The role of callous/unemotional traits in mediating the association between animal abuse exposure and behavior problems among children exposed to intimate partner violence

Children exposed to intimate partner violence are at increased risk for concomitant exposure to maltreatment of companion animals. There is emerging evidence that childhood exposure to maltreatment of companion animals is associated with psychopathology in childhood and adulthood. However, few studies have explored developmental factors that might help to explain pathways from animal maltreatment exposure to children’s maladjustment. The present study addresses this gap in the literature by examining relations between children’s exposure to animal maltreatment, callous/unemotional traits (i.e., callousness, uncaring traits, and unemotional traits), and externalizing and internalizing behavior problems. A sample of 291 ethnically diverse children (55% Latino or Hispanic) between the ages of 7 and 12 was recruited from community-based domestic violence services. A meditational path model indicated that child exposure to animal maltreatment was associated with callousness (β = 0.14), which in turn was associated with greater internalizing (β = 0.32) and externalizing problems (β = 0.47). The effect of animal maltreatment exposure on externalizing problems was mediated through callousness. Results suggest that callous/unemotional traits are a potential mechanism through which childhood exposure to animal maltreatment influences subsequent behavior problems. Future research is needed to evaluate the extent to which exposure to animal maltreatment affects children’s adjustment over time in the context of other co-occurring adverse childhood experiences.     

The impact of child maltreatment on the risk of deliberate self-harm among adolescents: A population-wide cohort study using linked administrative records

Adolescents exposed to maltreatment have an elevated risk of deliberate self-harm (DSH). The aim of this study was to investigate longitudinally the effects of the number, timing, and type of maltreatment allegations on adolescent risk of having a DSH-related hospital admission, using linked data in Western Australia. A total of 351,372 children born between 1986 and 2000 were followed from birth up to the year 2010. Cox regression models were utilized, while controlling for a range of psychosocial covariates. Compared to children without allegations of maltreatment, children with unsubstantiated allegations only (aHR = 1.04, 95%CI: 1.00–1.08, p < .01) and children with a substantiated allegation (aHR = 1.10, 95%CI: 1.06–1.15, p < .001) all had significantly increased risk of DSH in adolescence. Among children with a substantiated allegation of maltreatment, the greater the number of allegations, the longer the exposure to maltreatment, and the more types of maltreatment experienced by a child, the higher the child's risk of DSH. However, this dose–response pattern was not found among children with unsubstantiated allegations only. This study calls for the early identification of children who are vulnerable to maltreatment, the better identification of the duration and severity of maltreatment experiences, and the provision of continued care and support, to reduce the child's DSH risk in adolescence.     

Prevalence of different forms of child maltreatment among Taiwanese adolescents: A population-based study

Reported cases of child maltreatment are increasing in Taiwan. Yet, comprehensive epidemiological characteristics of adolescents’ exposure over the wide spectrum of violence are still lacking. The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence and magnitude of child maltreatment among Taiwanese adolescents. A population-based study was conducted with 5,276 adolescents aged 12–18 from 35 schools in 17 cities and townships to determine the prevalence of five forms of child maltreatment in Taiwan. A total of 5,236 adolescents completed anonymous, self-report, structured questionnaires. Most adolescents (91%, n = 4,788) experienced at least one form of maltreatment with 83% (n = 4,347) exposed during the previous year. Violence exposure was the most common type of child maltreatment experienced, followed by psychological abuse, physical abuse, neglect, and sexual abuse. Adolescents reported an average of 7.4 (SD = 5.87) victimizations over their lifetime and 4.8 (SD = 4.82) victimizations during the past year. Females reported a higher rate of neglect, while males reported a higher rate of sexual abuse. Most of the sexual abuse perpetrators were known by their victims. Adolescents’ victimization and polyvictimization from child maltreatment in Taiwan deserves a review and modification of national control and prevention policies.     

