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Research on Child and Adolescent... Dec 2023Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), including child maltreatment and other adversities in the home context and beyond (e.g., witnessing domestic violence; parental... (Review)
Review
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), including child maltreatment and other adversities in the home context and beyond (e.g., witnessing domestic violence; parental mental illness; parental separation; living in a disadvantaged neighborhood) are prevalent in the population and often covary together. Research based on the construct of ACEs has transformed the field of adult mental health, yet child and adolescent mental health has often been overlooked in this work. This special issue of Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology focuses on the developmental science of ACEs and child psychopathology. The research presented here draws on the extensive evidence base that now exists regarding the co-occurrence of common childhood adversities, while informing the integration of theory and research on ACEs with that of developmental psychopathology at large. This Introduction provides an overview of ACEs and child mental health from a developmental psychopathology perspective, with an emphasis on key concepts and recent progress spanning the prenatal period through to adolescence and intergenerational pathways. Models of ACEs that emphasize the multi-dimensional nature of adversity and the importance of developmental timing to risk and protective pathways, have played a driving role in this progress. Methodological innovations in this work are highlighted, along with implications for prevention and intervention.
Topics: Child; Adult; Female; Pregnancy; Adolescent; Humans; Adverse Childhood Experiences; Mental Disorders; Domestic Violence; Child Abuse; Psychopathology
PubMed: 37421507
DOI: 10.1007/s10802-023-01100-w -
Scientific Reports Jul 2023Parental burnout is a severe disorder resulting from the exposure to chronic stress in the parental role, that can translate into neglectful and violent parental...
Parental burnout is a severe disorder resulting from the exposure to chronic stress in the parental role, that can translate into neglectful and violent parental behaviors towards the offspring. This study (N = 1003 parents) aims to examine the relative weight of parental burnout, job burnout, depression, generalized anxiety disorder, borderline personality, sadism, psychopathy, Machiavellianism, narcissism, and child abuse potential, in predicting violence and neglect towards the offspring. Social desirability was controlled. When all predictors are entered together in the model, violence and neglect towards the offspring are best predicted by borderline personality and parental burnout. Our results also indicate that sadism is a robust predictor of violence, however weaker than parental burnout and borderline personality. These results emphasize the importance of preventing parental burnout and supporting parents with borderline personality.
Topics: Child; Humans; Borderline Personality Disorder; Child Abuse; Parents; Burnout, Psychological; Personality
PubMed: 37500720
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-39310-3 -
BMC Women's Health Jul 2023Domestic violence threatens maternal physical, psychological and emotional safety. Victim/survivor pregnant women required interventions based on their actual needs with...
BACKGROUND
Domestic violence threatens maternal physical, psychological and emotional safety. Victim/survivor pregnant women required interventions based on their actual needs with the purpose of reducing domestic violence and its negative consequences. The present study aimed to explore the experiences of victimized Iranian pregnant women and identify their neglected needs.
METHODS
This qualitative descriptive study was performed from September 2019 to August 2021 in Mashhad, Iran. Semi-structured interviews with 14 women (8 pregnant and 6 after birth) who were the victims of domestic violence, and 11 key informants with various discipline specialties until the data saturation was achieved. Participants were selected through purposive sampling. Qualitative data were analyzed based on the conventional content analysis adopted by Graneheim & Lundman.
FINDINGS
The main theme emerging from the data analysis was "family and society empowerment" that implied the necessity of family, health system, legal, social and inter sectoral empowerment to reduce domestic violence during pregnancy. "Family and society empowerment" was comprised of three categories such as "need to empower couples to reduce domestic violence during pregnancy", "demand for improved health care services", and "need to strengthen inter-sectoral, legal and social supports".
CONCLUSION
Victim/survivor pregnant women experienced individual, interpersonal and inter sectoral needs. Family and society empowerment constituted the actual needs of victimized pregnant women. Awareness of policymakers and health system managers of these needs could be the basis for designing a supportive care program according to victim/survivor women's actual needs. In addition to the educational and skill empowerment of couples, it is essential that supportive organizations cooperate with each other to provide integrated and coordinated services to victim/survivor pregnant women and strengthen and facilitate their access to supportive resources.
