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The aim of this article is to outline an overview and to discuss some constraining factors related to teaching Spanish as L1 in the context of linguistic diversity in Argentina. The underlying argument of this paper is that diverse school materials and teaching methodology involved in teaching Spanish as L1 neglects linguistic diversity. Instead, they subscribe to discourses that reinforce a pyramidal normative structure where the Spanish Royal Academy is the apex, and therefore, so is its linguistic authority. Our suggestion in this regard is that the diversity of voices must have a space not only in the classroom and materials, but also in research processes and academia's knowledge management. For this purpose, and framed within a glotopolitical approach, this paper analyzes, firstly, the obstacle represented by the fixed categories included in school curriculum such as "language", "variety", "standard", and even "national language"; secondly, the paper reviews the role played by grammatization instruments (such as dictionaries and school textbooks, among others) and their monologic discursive wording. Finally, the article suggests didactic strategies to analyze linguistic varieties in class, and to reinforce a critical reading of norm distribution instruments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children living in poverty are at an increased risk for maltreatment. Social safety net (SSN) programs with antipoverty objectives may reduce child maltreatment through pathways such as reduced food insecurity, lessened caregiver stress, and improved caregiving behaviors and ability to meet children's basic needs. The objective of this study is to conduct a systematic review of evidence on the ability of SSN programs to reduce child maltreatment in the United States (U.S.). This systematic review was conducted using PRISMA protocol. Among studies published between 1996–2022, the initial search returned 1,873 articles, and 27 papers were included in the final analysis. Abstracts were identified primarily on June 24th, 2022, and extraction and synthesis of data was conducted in 2022–2023. Of the 27 papers assessed, 16 studies found that SSN programs were protective against child maltreatment. Three of the reviewed studies found no effect of safety net programs, 4 studies presented mixed findings, and 4 studies found adverse impacts in terms of child maltreatment outcomes. When restricting to high-quality studies only, 10 out of 12 found protective impacts and none found adverse impacts on child maltreatment. SSNs are associated with protective effects against child maltreatment. Expansion of SSN programs would likely have positive benefits beyond poverty-related objectives, including reducing incidence of child maltreatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the emerging field of research on females who engage in contact child sexual abuse offenses, we know little about females who engage in child sexual abuse material (CSAM) offenses. This is concerning given the global proliferation of CSAM and recent research identifying female-perpetrated CSAM offending is more prominent than previously thought. This paper contributes to the underdeveloped field, by offering a beneficial and timely stop gap of current research on women who engage in CSAM offenses. In doing so, the synthesis explores the prevalence of females who engage in CSAM, why some females might perpetrate CSAM offenses (including co-offending, prior victimization, mental health, opportunity, and sexual motivation), the harms of female-perpetrated CSAM offending, and how the media portrays this offending group. To further extend our knowledge in this field, ideas for future research are also provided throughout. This paper should be useful for various disciplines including psychology, criminology, and law, globally, who are interested in better understanding CSAM offenses perpetrated by females. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Half of the world's children experience violence every year, but the meaning of violence is not universally agreed. We may therefore risk failing to measure, and address, the acts that matter most to children and adolescents. In this paper, we describe and synthesise evidence on how children and adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa conceptualise different behavioural acts which are deemed violence in childhood under WHO and UN CRC definitions. Methods and findings: We conducted a systematic review of qualitative studies. We searched PsychINFO, CINAHL, Embase, Global Health, Medline and ERIC for all publications released prior to March 2023. 30 papers met inclusion criteria. We synthesised primary data from children and adolescents and drew upon theoretical and contextual interpretations of authors of included studies. Only 12 of more than 45 sub-Saharan African countries were represented with relevant research. Of the 30 included papers, 25 came from three countries: South Africa, Uganda and Ghana. Only 10 of 30 papers reported data from young children (pre-adolescence), and 18 of 30 papers primarily focused on sexual violence. 