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Disclosure of child sexual abuse by adolescents: a qualitative in-depth study
- Authors:
- SCHÖNBUCHER Verena, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 27(17), November 2012, pp.3486-3513.
- Publisher:
- Sage
A child’s self-disclosure of sexual abuse decreases the risk of serious long-term consequences for mental health and the likelihood that the perpetrator will victimise other children. The aim of this qualitative study was to study the process of disclosure using adolescents from the general population who had experienced child sexual abuse (CSA). The participants were 26 sexually victimised adolescents (23 girls, 3 boys) aged 15-18 years. Qualitative face-to-face in-depth interviews were conducted which included questions on the process of disclosure and received support. The findings showed that less than one third of participants immediately disclosed CSA to another person. In most cases, recipients of both immediate and delayed disclosure were peers. More than one third of participants had never disclosed the abuse to a parent. Main motives for nondisclosure to parents were lack of trust or not wanting to burden the parents. Factors that correlated positively with disclosure were extrafamilial CSA, single CSA, age of victim at CSA, and having parents who were still living together. Negative associations with disclosure were found for feelings of guilt and shame and the perpetrator’s age. Many adolescent survivors of CSA have serious concerns about disclosure to their parents and consider friends as more reliable confidants. The implications for practice are discussed.
GPs' role in the detection of psychological problems of young people: a population-based study
- Authors:
- MAUERHOFER Aurelie, et al
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of General Practice, 59(566), September 2009, pp.660-664.
- Publisher:
- Royal College of General Practitioners
Among young people, about one in three females and one in five males report experiencing emotional distress but 65-95% of them do not receive help from health professionals. This study assesses the differences among young people who seek help and those who do not seek help for their psychological problems, considering the frequency of consultations to their GP and their social resources. Among a Swiss national representative sample of 7,429 students and apprentices (45.6% females) aged 16-20 years, 1,931 young people reported needing help for a problem of depression/sadness (26%) and were included in the study. They were divided into those who sought help (n = 256) and those who did not (n = 1675), and differences between them were assessed. Results found only 13% of young people needing help for psychological problems consulted for that reason and this rate was positively associated with the frequency of consultations to the GP. However, 80% of young people who did not consult for psychological problems visited their GP at least once during the previous year. Being older or a student, having a higher depression score, or a history of suicide attempt were linked with a higher rate of help seeking. Moreover, confiding in adults positively influenced the rate of help seeking.
Parent–adolescent relationship in youths with a chronic condition
- Authors:
- CHRISTIN A., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Child: Care, Health and Development, 42(1), 2016, pp.36-41.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Suffering from a chronic disease or disability (CDD) during adolescence can be a burden for both the adolescents and their parents. The aim of the present study is to assess how living with a CDD during adolescence, the quality of parent–adolescent relationship (PAR) and the adolescent's psychosocial development interact with each other. (Publisher abstract)
Using camera-glasses for the assessment of aggressive behaviour among adolescents in residential correctional care: a small-scale study
- Authors:
- WETTSTEIN Alexander, SCHERZINGER Marion
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Aggression Conflict and Peace Research, 7(1), 2015, pp.33-46.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Purpose: This paper examines aggressive interaction among adolescents in residential correctional programmes. Design/methodology/approach: Based on a mobile assessment strategy, the paper developed a new methodology for in-the-field recording of environmental conditions in which aggressive behaviour arises. The authors used glasses with an inbuilt camera worn by research subjects to record observational data. In the study presented here the authors used camera-glasses to observe the material and social environments of eight aggressive adolescents in a residential treatment programme and of a contrast group of four non-aggressive adolescents living at home. Findings: Camera-glasses successfully recorded the social and physical environments of aggressive adolescents from their perspective in relation to their environment and interlocutors, and the camera-glasses method does not generate high reactivity. The results show that aggressive adolescents in residential care use direct and reactive forms of aggression, and that their aggressive behaviours occur predominantly in settings with limited adult supervision. In residential care aggressive behaviour is, paradoxically, an effective strategy for individuals to gain regard and social status among peers and to push their interests among staff. Practical implications: For residential facilities it is crucial to reduce the occurrence of low supervised social situations in order to minimise peer contagion. Furthermore, staff and educators need to be trained to use deescalating response strategies when dealing with adolescents' aggressive behaviour, precisely deescalating strategies which neither involve acquiescence nor surrender to pressure. (Edited publisher abstract)
Sexual victimization of youth with a physical disability: an examination of prevalence rates, and risk and protective factors
- Authors:
- MUELLER-JOHNSON Katrin, EISNER Manuel P., OBSUTH Ingrid
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 29(17), 2014, pp.3180-3206.
- Publisher:
- Sage
Children with disabilities have been shown to be at greater risk of victimisation than those without. This study used data from a national school-based survey of adolescents (n = 6,749, mean age = 15.41, SD = .66) in Switzerland to investigate sexual victimisation (SV) among physically disabled youth. Two subtypes of SV were differentiated: contact SV, including penetration or touching/kissing, and non-contact SV, such as exhibitionism, verbal harassment, exposure to sexual acts, or cyber SV. A total of 360 (5.1%) youth self-identified as having a physical disability. Lifetime prevalence rates for contact SV were 25.95% for girls with a physical disability (odds ratio [OR] = 1.29 compared with able-bodied girls), 18.50% for boys with physical disability (OR = 2.78 compared with able-bodied boys), and 22.35% for the total sample with physical disability (OR = 1.74 compared with able-bodied youth). For non-contact SV, the lifetime prevalence was 48.11% for girls with a physical disability (OR = 1.44 compared with able-bodied girls), 31.76% for boys with physical disability (OR = 1.95 compared with able-bodied boys), and 40.28% for the total sample with physical disability (OR = 1.67 compared with able-bodied youth). After controlling for other risk factors, physical disability was a significant predictor of contact and non-contact SV for boys, but not for girls. (Edited publisher abstract)
Peer victimisation and depressive symptoms: can specific coping strategies buffer the negative impact of cybervictimisation?
- Authors:
- MACHMUTOW Katja, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties, 17(3-4), 2012, pp.403-420.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
It is well established that peer victimisation has negative short- and long-term consequences for children’s and adolescents’ mental health. The first aim of this study was to investigate whether cybervictimisation is a risk factor for depressive symptoms over and above traditional victimisation in adolescents. The second aim was to explore the impact of specific coping strategies in relation to cybervictimisation on adolescents’ depressive symptoms. Data were taken from the first (November/December 2010) and the second (May 2011) waves of the ongoing netTEEN longitudinal study in Switzerland. A total of 765 Swiss seventh graders (aged 13 years) from 12 schools reported on the frequency of traditional and cybervictimisation and of depressive symptoms at both timepoints. At timepoint 2, the students also completed a questionnaire on coping strategies in response to a hypothetical cyberbullying scenario. The findings showed that both traditional and cybervictimisation were associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms. Cybervictimisation also predicted increases in depressive symptoms over time. Regarding coping strategies, it was found that helpless reactions were positively associated with depressive symptoms. Support seeking from peers and family showed a significant buffering effect; cybervictims who recommended seeking close support showed lower levels of depressive symptoms. In contrast, cybervictims recommending assertive coping strategies showed higher levels of depressive symptoms.
The contribution of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child to understanding and promoting the interests of young people making the transition from care to adulthood
- Authors:
- MUNRO Emily R., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Children and Youth Services Review, 33(12), December 2011, pp.2417-2423.