Emotion dysregulation as a mechanism linking child maltreatment exposure and self-harm behaviors in adolescents

Although child maltreatment exposure is a recognized risk factor for self-harm, mechanisms underlying this relationship remain unclear. Self-harm may function as a compensatory strategy to regulate distressing emotions. This cross-sectional study examines if emotion dysregulation mediates between the severity of maltreatment exposure and self-harm, adjusting for demographic variables and depressive symptoms. Participants were 108 adolescent patients recruited from a psychiatric hospital in Singapore (mean age 17.0 years, SD = 1.65; 59.3% female). Study measures included the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ-SF), Functional Assessment of Self-Mutilation (FASM), Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-8). Path analysis was conducted to examine the direct and indirect effects of maltreatment exposure on self-harm via emotion dysregulation, controlling for demographic variables and depressive symptoms. Indirect effects were tested using bootstrapped confidence intervals (CI). Results showed that self-harm was highly prevalent in our sample (75.9%). Emotion dysregulation and depressive symptoms were found to be associated with higher self-harm frequency. In addition, results from path analysis showed that the association between the severity of maltreatment exposure and self-harm frequency was significantly mediated by emotion dysregulation B = 0.07, p < 0.05, 95% CI [0.02, 0.16]. Thus, emotion dysregulation may be a proximal mechanism linking maltreatment exposure and adolescent self-harm. Notably, self-harm may represent maladaptive attempts to manage emotion dysregulation that may have resulted from maltreatment. Findings from the study have implications for the prevention and treatment of self-harm in maltreated youth.     

Emotion regulation as a mediator of the relation between sexual abuse and behavior problems in preschoolers

Maltreated children show poor emotion regulation competencies compared to non-maltreated children. Emotion regulation has been found to mediate the association between maltreatment and behavior problems in children. The aim of the present study was to examine the relationships among child sexual abuse (CSA), emotion regulation (ER), and internalized and externalized behavior problems in preschoolers using conditional process analyses. ER competencies were assessed in 127 children aged 41–79 months (62 abused, 65 non-abused) by their parents (N = 124) and early childhood educators (N = 88) using the Emotion Regulation Checklist (Shields and Cicchetti, 1995, Shields and Cicchetti, 1997). Behavior problems were evaluated by parents using the Child Behavior Checklist (Achenbach and Rescorla, 2000, Achenbach and Rescorla, 2001). ER was found to completely mediate the relation between CSA and internalized behavior problems and partially mediate the relation between CSA and externalized behavior problems. Parents’ and educators’ evaluations of ER were also found to differ as a function of child gender. The discussion focuses on the relationships among CSA, ER, behavior problems, and child gender. The clinical implications of these findings are also examined. Promoting the optimal development of ER could prevent the emergence and exacerbation of behavior problems in these at-risk children and, in turn, foster resilience.     

Executive function performance and trauma exposure in a community sample of children

ObjectiveThough children exposed to familial violence are reported to have difficulties with a range of emotional and behavioral problems (e.g., lower school achievement) that implicate executive function (EF) deficits, relatively little research has specifically examined EF as a function of trauma exposure in children.MethodsBased on parent report of children's exposure to potentially traumatic events, children (N = 110; Age_Mean = 10.39) from an ethnically diverse community sample were compared across three trauma-exposure groups: familial trauma, non-familial trauma, and no trauma. Children completed a battery of tests to assess working memory, behavioral inhibition, processing speed, auditory attention, and interference control.ResultsFamilial trauma (relative to non-familial and no trauma exposure) was associated with poorer performance on an EF composite (composed of working memory, inhibition, auditory attention, and processing speed tasks); the effect size was medium. Both trauma-exposure status and dissociation symptoms explained unique variance in EF performance after controlling for anxiety symptoms, socio-economic status, and potential traumatic brain injury. While IQ and EF performance were related, SES predicted unique variance in IQ (and not EF) scores, while familial-trauma exposure did not.ConclusionsThe contribution of trauma exposure to basic executive functioning held after taking into account symptoms (anxiety and dissociation), socio-economic status, and possible traumatic brain injury exposure. EF problems may provide one route via which maltreated children become at risk for peer, academic, and behavior problems relative to their peers.Practice implicationsEF problems may provide one route via which maltreated children become at risk for peer, academic, psychological, and behavior problems relative to their peers. Recently, intervention strategies have emerged in the anxiety and mood disorder treatment literatures that appear to effectively target EFs. As future research continues to specify the relationship between child trauma exposure and EF performance, these innovative treatments may have important practice implications for addressing EF deficits.     

