these complications, thrombosis has gained prominence as a significant concern, leading to thrombotic events in various vascular beds throughout the body, highlighting cocaine’s systemic pro-thrombotic impact. However, its role in hepatic vascular disorders remains relatively underrecognized. This case report details the clinical presentation of a 23-year-old male with Budd-Chiari syndrome linked to cocaine use disorder, emphasizing the critical need for healthcare providers to recognize hepatic vascular disorders as possible outcomes of cocaine abuse.

Physical abuse in the newborn with congenital hypothyroidism: A Case report

Background: Global estimates of child homicide suggest that infants and young children are at most significant risk, with rates for the 0 - 4-year age group. Physical abuse of a child is defined as the intentional use of physical force against a child that results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in harm to the child's health, survival, and development. Case presentation: Here presented baby 0 days old with a wide laceration on the neck. The baby was born spontaneously in the bathroom. The baby was brought in with an injury to the neck area with a two-wound size of 4cmx3cm and a scratch mark on the stomach. The mother said that the baby was fallen and hit by ceramic after the baby was delivered. At the hospital, 10 hours after birth, pediatric surgery did the debridement procedure by primary hecting. This case handled by the Integrated Service Center for the Empowerment of Women and Children, the edge of the wound is sharp, flat, with many angles, and the number of wounds is more than one, indicating sharp violence carried out by sliding. Conclusions: The outcome of child abuse can result from short and long term consequences. At the same time, there are child protection policies that protect the child from any abuse.

FINDING COMMON GROUND: IMPROVING RESEARCHER-PRACTITIONER COLLABORATION IN ADULT MALTREATMENT RESEARCH

Abstract The work of adult protection is inherently multidisciplinary–involving health care professions, social services agencies, law enforcement, criminal and civil justice systems, and the broader aging services network. Researchers seeking to develop and evaluate screening tools and interventions for elder abuse and neglect must cultivate partnerships with state and local agencies that are responsible for adult protection. In this symposium, early career researchers will share the unique challenges they have faced when collaborating with adult protective services (APS), healthcare organizations, and other state agencies on research to improve adult maltreatment outcomes. First, Reynolds and colleagues will summarize three collaborative projects involving a large healthcare system in Texas and APS agencies in Oklahoma. They will share how the research team adapted protocols to pandemic-related disruptions to data collection, and how they created new systems to standardize documentation. Liu interviewed state agencies in Montana and analyzed transcripts using thematic analysis. She will share the challenges and strategies that surfaced and relate to improving state-level collaboration in addressing the needs of mistreatment victims and survivors. DeLiema will present on planning for and navigating administrative barriers to cross-sector collaborations, including contracts and legal agreements that are part and parcel to university-government research partnerships. Last, Burnes will introduce the RISE project and share how he and his colleagues managed expectations to co-create a new outcomes measurement tool with adult protection workers. Reaching consensus necessitated honesty, openness, humor, and patience, but ultimately strengthened the collaboration to yield a more valid outcomes measurement assessment.

Violence against children and substance abuse: A pooled study of 8 low- and middle-income countries

Abstract Introduction Violence against children (VAC) has been linked to substance abuse later in life. However, most evidence of this association comes from high-income countries (HICs) and is understudied in the context of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Methods This study used the latest Violence Against Children Surveys (VACS) data from 2017-2019 across eight LMICs. The main exposure variable was defined as having experienced at least one type of violence (physical, sexual, or emotional) from any perpetrator before age 18. With the pooled dataset of 32,326 adolescents aged 13-24 years, a series of logistic regressions with country-fixed effects were estimated to examine the association between VAC and three substance abuse outcomes: smoking daily, binge drinking (i.e., more than four drinks a week) and use of illegal drugs in the last 30 days. Further, analyses based on the types of violence and whether the association differs by sex were performed. Results After adjusting for all covariates, any VAC experience was significantly associated with all three substance abuse outcomes: daily smoking (OR: 1.5, 95% CI 1.2,1.8), binge drinking (OR: 1.8, 95% CI 1.5, 2.2), and drug use (OR:1.9, 95% CI 1.5-2.3). Sexual violence, in particular, had the strongest association. Sex-stratified analyses revealed that women who experienced sexual violence in childhood were more likely (OR range 3.3-3.7) to engage in substance abuse than sexually abused men (OR range 1.2-2.1). Conclusions The findings highlight the need for interventions to prevent childhood violence and to address its consequences on substance abuse in LMICs. Key messages • Experience of any type of violence during childhood is significantly associated with daily smoking, binge drinking of alcohol, and drug use in later life. • Women who experience sexual violence in childhood are more likely to abuse substances than men who were sexually abused.