Topics: Female; Humans; Pregnancy; Data Analysis; Domestic Violence; Educational Status; Emotions; Iran; Qualitative Research; Empowerment
PubMed: 37438772
DOI: 10.1186/s12905-023-02525-7 -
BMC Public Health Sep 2023Domestic violence (DV) prior to, and during pregnancy is associated with increased risks for morbidity and mortality. As pregnant women routinely attend antenatal care...
Addressing Domestic Violence in Antenatal Care Environments in Nepal (ADVANCE) - study protocol for a randomized controlled trial evaluating a video intervention on domestic violence among pregnant women.
BACKGROUND
Domestic violence (DV) prior to, and during pregnancy is associated with increased risks for morbidity and mortality. As pregnant women routinely attend antenatal care this environment can be used to offer support to women experiencing DV. We have developed a video intervention that focuses on the use of behavioral coping strategies, particularly regarding disclosure of DV experiences. The effectiveness of this intervention will be evaluated through a randomized controlled trial (RCT) and a concurrent process evaluation.
METHODS
All pregnant women between 12-22 weeks of gestation attending routine antenatal care at two tertiary level hospitals in Nepal are invited to participate. DV is measured using the Nepalese version of the Abuse Assessment Screen (N-AAS). Additionally, we measure participants' mental health, use of coping strategies, physical activity, and food security through a Color-coded Audio Computer Assisted Self Interview (C-ACASI). Irrespective of DV status, women are randomized into the intervention or control arm using a computer-generated randomization program. The intervention arm views a short video providing information on DV, safety improving actions women can take with an emphasis on disclosing the violence to a trusted person along with utilizing helplines available in Nepal. The control group watches a video on maintaining a healthy pregnancy and when to seek healthcare. The primary outcome is the proportion of women disclosing their DV status to someone. Secondary outcomes are symptoms of anxiety and depression, coping strategies, the use of safety measures and attitudes towards acceptance of abuse. Follow-up is conducted after 32 weeks of gestation, where both the intervention and control group participants view the intervention video after completing the follow-up questionnaire. Additionally, a mixed methods process evaluation of the intervention will be carried out to explore factors influencing the acceptability of the intervention and the disclosure of DV, including a review of project documents, individual interviews, and focus group discussions with members of the research team, healthcare providers, and participants.
DISCUSSION
This study will provide evidence on whether pregnant women attending regular antenatal visits can enhance their safety by disclosing their experiences of violence to a trusted person after receiving a video intervention.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
The study is registered in ClinicalTrial.gov with identifier NCT05199935.
Topics: Female; Pregnancy; Humans; Nepal; Pregnant Women; Prenatal Care; Domestic Violence; Adaptation, Psychological; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Review Literature as Topic
PubMed: 37715147
DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-16685-6 -
Trauma, Violence & Abuse Oct 2023Existing efforts to understand school-based child sexual abuse (CSA) prevention programs mainly focus on the effectiveness of these programs in increasing participants'... (Review)
Review
Existing efforts to understand school-based child sexual abuse (CSA) prevention programs mainly focus on the effectiveness of these programs in increasing participants' CSA knowledge and self-protective skills. There are currently no reviews addressing the underpinning pathways leading to these outcomes. In order to increase our understanding about the underpinning causal and contextual factors and inform the further development of school-based CSA prevention programs, a realist review was conducted to synthesize existing evidence from a broad range of data. An iterative search of electronic databases and grey literature was conducted, supplemented with citation tracking to locate relevant literature. For quantitative evidence, we considered evaluation studies that focused on students aged 5-18 years, who were enrolled in primary or secondary schools; for other types/formats of studies/documents, no population restrictions were applied. We included school-based CSA prevention programs that focused on improving knowledge of CSA or self-protective skills. Outcomes of interest included knowledge of CSA or self-protective skills. We did not apply methodological filters in terms of the types of studies to be included. Thematic content analysis was conducted to synthesize data. Sixty-two studies were included. Five themes and five overarching Context-Strategy-Mechanism-Outcome configurations (CSMOs) that contributed to the success of school-based CSA interventions were identified, including tailoring programs to participants' cognitive developmental levels, repeated exposure of key concepts and skills, utilization of interactive delivery methods and positive feedback, delivery of positive information and application of the 'train-the-trainer' model. Findings from this realist review provide insights into the underlying program theory of school-based CSA prevention programs, which can aid in the development and implementation of these programs in the future.
Topics: Child; Humans; Child Abuse, Sexual; Students; Schools; School Health Services; Cognition
PubMed: 35544032
DOI: 10.1177/15248380221082153 -
Violence Against Women Jul 2023The study explores the perspectives of service providers on cultural and social reasons used to justify domestic violence in Kyrgyzstan. Results indicate that cultural...
The study explores the perspectives of service providers on cultural and social reasons used to justify domestic violence in Kyrgyzstan. Results indicate that cultural norms, notably patriarchal customs, immense pressure put on women to save the marriage, stigma of divorce, low status assigned to women, wide acceptance of violence as natural, and fear of retaliation were major reasons that perpetuated domestic violence. Scholars, policymakers, and service providers must collaborate to actively dispel widely accepted beliefs about gender, marriage, and women's status, and to break the cycle of abuse providing help at the individual and community levels.
PubMed: 37487221
DOI: 10.1177/10778012231186814 -
BMJ Open Apr 2024Violence has had adverse effects on the physical and psychological dimensions of pregnant women. This study was conducted with the aim of determining the relationship of...
OBJECTIVE
Violence has had adverse effects on the physical and psychological dimensions of pregnant women. This study was conducted with the aim of determining the relationship of domestic violence with pregnancy symptoms and pregnancy experience.
DESIGN
In this cross-sectional study, pregnant women were selected through two-stage cluster sampling method. Data were collected using the domestic violence questionnaire of the WHO, pregnancy symptoms inventory (PSI) and pregnancy experience scale (PES). To determine the relationship between domestic violence with pregnancy symptoms and pregnancy experience, adjusted general linear model was used in multivariate analysis.
SETTING
Health centres in Urmia-Iran in 2022.
PARTICIPANTS
415 pregnant women.
RESULTS
The frequency of emotional, physical and sexual violence was 86.0%, 67.7% and 79.5%, respectively. The mean (SD) of PSI was 49.45 (14.38) with attainable score of 0-123 and PES including happiness and worry was 14.32 (6.48) and 16.21 (2.51) with attainable score of 0-30, respectively. Based on the adjusted general linear model, the mean score of PSI in women who experienced physical violence (mild (p<0.001) and moderate (p<0.001)); sexual violence (mild (p<0.001), moderate (p<0.001) and severe (p<0.001)); and emotional violence (mild (p<0.001), moderate (p=0.002) and severe (p<0.001)) was significantly higher than women without experiencing violence. The mean score of happiness during pregnancy in women who experienced physical violence (moderate (p=0.011)) and emotional violence (mild (p<0.001), moderate (p=0.002) and severe (p<0.001)) was significantly lower than women without experience of violence. Also, the mean score of worry scores in women with experience of sexual violence (mild (p=0.001) and moderate (p=0.012)) and emotional violence (mild (p<0.001), moderate (p<0.001)) and severe (p<0.001)) was significantly higher than women without experiencing violence.
CONCLUSION
Considering the relationship between violence and pregnancy symptoms and pregnancy experiences, it is necessary to use appropriate strategies to prevent violence in pregnant women.
Topics: Humans; Female; Pregnancy; Cross-Sectional Studies; Iran; Adult; Domestic Violence; Surveys and Questionnaires; Young Adult; Pregnant Women; Sex Offenses; Pregnancy Complications; Linear Models; Physical Abuse
PubMed: 38670608
DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-082570 -
BMJ Open Aug 2023Despite the emphasis on empowerment in interventions supporting women against domestic violence and ending spousal abuse, there is still no standard and accurate...
INTRODUCTION
Despite the emphasis on empowerment in interventions supporting women against domestic violence and ending spousal abuse, there is still no standard and accurate instrument to evaluate women's empowerment in this field. This study proposes a protocol to fill this gap by developing and psychometrically testing a standardised instrument for assessing women's empowerment in dealing with domestic violence (WEDDV).