Repeated reports for child maltreatment among intimate partner violence victims: Findings from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being

ObjectivesTo determine the prevalence of intimate partner violence (defined as any physical violence during the last 12 months or previously) among mothers who maltreat their children, and to examine whether mothers’ experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV) are associated with repeated reports (rereports) of children to Child Protective Services (CPS) during the following 18 months.MethodsData for the analyses were from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW), a national probability study of children investigated for child maltreatment. The sample of 5,501 children (ages 0–14) was randomly selected from the families who entered the US child welfare system between October 1999 and December 2000. The analysis sample was restricted to 1,236 families in which caregivers were: (1) the alleged perpetrators of the child maltreatment at baseline (independently of substantiation status) and (2) the biological mothers (n = 1,212 or 98.6%), adoptive mothers (n = 17 or 1%), or stepmothers (n = 7 or 0.3%) of children not placed in out-of-home care.ResultsChildren of mothers physically abused by an intimate partner during the last 12 months or previously at the intake interview (44%) were twice as likely as children of mothers who had not experienced such violence to be rereported to CPS (29% vs. 14%, Odds Ratio = 2.0, 95% Confidence Interval = 1.1–3.4). Rereports occurred almost twice as quickly for children of mothers who experienced IPV compared to children of mothers who had not experienced IPV (Hazard Ratio = 1.9, 95% Confidence Interval = 1.1–3.0).ConclusionsThe higher risk and speedier rereports of child maltreatment associated with intimate partner violence highlights the need for universal assessment and provision of services for IPV among families that are investigated by CPS.     

Modeling risk for child abuse and harsh parenting in families with depressed and substance-abusing parents

Children with substance abusing parents are at considerable risk for child maltreatment. The current study applied an actor–partner interdependence model to examine how father only (n = 52) and dual couple (n = 33) substance use disorder, as well as their depressive symptomology influenced parents’ own (actor effects) and the partner's (partner effects) overreactivity in disciplinary interactions with their children, as well as their risk for child maltreatment. Parents completed the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D; Radloff, 1977), the overreactivity subscale from the Parenting Scale (Arnold, O’Leary, Wolff, & Acker, 1993), and the Brief Child Abuse Potential Inventory (Ondersma, Chaffin, Mullins, & LeBreton, 2005). Results of multigroup structural equation models revealed that a parent's own report of depressive symptoms predicted their risk for child maltreatment in both father SUD and dual SUD couples. Similarly, a parent's report of their own depressive symptoms predicted their overreactivity in disciplinary encounters both in father SUD and dual SUD couples. In all models, partners’ depressive symptoms did not predict their partner's risk for child maltreatment or overreactivity. Findings underscore the importance of a parent's own level of depressive symptoms in their risk for child maltreatment and for engaging in overreactivity during disciplinary episodes.     

