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Medicine Dec 2023Childhood trauma is an important predictor of psychotic disorders, with special emphasis on physical and sexual abuse. It influences the clinical picture and course of...
Childhood trauma is an important predictor of psychotic disorders, with special emphasis on physical and sexual abuse. It influences the clinical picture and course of psychotic disorders. This study was conducted in the Department of Psychiatry of the University Clinical Hospital Mostar. The sample consisted of 135 participants, aged 18 to 65 years. The screening instrument to examine cognitive status was the short version of MMSE-2. Patients' background information was collected using a sociodemographic questionnaire constructed for this study. To determine childhood trauma, the Child Abuse Experience Inventory was used to examine physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, neglect and domestic violence. The positive and negative syndrome scale scale was used to evaluate the clinical profile of psychoticism, the SSI questionnaire was used to evaluate the severity of suicidality, and the functionality of the participants was evaluated using the WHODAS 2.0. Results indicate that a significant number of participants with psychotic disorders experienced childhood trauma, an important determinant of their illness. Participants who had witnessed abuse had more severe clinical presentations (earlier onset and longer duration of illness) and more pronounced psychotic symptomatology and a lower degree of functionality. Decreased functionality is associated with witnessing abuse and physical abuse. During the civil war, a significant percentage of the participants were in childhood and adolescent development (26.7%) and exposed to frequent emotional abuse and domestic violence. As 1 traumatic event in childhood makes a person more susceptible to more traumatic experiences during life. Childhood trauma is a serious and pervasive problem that has a significant impact on the development, course, and severity of the clinical presentation of psychotic disorders. Accordingly, it is necessary to provide continuous education to mental health workers, primarily psychiatrists, regarding childhood trauma so that treatment may be approached more systematically and a plan of therapeutic interventions may be more adequately designed, which would necessarily include psychosocial support in addition to pharmacotherapy.
Topics: Adolescent; Humans; Child; Adverse Childhood Experiences; Psychotic Disorders; Child Abuse; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 38134067
DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000036733 -
BMC Public Health Nov 2023Maltreatment in childhood may leave people vulnerable to further experiences of violence and more severe effects of stress later in life. Longitudinal studies of risk...
BACKGROUND
Maltreatment in childhood may leave people vulnerable to further experiences of violence and more severe effects of stress later in life. Longitudinal studies of risk for violent victimisation after maltreatment are lacking in low- and middle-income countries. The objective of this study was to quantify the risk for violent victimization in the family and community in young adulthood following experiences of childhood maltreatment (experiences of physical, emotional and sexual abuse and neglect) up to age 15 years in an urban Brazilian population.
METHODS
3246 participants in a prospective, population-based birth cohort study in Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, were assessed at birth, 15 and 22 years. Sociodemographic factors were reported by mothers at birth and adolescents at age 15 years. Maltreatment and violent victimisation were self-reported in confidential questionnaires at 15 and 22, respectively. Multinomial logistic regression analyses estimated the association between having experienced any maltreatment and later experiences of family and community violence in young adulthood (no adult violence, violence only in the family context, only in the community, or both violence in the family and community), adjusting for sociodemographic factors.
RESULTS
39% of females and 27% of males reported any maltreatment up to age 15 years. At 22 years, rates of past year violence in the family or community were 17.6% for females and 20.2% for males. Maltreatment was strongly associated with community violence (Females: OR = 2.96, CI = 1.83-4.80; Males: OR = 2.01, 95%CI = 1.01-4.00) and its co-occurrence with family violence (Females: OR = 2.33, 95%CI = 1.34-4.04; Males: OR = 3.20, 95%CI = 1.82-5.65) in young adulthood, after adjustment for background sociodemographic factors.
CONCLUSION
Childhood maltreatment is an important risk factor for later violent victimisation in both the family and community context. The effects of repeated trauma through the life-course needs research and clinical attention.