14 studies used child friendly and/or participatory methods. From this limited evidence, we identified six overarching themes in how children and adolescents conceptualised their experiences of acts internationally recognised as violence: 1) adults abusing or neglecting responsibility; 2) sexual violence from peers, family and community members; 3) violence in established intimate relationships; 4) emotional violence surrounding sex from peers and community members; 5) fighting and beating between peers; 6) street and community dangers. No studies meeting our inclusion criteria specifically examined children or adolescents' conceptualisations of homophobic or transphobic violence; violence against children with disabilities; boys' experiences of sexual violence from male perpetrators; trafficking, modern slavery or conflict; child labour; or female genital mutilation. We found that three dimensions were important in how children and adolescents constructed conceptualisations of violence: their age, relationship to the perpetrator, and the physical location of acts they had experienced. These dimensions were interrelated and gendered. Conclusion: The current limited evidence base suggests children and adolescents' conceptualisations of violence overlapped with, but were also distinct from, the WHO and UNCRC definitions of violence. Currently international survey tools focus on measuring types and frequencies of particular acts and neglect to focus on children's understandings of those acts. Relationship to perpetrator, age of child, physical location are all important in how children conceptualise their experiences of acts internationally recognised as violence, and therefore might be important for their health and social outcomes. Those developing measures should account for these dimensions when developing items for testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quality of parenting program implementation significantly affects the extent to which a program is delivered effectively as well as the likelihood of it becoming embedded in everyday services. The group based Parenting for Lifelong Health for Young Children (PLH-YC) program for parents of children aged 2–9 years was developed specifically for implementation in low- and middle-income contexts, has been tested in five randomized trials, and incorporates a number of strategies to encourage fidelity of delivery. This paper reports on the introduction of PLH-YC to Montenegro, including initial work to engage government agencies and service providers, adapt the program and, following initial evidence of effectiveness, implement strategies to promote effective delivery and embed the program. Following program adaptation and initial facilitator training, eight groups were run, supported with resources and supervision and independently evaluated. The successful pilot led to program training accreditation by national professional agencies and a series of steps to successfully further embed it into routine settings in Montenegro, including by recognizing the program in national policy documents. This led to further facilitator trainings, now numbering 97 facilitators and the certification of ten coaches and two trainers. By the end of 2023, 1278 parents, across 13 municipalities (half of all municipalities in Montenegro) and a range of service providers, have received the program. The paper describes the project phases and key fidelity components that underpinned the successful introduction and embedding of the program in Montenegro. The plan has resulted in Montenegro having its own domestic resources to continue to implement the program effectively and further plan for widespread dissemination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While there is much research on the topic of child maltreatment more broadly in Australia, a nuanced understanding of intergenerational child maltreatment is needed to improve our responses. Little work has considered all four intergenerational patterns of child maltreatment: cycle maintainers (maltreated parents with maltreated children), cycle breakers (maltreated parents with non‐maltreated children), cycle initiators (non‐maltreated parents with maltreated children) and a comparison group (non‐maltreated parents with non‐maltreated children). We use this terminology to maintain consistency with international literature, but acknowledge that these terms minimise the complexity inherent in contact with child protection systems. Research has mainly focused on maintainers, which hinders our ability to appropriately support all families and limits our understanding of individuals breaking the cycle. This paper outlines key knowledge gaps and identifies strategic areas of focus for researchers and policymakers. There is an urgent need for more emphasis on building resilience and strengths, the provision of more integrated and holistic support for families, and consideration of sex differences. We highlight the need for more research on this topic, particularly led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and hope that the recommendations in this paper can be revisited and updated as this important research base grows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper engages with the creative strategies and media interventions of the Parragirls—a lose collective of women subject to punitive confinement and abuse as children in out-of-home "care" at the former Parramatta Girls Home—as a feminist archive of collective resistance, reclamation, and repair in the wake of institutional harm and media damage. We consider the Parragirls