A longitudinal investigation of protective factors for bereaved maltreated youth

BackgroundMaltreated youth are at an elevated risk for the development of problem behaviors. Coping with the death of a family member or close friend during adolescence, referred to as bereavement, is a stressful event that could potentiate risk linked to maltreatment. However, developmental research suggests that youth adjustment is a product of multiple risk and protective factors. Although maltreated youth who experience loss may be particularly vulnerable to behavior problems, personal and contextual factors may attenuate or exacerbate youths’ risk for internalizing and externalizing psychopathology.ObjectiveThe overarching goal of this study is to examine individual, family, and community-level protective factors for maltreated youth who experience bereavement. Specifically, we aim to examine the effect of age 12 bereavement on age 16 internalizing and externalizing psychopathology, and to investigate the moderating role of multi-level protective factors at ages 14 and 16.MethodsThe study consisted of a sample of 800 youth (52.4% female, 45.1% African-American) drawn from the Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect (LONGSCAN), collected from 1998 to 2011.ResultsMaltreated youth who experienced significant loss were at increased risk for externalizing symptoms, compared to non-bereaved maltreated youth (β = 0.085, p < .05). Individual future orientation (β = 0.103, p < .05) family future orientation (β = −0.120, p < .05), parental monitoring (β = −0.123, p< .01), and neighborhood collective efficacy (β = −0.126, p < .01) each significantly moderated the association between bereavement and externalizing symptoms.ConclusionsThese results have implications for future interventions aimed towards reducing problem behaviors in adolescents with a history of child maltreatment and who experience bereavement.     

Parental absence,child victimization,and psychological well-being in rural China

Using cross-sectional data regarding 793 rural children aged 10–16 in Sichuan Province of China, the present study examined the preceding-year rates of seven forms of child victimization (physical assault, property crime, peer/sibling victimization, child maltreatment, sexual victimization, witnessing family violence, and exposure to community violence) and poly-victimization, and found children’s victimization experiences increased as the degree of parental absence increased (from the presence of two biological parents, to parental migration and parental separation and divorce). Elevated levels of depression were also found among left-behind children and children of separated or divorced parents, compared to children living with both biological parents; and child poly-victimization added to the risk of child depression. Certain demographic characteristics (being a boy and younger) and parental factors were associated with child victimization in rural China. This study highlights the need for child protection in rural China, and in particular for parent-absent children.     

Parents' views of the efficacy of conductive education in Sweden

Parents of children who have participated in a conductive education programme in Sweden were asked questions about their reasons for choosing the programme, the expectations they had of it and how they were fulfilled. The results showed that the parents were satisfied with the development of their child, and wanted to continue to take part in further courses with their child. They appreciated the intensive training and found it motivating and enjoyable for the child. They wanted an intensive training for their child because they believed that active training could help the child to develop. The parents learned more about cerebral palsy at the courses and now understood why and how they could train their child. Most of the parents continued the training at home with the child. They experienced financial difficulties in participating in further courses, and found it difficult to stay away from work and family for a long period of time.     

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.     

父母教养方式对高职学生诚信心理发展的影响

不同年级的高职学生在诚信心理发展上存在显著差异,父母教养方式与高职学生诚信心理发展密切相关,父亲的拒绝否认、偏爱被试对诚信心理发展有一定的负向预测作用。     

Unintended pregnancy as a predictor of child maltreatment

Whereas child maltreatment research has developed considerable evidence on post-natal risk-factors, pre-natal circumstances have been largely overlooked. The circumstances surrounding a pregnancy may considerably impact the environment in which later parenting behaviors occur. This study examines one of the earliest potentially identifiable risk-factors for child maltreatment: the intentions of a pregnancy. Utilizing both mother and father reports, this study focuses on maltreatment risk, as it relates with both parents’ perspectives of the pregnancy's intention. Drawing upon data from the Fragile Families and Child Well Being study, a longitudinal, birth cohort study, survey questions were used that asked parents, at the time of the birth, whether they considered abortion for the child. Unintended pregnancy demonstrates predictive value as one of the earliest identifiable risk-factors for child maltreatment. Regardless of whether the mother or father reported the unintended pregnancy, the relationship with maltreating behavior is largely the same, although for different maltreatment types. Mothers’ reports of unintended pregnancy are associated with psychological aggression, and neglect. Fathers’ reports of unintended pregnancy are associated with physical aggression. Fathers’ perspectives regarding pregnancy intentions matter just as much as mothers,’ and accounting for their perspectives could be important in understanding the maltreating behaviors of both parents. Identifiable in the earliest stages of caregiving, unintended pregnancy may be an important risk-factor in predicting and understanding child maltreatment.     