Development of a prediction model for child maltreatment recurrence in Japan: A historical cohort study using data from a Child Guidance Center

To develop a prediction model for the first recurrence of child maltreatment within the first year after the initial report, we carried out a historical cohort study using administrative data from 716 incident cases of child maltreatment (physical abuse, psychological abuse, or neglect) not receiving support services, reported between April 1, 1996 through March 31, 2011 to Shiga Central Child Guidance Center, Japan. In total, 23 items related to characteristics of the child, the maltreatment, the offender, household, and other related factors were selected as predictive variables and analyzed by multivariate logistic regression model for association with first recurrence of maltreatment. According to the stepwise selection procedure six factors were identified that include 9–13 year age of child (AOR = 3.43/95%CI = 1.52−7.72), <40 year age of the offender (AOR = 1.65/95%CI = 1.09−2.51), offender’s history of maltreatment during childhood (AOR = 2.56/95%CI = 1.31−4.99), household financial instability or poverty (AOR = 1.64/95%CI = 1.10−2.45), absence of someone in the community who could watch over the child (AOR = 1.68/95%CI = 1.16−2.44), and the organization as the referral source (AOR = 2.21/95%CI = 1.24−3.93). Using these six predictors, we generated a linear prediction model with a sensitivity and specificity of 45.2% and 82.4%, respectively. The model may be useful to assess the risk of further maltreatment and help the child and family welfare administrations to develop preventive strategies for recurrence.     

The mitigating effects of maternal social support and paternal involvement on the intergenerational transmission of violence

Childhood maltreatment is a strong risk factor for subsequent violence, including violent behaviors in young adulthood and offspring maltreatment after becoming a parent. Little is known about the specific circumstances under which supportive relationships may help disrupt this cycle of violence throughout the life course. We conducted two complementary analyses to assess whether maternal social support in early childhood, and also paternal involvement in middle childhood, could prevent the intergenerational transmission of violence, using data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (n = 11,384). We found that higher levels of maternal social support in the postpartum period reduced the odds of offspring maltreatment at ages 0–8 years (OR = 0.95, 95% CI 0.93–0.96). When classifying mothers according to their abuse history, this protective association of social support was observed among mothers with no history of childhood maltreatment and among those with only childhood maltreatment (and not postpartum intimate partner violence [IPV]), but not among mothers who reported IPV since the child’s birth. We then extended our analysis of these offspring forward in time and found that paternal involvement at ages 9–10 years was associated with a reduced risk of offspring self-reported violent perpetration at ages 18–20 years (OR = 0.85, 95% CI = 0.77–0.94). This protective association was generally apparent among all subgroups of children, including those with a history of childhood maltreatment. Together these results highlight the protective influence of supportive relationships against the intergenerational transmission of violence, depending on abuse history, context, and timing, with important implications for the prevention of childhood maltreatment and mitigation of its negative effects.     

Child welfare outcomes for youth in care as a result of parental death or parental incarceration

Every day, in the United States, children are removed from their homes and placed into state supervised out-of-home care because of concerns around their safety. These children enter care as a result of child abuse, child neglect, abandonment or some other reasons. Lost in most discussions of out-of-home care is the role that parental incarceration and parental death have on the trajectory of children through the child welfare system. In order to address this gap in the literature, the present study aims to compare youth in foster care as a result of parental death or youth in foster care as a result of parental incarceration with youth in care because of child maltreatment in terms of the length of time to achieve permanency. Holding all other variables constant, entering care as a result of parental death more than doubled the average time to exit (HR = 2.32, SE = 0.22), and these youth were significantly less likely to exit to permanency when compared to children entering care for other maltreatment reasons (OR = 0.35, SE = 0.24). Entering care as a result of parental incarceration led to a 24% longer time to exit (HR = 1.24, SE = 0.09) compared to children entering care for other maltreatment reasons. Findings suggest that a one-size-fits-all approach to policy and practice may not be useful to identifying permanent placements for children entering care as a result of parental death or incarceration.     

Child maltreatment among boy and girl probationers: Does type of maltreatment make a difference in offending behavior and psychosocial problems?

This study examined differences in offending behavior and psychosocial problems between juvenile offenders who have been sexually abused (n = 231), physically abused (n = 1,568), neglected (n = 1,555), exposed to multiple forms of maltreatment (n = 1,767), and non-victims (n = 8,492). In addition, the moderating effect of gender in the association between type of maltreatment and offending behavior/psychosocial problems was examined. Results showed that violent offenses were more common in victims of physical abuse and victims of multiple forms of abuse than in non-victims, both in boys and girls. In boys, sexual offenses were far more common in victims of sexual abuse than in victims of other or multiple forms of maltreatment or in non-victims. In girls, no group differences were found in sexual offending behavior. For both boys and girls, externalizing problems were relatively common in victims of physical abuse and neglect whereas internalizing problems were relatively common in victims of sexual abuse. In victims of multiple forms of maltreatment, both internalizing and externalizing problems were relatively common. Implications for clinical practice are discussed.     

Visual processing of pictures and letters in alphabet books and the implications for letter learning

Alphabet books as studied in this research typically highlight one letter per page combined with a depiction of a word that begins with the letter (e.g., a bear illustrates B). This study tests whether children’s letter knowledge improves as a result of alphabet book sharing and how the visual processing of pictures and letters affects learning from repeated alphabet book readings. The study is designed as a randomized control trial in which participants were assigned to one of two experimental groups (N = 30) or a control group (N = 15). Half of the experimental group received version A in which the letters A–L were illustrated with anthropomorphic figures and the letters M–Z with objects. Half received version B in which the letters A–L were illustrated with objects and the letters M–Z with anthropomorphic figures. Mean age of the children was 57.6 months (SD = 3.6). While sharing the alphabet book we registered children’s eye movements in the first and fourth (last) reading session. Alphabet book reading stimulated letter knowledge although the make-up of the alphabet book moderated the effects. Relatively more visual attention to pictures of anthropomorphic figures interfered with learning letters from alphabet book sharing. Visual attention to letters also predicted letter knowledge and learning. Only a small part of each letter attracted children’s attention and the briefer their fixations on this distinctive area, the more letters they knew at the pretest and were able to learn from alphabet book sharing.     

Attitudes,beliefs, and perceived norms about corporal punishment and related training needs among members of the “American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children”

Hitting children for disciplinary purposes (i.e., spanking or corporal punishment [CP]) is a strong risk factor for child physical abuse and is highly prevalent in the U.S. Yet, little is currently known about the relevant attitudes, beliefs, or training needs of key professionals who often advise parents regarding child discipline strategies. A survey of the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC) membership, comprised of mental health professionals, physicians, child welfare professionals, and other professionals in the child maltreatment field, was conducted to assess attitudes, beliefs, perceived norms, training needs, and motivations to change norms regarding CP (N = 571, response rate = 51%). Most respondents agreed that spanking is a bad disciplinary technique (82%), is harmful for children (74%), and leads to negative outcomes (M = 3.0, SD = 0.6) more frequently than positive outcomes (M = 2.1, SD = 0.6; t = 20.8; p < 0.0001) for children. Professionals reported perceiving that their colleagues’ level of endorsement of CP (M = 2.4, SD = 1.0) was higher than their own (M = 1.9, SD = 1.0; t(568) = −10.7, p <0.0001) though still below the midpoint. Professionals reported high levels of preparedness to effectively advise parents on non-physical child discipline strategies, but reported perceiving lower levels of preparedness amongst their colleagues. They reported highly valuing giving such advice to parents and being very motivated to participate in activities designed to change social norms regarding CP. Most APSAC members are poised to change these norms and, in doing so, to help reduce rates of child physical abuse in the U.S.     

