Search results for ‘Subject term:"mental health problems"’ Sort:
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Adult adjustment of survivors of institutional child abuse in Ireland
- Authors:
- CARR Alan, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Child Abuse and Neglect, 34(7), July 2010, pp.477-489.
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
Institutional child abuse is perpetrated by adults working in, or peers within, institutions serving children in the community, such as residential care centres, schools, reformatories, churches, and recreational facilities. This study focused on the adjustment of adults who suffered institutional abuse in childhood within the context of Irish religiously-affiliated residential reformatories and industrial schools, aiming to document the rate of psychological disorders and difficulties. 247 adult survivors of institutional abuse were recruited from those who had attended the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (a statutory body established by the Irish Government in 2000), and were interviewed and completed versions of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. The study found that the prevalence of psychological disorders among participants was over 80%, with anxiety, mood and substance use disorders being the most prevalent diagnoses. The researchers concluded that there was an association between the experience of institutional abuse in childhood and the prevalence of adult mental health problems.
Impact of childhood abuse: biopsychosocial pathways through which adult mental health is compromised
- Author:
- COATES Dominiek
- Journal article citation:
- Australian Social Work, 63(4), December 2010, pp.391-403.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
The relationship between childhood abuse and adult mental and physical health problems is well documented. Over the lifespan of victims of child abuse, social, psychological and biological consequences of abuse interact in complex ways. This paper applies a biopsychosocial model to the experiences of adult victims of child abuse to examine and make sense of the complex and varied impacts of child abuse. The long-term difficulties experienced by adult victims of child abuse are discussed in relation to the neuro-biological impacts of child abuse on the child's developing brain. The impact of child abuse on neuro-endocrine functioning and the structure of the brain are explored. A number of implications for social work practice are outlined.
Child abuse and autonomic nervous system hyporesponsivity among psychiatrically impaired children
- Authors:
- FORD Julian D., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Child Abuse and Neglect, 34(7), July 2010, pp.507-515.
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
This study was designed to assess the association of stress-related changes in autonomic nervous system activity with a history of either or both physical or sexual abuse among children and adolescents who briefly experienced a mildly painful non-interpersonal stressor (a routine blood draw). Documented incidents of abuse were recorded for the sample of 262 children at a residential treatment centre in Massachusetts serving high risk and seriously emotionally disturbed children and adolescents. Changes in heart rate and blood pressure were assessed before and after the blood draw. The results suggested that a history of physical, but not sexual, abuse is associated with stressor-related autonomic nervous system down-regulation in psychiatrically impaired children, and that stressor-related autonomic hyporesponsivity secondary to physical abuse may contribute to the impairment of severely emotionally disturbed children.
Cumulative risk exposure and mental health symptoms among maltreated youth placed in out-of-home care
- Authors:
- RAVIV Tali, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Child Abuse and Neglect, 34(10), October 2010, pp.742-751.
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
Maltreated children placed in out-of-home care are at high risk for exhibiting symptoms of psychopathology by virtue of their exposure to numerous risk factors. Research examining cumulative risk has consistently found that the accumulation of risk factors increases the likelihood of mental health problems. The goal of the current study was to elucidate the relation between cumulative risk and mental health symptomatology. The study consisted of a sample of 252 maltreated youths aged 9-11 who were placed in out-of-home care in the Denver metro area counties. The participants were interviewed to determine their exposure to 18 measures of risk and their mental health functioning. Analyses confirmed the high-risk nature of this sample and identified 7 salient risk variables. The cumulative risk index comprised of these 7 indicators was a strong predictor of mental health symptoms, differentiating between children who scored in the clinical range with regard to mental health symptoms and those who did not. Finally, the data supported a linear model in which each incremental increase in cumulative risk was accompanied by an increase in mental health problems.
Assessing historical abuse allegations and damages
- Authors:
- WOLFE David A., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Child Abuse and Neglect, 34(3), March 2010, pp.135-143.
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
Practitioners may be called upon to assess adults who have alleged child abuse as a minor and are seeking reparations. Such assessments may be used by the courts to determine harm and assess damages related to their claim or testimony. This article describes the role of the assessor, and provides advice concerning preparing these assessments and reporting the findings for the purpose of civil or criminal actions. The areas typically covered in an assessment include: summary of records; purpose of assessment; current residence, marital/family status and relationships, personal and family background, educational performance and academic qualifications, employment background, nature and severity of abuse, and the psychological testing and diagnostic interview. The final section of the report is intended to review the findings, draw conclusions, and make recommendations in relation to the purpose of the assessment, and may include opinion on causation of subsequent difficulties, opinion on degree of impairment, and an estimate of future care costs. Specific recommendations for wording of written reports are provided.
Identifying experiences of physical and psychological violence in childhood that jeopardize mental health in adulthood
- Authors:
- GREENFIELD Emily A., MARKS Nadine F.
- Journal article citation:
- Child Abuse and Neglect, 34(3), March 2010, pp.161-171.