Weaving culture with consequence: Immigrant status and child maltreatment outcomes in early adulthood

BackgroundChild maltreatment is associated with a host of negative consequences over the life course, the most concerning of which is violence. Nevertheless, many abused and neglected youth do not grow up and commit violence. Meanwhile, research consistently finds an immigrant paradox, where foreign-born nativity is protective against a range of negative life outcomes. It may be that immigrants to the U.S. are more resilient to child maltreatment and less likely to engage in violence later in life. ObjectiveThis study contributes to the literature on victimization and the immigrant paradox by determining whether the effect of child maltreatment on later violence varies between immigrants and non-immigrants. Participants and settingThe present study uses a subsample of 964 foreign- and 12,808 native-born persons from Waves I and III of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. MethodsLogistic regression models are specified and interaction terms are used to determine moderating effects of immigrant status on the link between child maltreatment and later violence. ResultsFindings indicate that child maltreatment significantly increased the odds of violent behavior in early adulthood by nearly 64 %, and this result was not moderated by immigrant status. Supplemental analyses continued to show generality in maltreatment effects. ConclusionsThe idea that child maltreatment is less harmful among foreign-born persons, or that they are able to “bounce back” from this form of victimization due to their unique multicultural assets, is not evidenced here. Key policy implications include a need for culturally competent victim services.

Child abuse and neglect and mental health outcomes in adulthood by ethnicity: Findings from a 40-year longitudinal study in New Zealand/Aotearoa

BackgroundLongitudinal studies consistently report adverse long-term outcomes of childhood maltreatment. Little is known about the impact of childhood maltreatment on mental health among a marginalized population (New Zealand Māori); therefore, we cannot assume the effects of maltreatment are the same across the population. ObjectiveAssociations were examined between childhood sexual abuse (CSA), childhood physical punishment (CPP) and childhood neglect (CN) (<16 years) and mental health outcomes 18–40 years, by ethnicity (Māori/non-Māori). Participants and settingData from the Christchurch Health and Development Study, a study of a birth cohort of 1265 children born in Christchurch in 1977. By age 40, 17.8 % (n = 191) reported New Zealand Māori ethnic identity; 82.2 % (n = 883) were non-Māori. MethodsCSA, CPP (<16 years) were measured at 18, 21 years; CN was measured at 40 years. Major depression, anxiety disorder, suicidal ideation, alcohol abuse/dependence and cannabis abuse/dependence were measured at ages 21, 25, 30, 35 and 40 years. Childhood confounding variables controlled. Analyses were extended to include Māori ethnicity. ResultsAfter statistical adjustment, experience of severe childhood maltreatment increased odds of mental health problems 1.8–2.6×, compared to no maltreatment; the effects of maltreatment were similar for males and females. For Māori, some higher rates of mental health problems were seen among those maltreated, no statistically significant associations were detected after Bonferroni correction (among severe maltreatment vs. no maltreatment). Limitations should be considered when interpreting results. ConclusionsExposure to childhood maltreatment has long-term effects into middle-age. Further research employing culturally-sensitive approaches may help clarify Māori childhood maltreatment outcomes.

Can alcohol policy prevent harms to women and children from men's alcohol consumption? An overview of existing literature and suggested ways forward.

The World Health Organization's list of cost-effective alcohol control policies is a widely-used resource that highlights strategies to address alcohol-related harms. However, there is more evidence on how recommended policies impact harms to people who drink alcohol-such as physical health problems caused by heavy alcohol use-than on secondhand harms inflicted on someone other than the person drinking alcohol, i.e., alcohol's harms to others. In this essay, we describe evidence of impacts of alcohol policy on harms to women and children resulting from men's alcohol consumption, as well as options for making policies more relevant for reducing intimate partner violence and child abuse. We begin with an overview of harms to women and children resulting from men's alcohol consumption and review cost-effective alcohol policies with potential to reduce these harms based on likely mechanisms of action. Next, we present a rapid review of reviews to describe existing evidence of impacts of these policies on the outcomes of physical violence, sexual violence, and child abuse and neglect. We found little evidence of systematic evaluation of impacts of these important alcohol policies on harms to women and children. Thus, we advocate for increased attention in evaluation research to the impacts of alcohol policies on harms experienced by women and children who are exposed to men who drink alcohol. We also argue for more consideration of a broader range of policies and interventions to reduce these specific types of harm. Finally, we present a conceptual model illustrating how alcohol policies may be supplemented with other interventions specifically tailored to reduce alcohol-related harms commonly experienced by women and children as a result of men's alcohol use.

Insights into abusive workplace behavior.

Insights into abusive workplace behavior.

Childhood Trauma and Adult Somatic Symptoms.