Topics: Adolescent; Female; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Male; Young Adult; Brazil; Child Abuse; Cohort Studies; Crime Victims; Domestic Violence; Prospective Studies
PubMed: 37985981
DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-17245-8 -
Archivos Argentinos de Pediatria Oct 2023
Topics: Child; Humans; Pandemics; Child Abuse
PubMed: 37535954
DOI: 10.5546/aap.2023-10134.eng -
Australian and New Zealand Journal of... Dec 2023This study presents age-standardised ethnic-specific prevalence rates of intimate partner violence against women in New Zealand, by physical and/or sexual intimate...
OBJECTIVE
This study presents age-standardised ethnic-specific prevalence rates of intimate partner violence against women in New Zealand, by physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence, psychological intimate partner violence, controlling behaviours and economic abuse.
METHODS
Data are from 1,431 ever-partnered women in the representative and cross-sectional He Koiora Matapopore, the 2019 New Zealand Family Violence Study.
RESULTS
High lifetime prevalence of intimate partner violence is present across all ethnic groups in NZ, with over half of all women reporting any intimate partner violence (55.8%). Substantial ethnic disparities exist in intimate partner violence rates, with Māori women reporting the highest prevalence of intimate partner violence (64.6%), followed by NZ European women (61.6%).
CONCLUSIONS
Intimate partner violence prevention and intervention services are needed at the population-level, and services must be culturally responsive and attuned to the needs of communities that bear the greatest burden.
IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH
Ethnic differences in intimate partner violence prevalence likely contribute to health disparities at the population-level, reinforcing calls for prevention and necessitating healthcare systems to be culturally informed and mobilised to address intimate partner violence as a priority health issue.
Topics: Female; Humans; Cross-Sectional Studies; Domestic Violence; Intimate Partner Violence; Maori People; New Zealand; Prevalence; Risk Factors; Sexual Partners
PubMed: 38052156
DOI: 10.1016/j.anzjph.2023.100105 -
Trauma, Violence & Abuse Jan 2024The COVID-19 pandemic has fostered an environment for increased risk of child maltreatment (CM) as families experience increased psychosocial and financial burdens and... (Review)
Review
The COVID-19 pandemic has fostered an environment for increased risk of child maltreatment (CM) as families experience increased psychosocial and financial burdens and spend unprecedented amounts of time together in the home. This narrative review aimed to summarize empirical findings on existing or new pandemic-related risk factors among caregivers. A combination of search terms related to CM and COVID-19 were used to identify articles published within five databases between February 2020 and July 2022. Literature searches produced 113 articles, of which 26 published across 12 countries met inclusion criteria. Four previously well-established risk factors for CM perpetration continued to persist during the pandemic, including stress, parental mental health, financial concerns, and parental substance use. Of note, inconsistent definitions and measures were used to capture these risk factors. Several additional emerging and understudied risk factors were also identified among limited articles, such as food insecurity and parental education. Findings emphasize the ongoing need for evidence-based interventions to address CM risk during the pandemic, including parent training programs. However, consolidated measures and consistent conceptualization of risk factors are needed to advance the study of CM. Going forward, practitioners and researchers should (a) strengthen the identification process for families at greatest risk for CM, and particularly those vulnerable to pandemic-related stressors; and (b) augment delivery of CM prevention strategies and evidence-based programs to fit the pandemic context.
Topics: Child; Humans; Pandemics; Caregivers; COVID-19; Child Abuse; Risk Factors
PubMed: 36935570
DOI: 10.1177/15248380231158609 -
Child Abuse & Neglect Nov 2023Negative life events in early life have a cumulative effect on health trajectory changes in middle and old age, and some scholars have used life course theory as a guide...
BACKGROUND
Negative life events in early life have a cumulative effect on health trajectory changes in middle and old age, and some scholars have used life course theory as a guide to empirically explore the effect of childhood adversity or adverse experiences on depression in the elderly, but few study focuses on violence within the family.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the influence mechanism of domestic violence experience on depression in later life in middle-aged and elderly people, and to provide academic support for the whole society to pay attention to good family function and intergenerational interaction, and to propose whole-life health promotion strategies.
PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING
This paper selects the 2014 life course survey data and 2018 cross-sectional data of the China Health and Elderly Care Longitudinal Survey for analysis, and the research objects are middle-aged and elderly people aged 45 and above.
METHODS
Based on a retrospective survey of 3008 middle-aged and elderly people, this study analyzed the influence path of domestic violence on depression level in childhood by using multiple mediation models, and used the Bootstrap method to test the significance of indirect effects.
RESULTS
Based on controlling for gender, age, age square, household registration, marital status, community environment and education level, childhood domestic violence had a direct positive effect on depression level in the elderly (P < 0.001), and childhood domestic violence also had an indirect effect on the depression level of the elderly through childhood health status, income logarithm and IADL (P < 0.05).
CONCLUSION
As a life experience in early life, childhood domestic violence has a cumulative effect on depression in middle-aged and elderly people, is an important risk factor for depression, and has an important impact on mental health in later life.
Topics: Middle Aged; Humans; Aged; Life Change Events; Depression; Retrospective Studies; Cross-Sectional Studies; Domestic Violence
PubMed: 37633219
DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2023.106403 -
Child Abuse & Neglect Sep 2023Research on child sexual abuse increasingly focuses on sexually offending females; however, there is a lack of research that focuses on the individuals being affected....
BACKGROUND
Research on child sexual abuse increasingly focuses on sexually offending females; however, there is a lack of research that focuses on the individuals being affected. Studies have suggested that the consequences for those affected by sexually offending males and females are comparable.
OBJECTIVE
The aim is to compare mental health consequences of sexual abuse perpetrated by women versus men in quantity and type.
PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING
Data was anonymously retrieved from the German-wide contact point "help line sexual abuse" from 2016 to 2021. Details of abuse cases, gender of the offending individuals, and reported mental disorders of the person affected were analyzed. The sample consisted of N = 3351 callers with experiences of child sexual abuse.
METHOD
The relationship between gender of the perpetrating person and mental disorders of the victimized person was computed using logistic regression models. To account for rare events data, Firth's logistics regression model was used.
RESULTS
The consequences were similar in quantity, albeit different in type. Callers with experiences of female-perpetrated abuse were more likely to report suicidality, non-suicidal self-injury behavior, personality disorders, dissociative identity disorders, alcohol/ drug addiction, and schizophrenia, while people with experiences of male-perpetrated abuse rather reported post-traumatic stress disorder, affective disorders, anxiety disorders, dissociative disorders, eating disorders, externalized disorders, and psychosomatic disorders.
CONCLUSIONS
The differences may be due to stigmatization leading to dysfunctional coping mechanisms. Societal gender stereotypes must be reduced, especially within the professional helping system to ensure support for people who have experienced sexual abuse, regardless of gender.
Topics: Female; Male; Humans; Child; Child Abuse, Sexual; Mental Health; Child Abuse; Sexual Behavior; Anxiety Disorders
PubMed: 37235997
DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2023.106240 -
BMC Public Health Sep 2023Prior to the availability of pharmaceutical control measures, non-pharmaceutical control measures, including travel restrictions, physical distancing, isolation and...
BACKGROUND
Prior to the availability of pharmaceutical control measures, non-pharmaceutical control measures, including travel restrictions, physical distancing, isolation and quarantine, closure of schools and workplaces, and the use of personal protective equipment were the only tools available to public health authorities to control the spread of COVID-19. The implementation of these non-pharmaceutical control measures had unintended impacts on the ability of state and territorial domestic violence coalitions to provide services to victims.
METHODS
A semi-structured interview guide to assess how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted service provision and advocacy generally, and how COVID-19 control measures specifically, created barriers to services and advocacy, was developed, pilot tested, and revised based on feedback. Interviews with state and territorial domestic violence coalition executive directors were conducted between November 2021 and March 2022. Transcripts were inductively and deductively coded using both hand-coding and qualitative software.