The cross-lagged relations between children’s academic skill development, task-avoidance, and parental beliefs about success

This longitudinal study investigated the cross-lagged associations between children’s academic skill development, task-avoidant behaviour in the context of homework, and parental beliefs about their child’s success from kindergarten to Grade 2. The participants were 1267 children. The children’s pre-skills were assessed at the end of the kindergarten year, and math and reading skills at the end of Grade 1 and Grade 2. Parents provided ratings of their beliefs about their children’s school success and task-avoidant behaviour with regard to homework at the end of Grades 1 and 2. The results showed that children’s math and reading skills predicted children’s task-avoidant behaviour regarding homework as rated by mothers, but not by fathers, when autoregressive effects were taken into account. In addition, task-avoidant behaviour predicted the mothers’ subsequent beliefs about their children’s school success but not vice versa. A reciprocal effect was found between fathers’ beliefs about success and children’s task-avoidance.     

家长对幼儿教育的期望:中、日、韩三国之比较

本研究采用自编量表调查了来自中、日、韩三国的727名家长对其孩子受教育的期望。结果显示：三国家长对其孩子的成长都持积极期望的态度;在“主体积极发展”“关注饮食”“意志力培养”“道德判断”“与成人情感交流”等因子上。国别差异显著;国别与性别,国别与年龄,性别与年龄,国别、性别与年龄交互作用均不显著。     

The role of outdoor recreation in family enrichment

Abstract

The family is the fundamental unit in society and perhaps the oldest and most important of all human institutions. Several studies have indicated a positive correlation between strong, successful families and family participation in outdoor recreational activities. This paper addresses the role of structured outdoor recreation programming in family enrichment. Findings from two studies based in the United States are presented: one on the effect of a one-day family outdoor adventure program on parental and child perceptions of family functioning and the other from a qualitative inquiry into the meaning of family residential camping experiences. The first study collected both quantitative and qualitative data from 24 families who participated in an 8-hour outdoor adventure program. The second study utilized structured interviews with 11 families participating in a residential camp experience. Findings from both studies demonstrate that structured outdoor family recreation programming has a strong positive relationship with family strength. Furthermore, findings indicate that the type of outdoor adventure activities being used in the treatment of dysfunctional and maladaptive families is also effective in providing family enrichment experiences.     

Association between psychosocial stressors with emotional and behavioral problems among children of low-income addicted families living in Brazil

BackgroundChildren exposed to substance use in their families are vulnerable to multiple risk factors in their development and at increased risk for emotional and behavioral problems. The aims of the study were as follows 1) estimate the prevalence of emotional and behavioral problems among children aged 6–11 years old, living with addicted family members in a low-income urban community of São Paulo, Southeastern Brazil; 2) evaluate the children’s exposure to family psychosocial stressors and substance use; and 3) investigate the factors related to the increased risk of emotional and behavioral problems and substance use.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among 101 children aged 6–11 years old (M = 9.16 years, SD = 1.61). The instruments used were a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and the Psychosocial Stress Factors (PSF).ResultsHigh prevalence of problems was found for this sample: the CBCL showed 26.7% of clinical scores for Internalizing Problems, 40.6% for Externalizing Problems, and 40.6% for Total Problems. Exposure to family psychosocial stressors was also high, including severe disease (33%), physical aggression (28.9%), death (27.8%), psychiatric hospitalization (16.7%), suicide attempts (15.5%), and suicide (9.3%). Exposure to these family stressors was associated with an increase of two to four times in the prevalence of internalizing and externalizing problems.ConclusionsChildren exposed to substance abusers have more mental health problems than general population, even when compared to peers living in similar low-income areas. This is a group that should be target of a selective preventive intervention.