Childhood trauma is a key public health risk factor for developing physical illness. This study examined how childhood abuse and neglect predict adult somatic symptoms assessed retrospectively and in real-time. Participants in the HowNutsAreTheDutch (HND) project completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire Short Form (CTQ-SF) and, to assess somatic symptoms, the cross-sectional Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-15; N = 406) or a longitudinal ecological momentary assessment (EMA) protocol which included responding to an item on physical discomfort 3 times/day for 30 days ( N = 290). As hypothesized, childhood trauma was positively associated with adult somatic symptoms assessed using the PHQ-15 ( d = 0.30) and assessed using the EMA item ( d = 0.31), also after adjustment for age, gender, educational level, and relationship status. Longitudinally, we also explored whether interpersonal context moderated abuse outcomes, and observed that social company dampened momentary physical discomfort among people with a history of more physical neglect ( d = 0.04). Childhood trauma, especially emotional and sexual abuse, predict specific adult somatic symptoms. Future work may examine how symptom expression is influenced by the social lives of traumatized individuals.

People believe sexual harassment and domestic violence are less harmful for women in poverty

Despite experiencing gender-based violence more frequently and more severely, victims of sexual harassment and domestic abuse from lower socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds are disproportionately neglected and mistreated. Across four studies (total N = 3052), we show that people incorrectly believe that harassment and abuse are less harmful for women in poverty than for women in affluence. This thick skin bias then leads people to neglect lower-SES victims because they think they are less harmed by gender-based violence: participants thought that lower-SES victims needed less help from bystanders and less interpersonal support from friends and family. The neglect low-SES victims of gender-based violence often encounter may thus arise at least in part from biased beliefs about their lower vulnerability to harm, suggesting that future interventions to reduce class-based disparities in harassment and abuse outcomes may benefit from targeting stereotypes about the “thick-skinned poor.”

Emotional Abuse: Strategies for Identifying and Reporting

This article discusses various definitions of emotional abuse, statute difficulties that do little to support an effective report, clinical identifiers and possible long-term outcomes of emotional abuse in children and adolescents. The article closes with suggestions for advocacy efforts to improve the current challenges to better serve youth and adolescents who have been affected by this type of child maltreatment. Readers will find suggested methods for better exploring the topic of emotional abuse in sessions with child and teen clients and proposed approaches to support a stronger report when living in a state with weak or ambiguous statutes.

Gender differences in the relationship between sleep and childhood traumas

IntroductionSleep is one of the most important factors for well-being. Numerous studies have linked poor sleep to negative consequences such as depression (Guo et al., 2014), substance use (Comasco et al., 2010), obesity (Wu et al., 2015), and suicidality (Liu &amp; Buysse, 2006). Understanding the causes of poor sleep is an important public health concern. Childhood trauma can have a lifelong influence on mental health and development. However, many examinations of childhood trauma focus on the number of experiences and not the impact of specific experiences. Research has shown gender differences in both insomnia and childhood maltreatment outcomes (Lee et al., 2014); however, less attention has been paid to the potential role of gender in the link between other types of childhood trauma and sleep disturbance.ObjectivesThe goal of the current study is to understand the role of gender in the relationship between childhood traumas and sleep problems among a community sample of emerging adults. This research aims to build on and extend previous work in three different ways: 1) add to the literature on childhood trauma among emerging adults; 2) examine specific types of childhood traumas; and 3) expand the categories to explore the role of some less studied adversities.MethodsThe study included a sample of 211 young adults from an urban community. Traumas were measured with the Brief Trauma Questionnaire (BTQ; Schnurr et al., 1999) and sleep was measured with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (Buysse et al., 1989). Logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios for the relationship between sleep problems and five traumas (involved in a serious accident, experienced serious injury, violent death of a close family member or friend, witnessed someone’s serious injury or death, and natural disaster).ResultsResults showed that males and females experienced similar rates of trauma. Trauma experienced during childhood was associated with an increased prevalence of poor sleep. In the male model, being involved in a serious accident (OR=1.47), experiencing serious injury (OR=1.24), and experiencing a natural disaster (OR=1.11) were all significantly associated with poor sleep. In the female model, the violent death of a close family member or friend (OR=2.02), witnessing someone’s serious injury or death (OR=1.78), and experiencing a natural disaster (OR=1.69) were all significantly associated with poor sleep.ConclusionsTraumatic events may impact men and women differently. Women in the study showed greater sleep problems in the wake of childhood traumatic events. They also responded more strongly to events that they saw happening to other people, while men were more greatly affected by things that happened directly to them. Natural disasters are a relatively common event that has a strong impact on sleep. Intervention efforts addressing trauma and poor sleep should be aware of gender differences for greater efficacy.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared