黑人性神话与他者身份的建构及其解构——从《土生子》中的跨种族性关系谈起

理查德.赖特的代表作《土生子》被誉为美国黑人文学史上的里程碑式作品、＂抗议小说＂的扛鼎之作,因此学界针对《土生子》的研究多集中于黑白二元对立上,着重探讨的是美国社会制度和种族歧视对美国黑人心灵的戕害及其灾难性后果。在此基础上,本文尝试采用新的视角,以跨种族性关系为切入点,重新审视小说主人公别格的悲剧成因,并且通过分析书中白人如何利用虚假的黑人＂性神话＂构建黑人的他者身份,揭示别格杀害白人姑娘玛丽的讽刺性寓意,彰显＂抗议小说之父＂赖特解构黑人＂性神话＂的创作智慧。     

槟榔嚼块对神经系统的影响及其依赖性

槟榔嚼块（betel quid）是一种由槟榔果和多种添加物组成的混合物,含有槟榔碱、槟榔次碱、去甲槟榔次碱等多种生物碱,对中枢和外周神经系统均产生明显的药理作用,具有一定的滥用潜力和依赖性。     

Response and interventions into harmful sexual behaviour in schools

Internationally young people report experiencing sexual abuse and violence within schools. Developments within the field of adolescent sexual harm are increasingly recognising the need for ecological approaches to harm. Yet, to date, interventions with young people displaying harmful sexual behaviours have prioritised individual behaviours and characteristics over place-based interventions.This article presents empirical evidence from a mixed-methods study aimed at understanding the enablers and barriers to preventing and responding to harmful sexual behaviour in schools. Research was carried out in seven schools and four multi-agency partnerships in England, UK. Using evidence from focus groups, observations, case reviews and policy analysis the article outlines nine components that enable, or are barriers to, effective responses and interventions into harmful sexual behaviour in schools. The paper concludes that responses and interventions into harmful sexual behaviour must move beyond responding to individual behaviours to intervening within factors within schools themselves.     

Child welfare characteristics in a sample of youth involved in commercial sex: An exploratory study

BackgroundHomeless, runaway, and youth exiting foster care are vulnerable to sexual exploitation, but little research has parsed the societal, community, and individual factors that contribute to their risk.Objectives(1) To estimate child welfare characteristics in a sample of homeless young people who engaged in commercial sex (CS); and (2) To compare young people who were sex trafficked (ST) to those who engaged in some other form of CS.Participants and settingThis study includes 98 homeless young people in Philadelphia, PA, Phoenix, AZ, and Washington, DC, who were interviewed for a larger study of ST and endorsed engagement in CS.MethodsWe used a non-probability, purposive, maximum variation sampling procedure. Interviews were recorded and responses were simultaneously noted on a standardized interview form. Data were analyzed through means, frequencies, and bivariate tests of association.ResultsAverage age of the full sample of 98 homeless young people was 20.9 years; 48% were female and 50% were Black/African American. Forty-six percent of the full sample was sex trafficked. The full sample and the victims of ST differed significantly in three child welfare characteristics, with the ST group more likely to have been maltreated as children, more likely to have had family involvement with the child welfare system (CWS), and more likely to report higher rates of living someplace other than with their biological parents as children.ConclusionsST victims differ from those who engaged in other forms of CS in histories of maltreatment, involvement with the CWS, and exposure to residential instability while growing up.     

Understanding the needs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Child maltreatment prevention program development

BackgroundGlobal efforts are being made to combat child maltreatment (CM); however, in 2011 the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s (KSA) response to this issue was found to be mediocre. Several developments have been implemented in KSA since then, and reevaluation is now necessary.ObjectiveTo assess the CM-prevention readiness (CMPR) of KSA in regard to implementing large-scale, evidence-based CM-prevention programs. Participants and Setting: Key informants based in KSA who were decision makers and senior managers in the CM field; face-to-face interviews were conducted in the participants’ offices.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study. We used the multi-dimensional tool “Readiness Assessment for the Prevention of Child Maltreatment - short version,” which examines 10 dimensions concerning this topic. Comparison between the results of this study and those of the 2011 examination was performed to determine how the situation in KSA has changed.ResultsSixty informants were interviewed; the majority being females (57%) and from governmental institutions (56%). The average total score for the 10 dimensions was 47.4%, an increase from the 43.7% reported in 2011. The strongest dimensions were legislations and mandates (8.3/10), followed by knowledge (7.1/10) and institutional links and resources (5.8/10). The lowest scores concerned human and technical resources (1.7/10) and attitude towards CM (2.8/10). Compared to the 2011 results, some dimensions showed significant improvements, but the majority had remained consistent.ConclusionsTime and commitment are necessary to secure CMPR improvement. Periodic assessment of CMPR is required to provide proper recommendations to the government regarding the progress of CM-prevention strategies.     

Professionals’ preferences and experiences with inter-organizational consultation to assess suspicions of child abuse and neglect

This study addresses the following questions in cases of suspected child abuse and neglect (CAN) in children up to four years of age: 1) How many professionals intend to seek inter-organizational consultation? 2) What types of organizations do professionals prefer to consult? and 3) What factors can be identified as facilitator(s) or barrier(s) regarding inter-organizational consultation, based on professionals’ experiences? Professionals working with children in 101 organizations in a medium-sized Dutch city were invited to fill in an online questionnaire. The questionnaire included a vignette about a suspected case. Quantitative, qualitative, and social network analysis approaches were used to analyze the data. Seventy-eight questionnaires were available for analysis. Fifty-five respondents (71%) intended to seek inter-organizational consultation. Ten different organization types were mentioned. The most frequently mentioned organization was preventive child healthcare. In total, 82 text fragments from 39 participants were available to analyze barriers and facilitators to inter-organizational consultation, 60 fragments that entailed a facilitator and 22 fragments that entailed a barrier. The text fragments were subdivided into twelve factors. The three factors that were most often identified as a facilitator were ‘support’, ‘undertaking action’, and ‘regard’. Barriers were found in relation to all twelve factors. No specific barrier(s) stood out. This study demonstrated that most professionals are inclined to seek inter-organizational consultation when they suspect CAN. They are especially likely to seek consultation from preventive child health care organizations. Their experiences mainly revealed facilitators and few barriers. The implications for research and practice are also discussed.     

The association between perceived injunctive norms toward corporal punishment,parenting support,and risk for child physical abuse

The use of corporal punishment (CP) is a strong risk factor for many poor outcomes for children including child maltreatment. The use of CP occurs within social contexts which are important to understand. Although it is known that perceived social norms regarding CP are related to its use, the specific role that a mother’s primary support person plays in influencing attitudes toward and use of CP remains unknown. The current study assessed linkages between maternal perceived social support in parenting and perceived injunctive norms of CP from her primary source of support, with maternal attitudes toward and use of CP. Survey data were collected from female primary caregivers (N = 436) of children age 2 to 7 years (mean age = 3.7) enrolled in Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) clinics in Southeastern Louisiana. Most frequently, the biological father of the child (37.9%) and the maternal grandmother of the child (24.2%) were identified as the participant’s primary source of social support in parenting. Perceived injunctive norms of this support person toward CP use were significantly and positively associated with attitudes toward, AOR = 5.97, 95% CI = [4.04, 8.82], and use of CP, AOR = 3.77, 95% CI = [2.55, 5.59]. However, perceived social support was not associated with these outcomes and also did not moderate these associations. Findings suggest that efforts to reduce maternal risk for child physical abuse and use of CP must include the mother’s primary source of social support if they are to be successful.     

Parents’ PTSD symptoms and child abuse potential during the perinatal period: Direct associations and mediation via relationship conflict

BackgroundPosttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms are associated with parental aggression towards children, but little is known about the relation between parents’ PTSD symptoms and their risk for perpetrating child physical abuse during the early parenting years, when the potential for prevention of abuse may be highest.ObjectiveTo examine direct associations between mothers’ and fathers’ PTSD symptoms and child abuse potential, as well as indirect effects through couple relationship adjustment (i.e., conflict and love) in a high-risk sample of parents during the perinatal period, most of whom were first-time parents.Participants and settingFrom March 2013 to August 2016, data were collected from 150 expecting or new parental dyads in which the mother was participating in a home visiting program.MethodsData were analyzed using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Mediation Model.ResultsFor mothers and fathers, there were direct associations between PTSD symptom severity and child abuse potential (βs = .51, ps <.001), and this association for fathers was stronger at higher levels of mothers’ PTSD symptoms (β = .15, p = .03). In addition, parents’ own and their partners’ PTSD symptoms were each indirectly associated with parents’ own child abuse potential through parents’ report of interparental conflict (standardized indirect effects = .052–.069, ps = .004) but not love.ConclusionsAddressing parents’ PTSD symptoms and relationship conflict during the perinatal period using both systemic and developmental perspectives may uniquely serve to decrease the risk of child physical abuse and its myriad adverse consequences.     

Child and family traumatic stress intervention (CFTSI) reduces parental posttraumatic stress symptoms: A multi-site meta-analysis (MSMA)

BackgroundFollowing traumatization, caregiver support is a crucial factor contributing to children's successful management of posttraumatic reactions and their recovery. Caregivers who have been traumatically impacted themselves, however, may be compromised in this posttraumatic caregiving role. Although there are a number of evidence-based child trauma treatments that are effective in reducing children's trauma symptoms, the impact of child treatment on participating caregiver's posttraumatic symptoms (PTS) has received less attention.ObjectiveExplore PTS reduction caregivers experience through participation in their child's evidence-based trauma-focused mental health treatment.Participants and setting640 Child-Caregiver dyads referred for the Child and Family Traumatic Stress Intervention (CFTSI) following formal disclosure of abuse in a Child Advocacy Center (CAC).MethodsData were collected from 10 community treatment sites trained in CFTSI. A multi-site meta-analytic approach was used to evaluate pooled and site-specific therapeutic effect sizes for caregivers and children.ResultsCFTSI was associated with significant changes (Hedge's g = 1.17, Child-rated; g = 0.66, caregiver-rated) in children's PTS and with clinically meaningful improvements in PTS for 62% of participating caregivers who had started CFTSI with clinical levels of PTS as measured by the Post Traumatic Checklist–Civilian Version (PCL-C). The overall mean PCL-C change (9.31, SD = 12.9) in paired, pre-post PCL-C scores is close to a clinically meaningful change of 10 or higher. There was a robust moderate pooled effect size (g = 0.70, N = 640, p < 0.0001).ConclusionThe value of a reduction in caregiver PTS as a secondary outcome of children's trauma-focused treatment is discussed.