The blind men and the elephant: Identification of a latent maltreatment construct for youth in foster care

Child maltreatment is a major public health concern due to its impact on developmental trajectories and consequences across mental and physical health outcomes. Operationalization of child maltreatment has been complicated, as research has used simple dichotomous counts to identification of latent class profiles. This study examines a latent measurement model assessed within foster youth inclusive of indicators of maltreatment chronicity and severity across four maltreatment types: physical, sexual, and psychological abuse, and neglect. Participants were 500 foster youth with a mean age of 12.99 years (SD = 2.95 years). Youth completed survey questions through a confidential audio computer-assisted self-interview program. A two-factor model with latent constructs of chronicity and severity of maltreatment revealed excellent fit across fit indices; however, the latent constructs were correlated 0.972. A one-factor model also demonstrated excellent model fit to the data (χ² (16, n = 500) = 28.087, p = 0.031, RMSEA (0.012–0.062) = 0.039, TLI = 0.990, CFI = 0.994, SRMR = 0.025) with a nonsignificant chi-square difference test comparing the one- and two-factor models. Invariance tests across age, gender, and placement type also were conducted with recommendations provided. Results suggest a single-factor latent model of maltreatment severity and chronicity can be attained. Thus, the maltreatment experiences reported by foster youth, though varied and complex, were captured in a model that may prove useful in later predictions of outcome behaviors. Appropriate identification of both the chronicity and severity of maltreatment inclusive of the range of maltreatment types remains a high priority for future research.     

Child maltreatment in U.S. emergency departments: Imaging and admissions

ObjectiveWe report imaging and admission ratios for children with definitive and suggestive maltreatment in a national sample of emergency departments (EDs).MethodsUsing the 2012 Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (NEDS), we generated national estimates of ED visits for children <10 years with both definitive and suggestive maltreatment. Outcomes were admission/transfer ratios for children <10 years and screening ratios by skeletal surveys and head computed tomography (CT) for children <2 years with suspected physical abuse. We compared hospitals with low, medium, and high pediatric ED volumes using multivariable logistic regression.ResultsThe 2012 national estimate of U.S. ED visits (children <10 years) with definitive maltreatment is 14,457 (95% CI: 11,987–16,928). Suggestive child maltreatment was seen in an additional 103,392 (95% CI: 90,803–115,981) pediatric ED visits. After controlling for patient case mix, high volume hospitals had a significantly higher adjusted odds ratio (AOR) of admission/transfer among definitive cases (AOR = 1.74, 95% CI: 1.08–2.81), and medium volume hospitals had a higher odds of admission/transfer among suggestive cases (AOR = 1.24, 95% CI: 1.02–1.50) when compared with low volume hospitals. In hospitals with reliable reporting of imaging procedures, high volume hospitals reported skeletal surveys (age <2 years) significantly more often than low volume hospitals, AOR = 3.32 (95% CI: 1.25–8.84); the AORs for head CT did not differ by hospital volume.ConclusionsLow volume hospitals were less likely to screen by skeletal survey, but head CT ratios were not affected by ED volume. Low volume hospitals were also less likely to admit or transfer.     

The influence of childhood polyvictimization on disordered eating symptoms in emerging adulthood

Children who endure multiple victimization experiences, or “polyvictims," are vulnerable to maladaptive outcomes. Yet, little research exists evaluating the relationship between childhood polyvictimization and disordered eating symptoms (DES) in emerging adulthood. The current study examines the relationship between childhood polyvictimization and DES in emerging adults. Data were collected from 288 participants across two universities using online self-report measures. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed a significant positive relationship between number of childhood victimization experiences and DES in young adulthood (ß = 0.14; p = 0.016). Female participants were more likely to demonstrate DES (ß = 0.14; p = 0.008). Further, high levels of emotion dysregulation during young adulthood were associated with more DES (ß = 0.33; p < 0.001). Findings suggest that exposure to victimization experiences in childhood increases individuals’ risk for exhibiting DES in young adulthood. Results also highlight the strong relationship between individuals’ emotion regulation abilities and the presence of DES. Findings align with the theory that children who have endured high levels of victimization often feel overwhelmed by their emotions and circumstances, demonstrate emotion regulation difficulties, and may rely on maladaptive coping strategies, including disordered eating, to manage adversities. Study results emphasize the importance of considering victimization history when working with emerging adults displaying disordered eating symptomatology.     

Reflective function mediates the relationship between emotional maltreatment and borderline pathology in adolescents: A preliminary investigation

Deficits in mentalizing, particularly within the context of attachment relationships i.e., reflective function (RF), are posited to result from childhood maltreatment and to influence the development of borderline personality disorder (BPD). Whilst a mentalization-based model of BPD provides a theoretical explanation, direct empirical support for this model, in linking childhood maltreatment to borderline pathology remains limited. This study examined the interrrelationships between childhood maltreatment, RF, and borderline pathology in a mixed adolescent sample, consisting of adolescents with BPD (n = 26) and a group of non-clinical adolescents (n = 25). With the aim of directly testing the mentalization-based model of BPD, we additionally investigated the influence of each form of childhood maltreatment within this developmental pathway. Self-report data supported the hypothesized indirect effect of childhood maltreatment on elevated borderline pathology through lowered RF in adolescents. Both emotional abuse and emotional neglect were found to indirectly influence borderline pathology through adolescent RF, however, only emotional abuse indirectly influenced borderline pathology through RF, after all other maltreatment types were controlled for. Findings support the promotion of mentalization, within attachment-related contexts, as an intervention target for adolescents with borderline pathology and as a potential target of prevention for at-risk children and adolescents with histories of childhood maltreatment, especially emotional abuse. Future research should delineate other underlying mechanisms, independent of RF, which may also link the influence of childhood maltreatment, and in particular, emotional abuse, to BPD.     

Associations between motor proficiency in children with history of maltreatment and living in social economically vulnerability

Maltreatment and living in poor socioeconomic conditions during childhood may implicate in deficits on motor proficiency, nevertheless, the literature on this issue is still scarce. The goal of the study was to investigate the possible associations among manual dexterity, aiming and catching tasks, and balance tasks for children who suffers maltreatment and lived in social vulnerability. Eighty-two (82) children (08-09 years old) participated in the study. Forty-one (41) belong to the (SEV-M Group) children living in social economic vulnerability and were previously maltreated (lived in foster homes as results of parental neglect and domestic violence), and 41 belong to the (SEV Group) children living in social economical vulnerability with no history of childhood maltreatment. Children were assessed using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children –2nd Edition. Structural Equation Modeling was used to analyze the data. The results suggest the existence of a variety of motor difficulties in the group of children who suffered from neglect and domestic violence. The statistics model showed a negative effect for children in at-risk environments (regression coefficient = −0.30) and only showed a significant effect (p = 0.04) for balance abilities. Traumatic experiences may have a negative effect on children’ balance proficiency.     

Screening for potential child maltreatment in parents of a newborn baby: The predictive validity of an Instrument for early identification of Parents At Risk for child Abuse and Neglect (IPARAN)

For preventive purposes it is important to be able to identify families with a high risk of child maltreatment at an early stage. Therefore we developed an actuarial instrument for screening families with a newborn baby, the Instrument for identification of Parents At Risk for child Abuse and Neglect (IPARAN). The aim of this study was to assess the predictive validity of the IPARAN and to examine whether combining actuarial and clinical methods leads to an improvement of the predictive validity. We examined the predictive validity by calculating several performance indicators (i.e., sensitivity, specificity and the Area Under the receiver operating characteristic Curve [AUC]) in a sample of 4692 Dutch families with newborns. The outcome measure was a report of child maltreatment at Child Protection Services during a follow-up of 3 years. For 17 children (.4%) a report of maltreatment was registered. The predictive validity of the IPARAN was significantly better than chance (AUC = .700, 95% CI [.567–.832]), in contrast to a low value for clinical judgement of nurses of the Youth Health Care Centers (AUC = .591, 95% CI [.422–.759]). The combination of the IPARAN and clinical judgement resulted in the highest predictive validity (AUC = .720, 95% CI [.593–.847]), however, the difference between the methods did not reach statistical significance. The good predictive validity of the IPARAN in combination with clinical judgment of the nurse enables professionals to assess risks at an early stage and to make referrals to early intervention programs.