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) recognises that young people without parental care are entitled to special support from the State. This article examines how the UNCRC guidelines outlining how States should promote the rights of young people making the transition from care to adulthood can be used as an instrument to track global patterns of change in policy and practice. Observations from 15 countries shows that there has been limited engagement with understanding and promoting the needs of this group in the reporting process; although where a government is committed to developing legislation and practice then this does find its way into their national reports. Documents reveal that national concerns, political ideology, public awareness, attitudes and knowledge of the vulnerability of care leavers influence service responses to protect the rights of this group. The authors conclude that future work is needed on both promoting and monitoring of the impact of the UNCRC.
A developmental trajectory model of problematic substance use and psychosocial correlates from late adolescence to young adulthood
- Authors:
- ESCHMANN Susanne, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Substance Use, 16(4), August 2011, pp.295-312.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Given the limited number of studies on the trajectory of problematic substance use (PSU), this study examined the development of PSU from adolescence to young adulthood using a common probability model. The following psychosocial predictors were considered: age, gender, year of assessment, externalising and internalising behaviour, perceived parental behaviour, avoidant coping, and the perceived school environment. Data for 593 adolescents (mean age at first measurement occasion: 13.6 years, 284 males, 309 females) were drawn from the Zurich Psychology and Psychopathology Study (ZAPPS), covering three measurement occasions over seven years. A probit linear effects model of longitudinal change including these psychosocial predictor variables was used to study the probability of becoming a problematic substance user. The PSU trajectory was nonlinear. It rose rapidly through adolescence and flattened out through young adulthood. Age and year of assessment showed the strongest predictive power as risk factors. Among the other risk and compensatory predictors, externalising problem behaviour at baseline showed a strong increase in PSU. The authors suggest that age-specific prevention programs should focus on externalising behaviour problems and avoidant coping.
First use of multiple substances: identification of meaningful patterns
- Authors:
- BERCHTOLD Andre, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Substance Use, 15(2), April 2010, pp.118-130.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
The relative timing of the first consumption of 10 substances (tobacco, cannabis, medicine to get high, sniff (volatile substances, and inhalants), ecstasy, GHB, LSD, cocaine, methadone, and heroin) by young people between the ages of 12 and 20 in Switzerland were analysed to identify patterns of first use of multiple substances. The study used data from SMASH 2002, a Swiss national survey on health concerning adolescents aged 16 to 20. Answers from 2212 subjects (917 females and 1295 males) aged 19 and 20 were included. Raw data from each subject consisted of a set of 10 variables representing the elapsed time in years since the first consumption ever of each substance. Each variable was given a value between 0 (no consumption) and 9 (first consumption 9 years ago). By aggregating subjects with identical values on all 10 variables a total of 516 different patterns were identified. Automatic clustering was used to decrease the number of patterns to 50. Two groups of substance use experts, three social field workers and three toxicologists and health professionals, were then asked to reduce them into a maximum of 10 meaningful categories. This article includes a detailed analysis of both final classifications and a discussion on the advantages and limitations of the approach used.
Social integration of adolescents at risk: results from a cohort study
- Authors:
- HUSLER Gebhard, PLANCHEREL Bernard
- Journal article citation:
- Vulnerable Children and Youth Studies, 2(3), December 2007, pp.215-226.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
Using a sample of 614 youths in Switzerland, this study examined differences and similarities between adolescents at risk (age range 11-20 years), and their integration in school or vocational training. Results found that mood states (depression, anxiety), secure self (self-esteem and self-efficacy), relationship with parents, delinquency and substance use (alcohol, tobacco and cannabis) were variables which largely influenced social integration (school, work) for youths with poor sociodemographic backgrounds. Youths with a poor sociodemographic background scored higher in suicidality and health complaints. The most striking differences were in substance use and delinquency. The structural equation model showed that poor mood was related to substance use at the start. Important paths were found in mood states over time, as for substance use, but interactions between both variables were small. The study ran different models (poor vs. good social background, Swiss vs. migrant youths), and concluded that secure self and good family relations protected against poor mood and substance use and both variables indirectly influenced integration 2-3 years later.