feminist archive in the context of a larger project analysing the role of media, journalism, and media activism in the ground-breaking Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (2013–17) (RCIRCSA). Drawing on Couldry's theorisation of "media as practice," we foreground the ways Parragirls have responded to media injustice and media damage. We analyse a range of Parragirls practices and interventions which, taken together, complicate one of key media narratives which emerged during the RCIRCSA public hearings about abuses at Parramatta Girls, namely that "providing evidence, while traumatic can be beneficial and worthwhile." Our paper thus contributes to critical scholarship on news values as racialised, classed, and gendered hierarchies of attention, and to feminist media scholarship that highlights resistant and transformative alternative visions for media practice. We ask: how might we imagine, or work towards a more reparative media? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders with significant individual and societal negative impacts of the disorder continuing into adulthood (Danielson et al. in Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, in press; Landes and London in Journal of Attention Disorders 25:3–13, 2021). Genetic and environmental risk (e.g., modifiable exposures such as prenatal tobacco exposure and child maltreatment) for ADHD is likely multifactorial (Faraone et al. in Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews 128:789–818, 2021). However, the evidence for potentially modifiable contextual risks is spread across studies with different methodologies and ADHD criteria limiting understanding of the relationship between early risk factors and later childhood ADHD. Using common methodology across six meta-analyses (Bitsko et al. in Prevention Science, 2022; Claussen et al. in Prevention Science 1–23, 2022; Dimitrov et al. in Prevention Science, 2023; Maher et al. in Prevention Science, 2023; Robinson, Bitsko et al. in Prevention Science, 2022; So et al. in Prevention Science, 2022) examining 59 risk factors for childhood ADHD, the papers in this special issue use a public health approach to address prior gaps in the literature. This introductory paper provides examples of comprehensive public health approaches focusing on policy, systems, and environmental changes across socio-ecological contexts to improve health and wellbeing through prevention, early intervention, and support across development using findings from these meta-analyses. Together, the findings from these studies and a commentary by an author independent from the risk studies have the potential to minimize risk conditions, prioritize prevention efforts, and improve the long-term health and wellbeing of children and adults with ADHD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since all policies address problems, they necessarily include implicit or explicit constructions of these problems. This paper explores how child maltreatment has been constructed in New Zealand's child protection policies. It questions the underlying assumptions of this problem construction and seeks to shed light on what has been omitted. Utilizing a qualitative content analysis of eight key policy documents, this study reveals the construction of child maltreatment has been dominated primarily by a child-centric, risk-focused approach. This approach assigns blame and shifts responsibilities onto parents and families. In addition, the vulnerability discourse and social investment approach underpinning this perspective have allowed important structural factors, such as poverty and inequality, to remain unaddressed. This paper also highlights the one-dimensional focus on the lower social class to control future liabilities. We suggest that the harm inflicted by corporations on children's well-being is another form of child exploitation currently omitted from the problem construction. We suggest that child abuse should be defined and understood in policy as harm to children's well-being and argue that the state should prevent and mitigate harm by addressing structural forces of the problem as well as protecting children against corporate harms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports the findings of a project that conducted a rapid review of evidence regarding assessment and intervention approaches responding to children and young people who engage in harmful sexual behaviors. A literature review was conducted using a systematic search of academic databases and consultation with subject matter experts. The process resulted in 27 scholarly publications being included and analyzed to explore what was known about effective approaches with children and young people who have engaged in harmful sexual behavior. The review found that the current state of knowledge was limited, with few of the included papers reporting research outcomes. In the absence of a sound evidence base, additional theoretical literature and expert commentary have been drawn upon to better understand issues in this complex practice area. A key finding of this review was that growing awareness that children and young people who engage in harmful sexual behaviors are, first and foremost, children. They should not be regarded as soon-to-be-adults who are engaging in adult offending. This shift in thinking informs contemporary assessment and intervention approaches, challenging those models that previously focused on measuring risk using forensic approaches to predict the likelihood of future offending. A critical failure to understand the needs of specific cohorts of children and young people was also evident. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a significant public health concern among adolescents with major depressive disorders (MDD). Although previous research has linked child maltreatment (CM) to NSSI, the precise mechanisms remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the association between CM, cognitive reappraisal (CR), negative coping styles (NC) and NSSI in adolescents with MDD, from the perspectives of both Latent Variable Theory and the Network Theory of Mental Disorder. Methods: A sample of 651 adolescents with MDD was recruited from January to December 2023. Data on CM, CR, NC, and NSSI were collected through paper-based self-reported questionnaires. Data analysis primarily involved structural equation modeling and network analysis. Results: The reporting rate of NSSI among adolescents with MDD was 48.2%. CM showed a significant positive correlation with NSSI. NSSI was affected by CM through three paths: the mediating role of CR, the mediating role of NC, and the chain mediating role of both CR and NC. Emotional abuse (EA) was the central node, while NSSI, EA, and "The urge to cry quietly when faced with troubles"(NC10) were the key bridge nodes. Conclusions: This study is the first to use both structural equation modeling and network analysis to explore the explore the relationship between CM, CR, NC, and NSSI in adolescents with MDD, providing a theoretical basis for future early prevention and targeted interventions for adolescents with MDD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper Alex Dave, the Safeguarding Education Officer of the charity LGfL - The National Grid for Learning, writes about identifying adolescent neglect, which is the most common form of child abuse. She then gives a check list of helpful solutions for professionals, especially those in schools, to adopt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Co‐production values lived experience as it promotes individuals as assets and offers insight where little is known about a problem. This paper critically considers the pragmatic approach to co‐design adopted in Wales with young people and parents affected by child criminal exploitation during the COVID‐19 pandemic. It suggests that combining co‐design with data collection facilitated the recruitment, sensitisation and facilitation of vulnerable groups. By placing informed consent at the forefront of co‐design, young people and parents decided how they wanted their voices heard. Further, combining data gathering with co‐design contextualised solution development within their lived experiences. However, embedding these solutions into policy and practice remains subject to existing power imbalances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Originally conceived to create dense, diverse and mixed-used communities that are inclusive and sustainable communities, Transit-oriented Development ("TOD") has come under increasing academic scrutiny on its negative implications on equity and justice. However, these injustices are often examined case-by-case individually, which revealed the lack of a comprehensive framework that is grounded in justice concepts and theories for analysing justice in TOD. In this paper, we aim to show the importance of, and suggest a framework for, analysing justice in TOD holistically. We begin by taking a brief overview of key theories and concepts in process and outcome justice. Then, through a thematic review of justice-related TOD literature, we synthesised three main justice issues currently existing in TOD: transit-induced gentrification; neglect of livelihood and well-being of disadvantaged groups; and poor inclusion and representation of different stakeholders. These issues revealed the interconnectedness and importance of both process and outcome justices in TOD. As such, we formulated an analytical framework by adopting the Institutional Analysis and Development ("IAD") model (a tool for understanding institutional interactions in public policies) to examine process justice; and the 5Ds of the built environment (namely Density, Diversity, Design, Destination Accessibility, and Distance to Transit) to examine outcome justice. In brief, for process justice, our framework advocates open, accessible and equitable particiaption by all interested stakeholders to be able to give views, exercise their power, obtain and share information, and make decisions collectively, with dedicated efforts to facilitate participation of more disadvantaged groups. For outcome justice, our framework calls for providing suitable and equitable built environments (in terms of 5Ds) in different neighbourhoods in a TOD, with special attention towards the needs of disadvantaged groups. The framework serves as general guidance for researchers and planners to analyse the justice implications of TOD (both ex-ante and ex-post) in a holistic and conceptually-grounded manner, with a view to better positioning justice issues and directing efforts towards more just TODs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While there has been considerable research on investigative interviews with children over