METHODS AND ANALYSIS
This study will be conducted in Iran in a mixed method with a sequential exploratory design (qualitative-quantitative). In the first phase, qualitative methods will be used to generate items, rank and identify essential items for WEDDV conceptualisation. The data collection method in this phase includes semistructured face-to-face interviews with married women, a review of related literature, and a fuzzy Delphi method with participants with work experience and expertise about violence against women. Qualitative data analysis will be done using a content analysis strategy and MAXQDA 2020 software. In the second phase of the study, the psychometric properties of the instrument, including face, content and construct validity, and the instrument's reliability will be evaluated. Also, the psychometric features of the COSMIN checklist will be used in the design of this instrument.
ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION
This study protocol has been approved by the Research Ethics Committee of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences with code (IR.SBMU.PHNS.REC.1400.011). The findings will be published in prestigious journals and presented at national and international conferences. We hope that these results can provide a practical framework for planning and organising domestic violence interventions for policy-makers, researchers and women's health and counselling service providers.
Topics: Female; Humans; Iran; Reproducibility of Results; Domestic Violence; Spouse Abuse; Research Design; Review Literature as Topic
PubMed: 37597860
DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-073826 -
Trauma, Violence & Abuse Apr 2024Informal supporters (friends, family, colleagues, and community members) play a crucial role in societal-wide responses to victim-survivors of domestic violence and... (Review)
Review
Informal supporters (friends, family, colleagues, and community members) play a crucial role in societal-wide responses to victim-survivors of domestic violence and abuse. Familial and social networks, however, report a sense of helplessness and difficulties in knowing how to respond. This mixed method systematic review examines the effectiveness, and perceived effectiveness, of training informal supporters to improve their responses to victim-survivors. A novel conceptual framework was developed to underpin the review. A systematic search of four electronic databases, specialist repositories, and websites were used to identify empirical research (in academic or gray literature). Eleven included studies examined educational interventions that aimed to improve responses from informal supporters. Quality appraisal was undertaken, and studies were judged to be "good enough" for synthesis. The studies in the review indicated that informal supporters recognized the value of training for building understanding and equipping them with the skills to respond to victim-survivors. The synthesis identified statistically significant improvements in the knowledge and attitudes of informal supporters in the immediate and short-term following training. Using a behavior change model to frame the evidence, the review found that training/educational activities prime informal supporters to respond to victim-survivors, as well as enhancing their capacity and motivation to do so. This increases the likelihood that informal supporters will take action to support victim-survivors of abuse. We don't know, however, what type of support they will provide and/or whether it would be judged to be helpful by victim-survivors.
Topics: Humans; Domestic Violence; Attitude; Friends; Survivors; Empirical Research
PubMed: 37649408
DOI: 10.1177/15248380231189191 -
Alcohol (Fayetteville, N.Y.) Jan 2024Alcohol use disorder (AUD) has significant social and economic consequences in addition to health implications. Alcohol and drug use are linked to violence, particularly...
OBJECTIVE
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) has significant social and economic consequences in addition to health implications. Alcohol and drug use are linked to violence, particularly intimate partner violence and domestic violence. Identifying the characteristics of individuals with AUD and a history of domestic violence is important. Our study aimed to investigate differences between AUD patients with and without domestic violence.
METHODS
This retrospective study examined the medical records of individuals diagnosed with AUD participating in a central Taiwan alcohol treatment program from 2019 to 2020. Utilizing the Cut down, Annoyed, Guilty, and Eye-opener questionnaire (CAGE), Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), Brief Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (MAST), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck's Anxiety Inventory (BAI), World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL), and a question on suicidal ideation, we collected data on diverse variables, including a history of domestic violence. A total of 136 individuals were included in the analysis.
RESULTS
Twenty participants had a history of domestic violence, while 116 did not. Those with a history of domestic violence had significantly higher MAST scores, lower quality of life, and higher caregiver burden compared to those without a history of domestic violence. They also had a higher proportion of adverse consequences related to alcohol use and higher suicidal ideation scores.
CONCLUSIONS
It is important to assess the risk of domestic violence in individuals with AUD, particularly those with higher MAST scores. Questions 4 and 10 of the MAST, which relate to adverse consequences of alcohol use, such as losing friends or being arrested for drunk driving, could serve as warning questions for domestic violence. Further research is needed to assess the efficacy of interventions in reducing domestic violence risk in individuals with AUD.
PubMed: 38191098
DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2024.01.002