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
This study aimed to extend understanding of linkages between childhood experiences of physical and psychological violence (either experienced alone or in combination) from mothers and fathers with poorer mental health in adulthood. Profiles were distinguished by the types of violence retrospectively self-reported as well as by the frequency at which each type of violence occurred. The study conducted secondary analysis of publicly available data from the National Survey of Midlife in the U.S. (MIDUS). An adapted version of the Conflict Tactics Scales (CTS) was used to collect respondents’ reports of physical and psychological violence in childhood from each parent. The respondents also reported on current experiences of negative affect and psychological well-being. The results showed that reports of frequent psychological violence from mothers, even when coupled with never or rarely having experienced physical violence, were associated with more negative affect and less psychological well-being in adulthood. Nearly all profiles of violence in childhood from fathers, with the exception of reports of rare physical violence only, were associated with poorer adult mental health. The results provide evidence that frequent experiences of psychological violence from parents, even in the absence of physical violence and regardless of whether such violence is from mothers or fathers, can place individuals’ long-term mental health at risk. Moreover, frequent physical violence from fathers, even in the absence of psychological violence, also serves as a risk factor for poorer adult mental health.
Depression and anger as risk factors underlying the relationship between maternal substance involvement and child abuse potential
- Authors:
- HIEN Denise, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Child Abuse and Neglect, 34(2), February 2010, pp.105-113.
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
In this study, aiming to advance the understanding of child abuse potential in mothers with substance use histories by examining the contribution of depression and emotion regulation deficits in a multifaceted model, a group of substance abusing women are compared to a group of mothers with depressive disorders and a community comparison group on measures of diagnosis, anger arousal and reactivity and child abuse potential, using a sample of 152 mothers recruited through a clinic in a public hospital in New York City, in order to identify targeted areas for prevention and treatment. The findings showed that anger arousal and reactivity exceeded diagnostic and demographic variables in predicting maternal child abuse potential. The article discusses the findings in relation to a multifaceted model of child abuse potential. The researchers conclude that models and approaches which help clients to manage and regulate difficult feeling states, specifically anger, could be helpful.
Assessment of childhood disorders
- Editors:
- MASH Eric J., BARKLEY Russell A., (eds.)
- Publisher:
- Guilford Press
- Publication year:
- 2010
- Pagination:
- 866p.
- Place of publication:
- New York
- Edition:
- 4th ed.
This revised edition focuses on contemporary perspectives on the assessment of childhood psychological disorders and also covers best practices and state of the art approaches to the evaluation of the disorders. The editors gather together contributions from prominent authorities who present evidence-based approaches that can be used in planning, implementing, and evaluating real-world clinical services across an array of child and adolescent mental health problems and risks. Coverage includes: behaviour disorders, mood disorders and suicide risk, anxiety disorders, developmental disorders, children at risk of maltreatment, and adolescent problems. The book emphasises the need to evaluate clients' strengths as well as their deficits, and to take into account the developmental, biological, familial, and cultural contexts of problem behaviour.
PTSD and comorbid disorders in a representative sample of adolescents: the risk associated with multiple exposures to potentially traumatic events
- Authors:
- MCDONALD Alexandra, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Child Abuse and Neglect, 34(10), October 2010, pp.773-783.
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
This paper considers the relationship between experiencing potentially traumatic events (PTEs), such as sexual victimisation, physical victimisation, and witnessed violence, and mental health problems. The study investigated the impact of multiple exposures to PTEs on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and comorbidity with major depressive episodes and substance use disorders in adolescents, in order to better understand mental health sequelae associated with multiply victimised youth. The participants were a nationally representative sample of adolescents drawn from the National Survey of Adolescents. The sample used for the study comprised 1,868 adolescents who had reported exposure to at least 1 PTE. The participants were assessed for: family characteristics such as alcohol and drug abuse; victimisation events including physical and sexual abuse and witnessed violence; and psychopathology. The findings indicated that a focus on multiple PTEs is warranted given that the majority of trauma-affected adolescents in the sample had experienced multiple incidents of victimisation. Experience of multiple victimisations was shown to increase the risk of PTSD and the comorbid disorders of major depressive episodes and substance use disorders. It is noteworthy that comorbid PTSD was much more common than non-comorbid PTSD.
Do maltreated children who remain at home function better than those who are placed?
- Authors:
- MENNEN Ferol E., BRENSILVER Matthew, TRICKETT Penelope K.
- Journal article citation:
- Children and Youth Services Review, 32(12), December 2010, pp.1675-1682.
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
The majority of children in the child welfare system remain with their maltreating parents. The mental health functioning of children who had been abused or neglected was compared with a comparison sample of non maltreated children to see if the level of functioning varied by the child’s maltreatment status or placement type. An ethnically diverse sample of 302 maltreated children and 151 comparison non-maltreated children aged 9–12 were interviewed to see if there were differences between those who remained at home, those placed in kin care, non-relative foster care, and those in the comparison group. The children were evaluated on multiple measures of mental health functioning, both self report and caregiver report. The results showed that the maltreated children did not differ by placement type but did score significantly higher than the comparison children on many measures. There were substantial numbers of maltreated children scoring in the clinical range of measures in all placement types with over 60% of those remaining with birth parents being seen as functioning at a level that indicated a need for mental health intervention. While fewer comparison children had scores indicating a need for mental health care, the numbers were higher than noted in national studies. The implications of these findings are discussed.