RESULTS
Forty-five percent (25 of 56) of state and territorial domestic violence coalition executive directors representing all 8 National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) regions were interviewed. Five themes related to the use of non-pharmaceutical pandemic control measures with impacts on the provision of services and advocacy were identified.
CONCLUSIONS
The use of non-pharmaceutical control measures early in the COVID-19 pandemic had negative impacts on the health and safety of some vulnerable groups, including domestic violence victims. Organizations that provide services and advocacy to victims faced many unique challenges in carrying out their missions while adhering to required public health control measures. Policy and preparedness plan changes are needed to prevent unintended consequences of control measure implementation among vulnerable groups as well as to identify lessons learned that should be applied in future disasters and emergencies.
Topics: Humans; COVID-19; Pandemics; Public Health; Disasters; Domestic Violence
PubMed: 37667284
DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-16471-4 -
Trauma, Violence & Abuse Apr 2024Evidence on the outcomes of adolescent dating violence (ADV) victimization mainly derives from cross-sectional studies, which have limitations in suggesting causal... (Review)
Review
Evidence on the outcomes of adolescent dating violence (ADV) victimization mainly derives from cross-sectional studies, which have limitations in suggesting causal relationships. Furthermore, the complexity of factors and overlapping dimensions in dating violence research, such as the forms of violence experienced, may have contributed to the variability of findings across the literature. To address these gaps and provide a more comprehensive understanding of the impact of ADV, this study reviews findings from prospective cohort studies, with a focus on the type of violence experienced and the gender of the victim. A systematic search was conducted in nine electronic databases and additional relevant journals. Prospective longitudinal studies were included if dating violence victimization occurred during adolescence and chronologically preceded the outcomes. A quality assessment was conducted using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. A narrative approach was used to synthesize findings. After screening 1,838 records, 14 publications met the selection criteria and were included in this review. Our findings suggest that experiencing ADV is longitudinally associated with many adverse outcomes, including higher internalizing symptoms and externalizing behaviors, poorer well-being, increased substance use, and increased revictimization. However, the associations are not consistently reported across studies when considering the type of ADV experienced and the gender of the victim. This review highlights the limited number of longitudinal studies examining the outcomes of ADV victimization, the unbalanced approach in investigating different forms of violence, and the lack of diverse samples examining this subject. Implications for research, policy, and practice are outlined.
Topics: Adolescent; Humans; Adolescent Behavior; Crime Victims; Intimate Partner Violence
PubMed: 37226475
DOI: 10.1177/15248380231174504 -
Trauma, Violence & Abuse Apr 2024The impact of family violence (FV) on children is a significant global public policy issue. Earliest identification of FV among children is critical for preventing... (Review)
Review
The impact of family violence (FV) on children is a significant global public policy issue. Earliest identification of FV among children is critical for preventing escalating sequelae. While practitioners routinely ask adults about FV, there are relatively few measures that enable children to reliably self-report on their own safety. This review sought to systematically identify and appraise all available child self-report measures for screening and assessment of FV in both clinical and research settings. Database searching was conducted in January 2022. Articles were eligible for review if they included a validated child (5-18 years) self-report measure of FV (including victimization, perpetration, and/or exposure to inter-parental violence). Screening of an initial 4,714 records identified a total of 85 articles, representing 32 unique validated instruments. Results provide an up-to-date catalog of child self-report measures of FV, intended to benefit practitioners, services and researchers in selecting appropriate tools, and in understanding their suitability and limitations for different cohorts and practice goals. While just under half of the measures captured both exposure to inter-parental violence and direct victimization, none captured all three domains of exposure, victimization and perpetration together. Instruments with provision for input from multiple respondents (e.g., both child and parent report) and with assessment of contextual risk factors were few. Findings point to the need for developmentally appropriate, whole-of-family screening and assessment frameworks to support children in the early identification of family safety concerns.
Topics: Humans; Crime Victims; Domestic Violence; Risk Factors; Self Report; Child, Preschool; Child; Adolescent
PubMed: 37646364
DOI: 10.1177/15248380231194062