the last three decades, there remains much to learn. The aim of this paper was to identify some of the issues and prospects for future scientific study that most urgently need to be addressed. Across 10 commentaries, leading scholars and practitioners highlight areas where additional research is needed on investigative interview practices with youths. Overarching themes include the need for better understanding of rapport‐building and its impact, as well as greater focus on social‐cultural and developmental factors and the needs of adolescents. There are calls to examine how interviews are occurring in real‐world contexts to better inform best practice recommendations in the field, to find means for ensuring better adherence to best practices among various groups of practitioners, and to understand their importance and impact when not followed, including by those testifying in courts. All reflect the need to better address that recurring challenge of reliably and consistently eliciting accurate and credible information from potentially reluctant young witnesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractIn this paper, the author seeks to honor Joseph Palombo’s legacy through presenting two treatments of young women whose severe child abuse has caused not only PTSD, but also damage to their capacity to develop an integrated and positive identity with stable self-esteem. To provide a context for the clinical material, a brief overview of self psychology is presented. When what is called the “empathic mode of listening” is consistently utilized by the therapist, patients generally develop selfobject transferences, which function to temporarily stabilize the patient’s fragmented self. Over time, the psychoanalytic exploration of these transferences gradually leads to their internalization in the form of more integrated psychic structure, more stable self-esteem, and less vulnerability to fragmentation. The therapeutic journeys of Emily and Maia, including my own at times intense internal responses to them, illustrate in detail and depth how this process has enabled them to begin to feel an integrated sense of self and enhanced self-esteem, despite the traumatic impact of their extreme child abuse and severe PTSD. They also illustrate how a self psychologically informed treatment, often in conjunction with medication, can be a powerful tool in promoting recovery from even extreme child abuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a stress process lens, this paper considers the interrelationship between individual and family‐level stress exposures and military spouse resources, including problem‐solving appraisals and problem‐solving support (PSS), and their associations with posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) among both partners in military marital dyads. The study employs data from the Millennium Cohort Family Study, a longitudinal survey of married military dyads, with an initial panel of 9,872 spouses enroled from 2011 to 2013. A structural equation model explored the associations between service member and spouse childhood maltreatment exposure, nonmilitary and military stressors, as well as interactions with spouse resources on self‐reported PTSS among both service member (SM) and spouse (SP). Among our findings, spouse childhood maltreatment muted later self‐reported problem‐solving appraisal and support. Spouse resources, in turn, had both protective (problem‐solving appraisal) and promotive (problem‐solving support) effects on PTSS for both service members and spouses. These findings emphasise the central role of spouses in military families, as more psychological resources among spouses appeared to buffer against the deleterious effects of stress exposure on both their own and their partners mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT In the United States, 37 states and 4 territories allow for the termination of parental rights (TPR) due to parental disability. Twenty‐eight of these states and all four of the territories specifically include parental intellectual developmental disability (IDD). Policies that call for the TPR based on factors outside of parental abuse or neglect have myriad negative effects on individuals, families and communities, including long‐term adverse health outcomes for children who have been removed from parental custody, delays in prenatal care for pregnant people whose stigmatized identities may result in involuntary TPR and an increased burden on already overtaxed child welfare systems. This paper analyses policies and proposes an alternative policy modelled after advocacy from other groups of parents with marginalized identities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Development of guidelines for public health, health system, and health policy interventions demands complex systems thinking to understand direct and indirect effects of interventions within dynamic systems. The WHO-INTEGRATE framework, an evidence-to-decision framework rooted in the norms and values of the World Health Organization (WHO), provides a structured method to assess complexities in guidelines systematically, such as the balance of an intervention's health benefits and harms and their human rights and socio-cultural acceptability. This paper provides a worked example of the application of the WHO-INTEGRATE framework in developing the WHO guidelines on parenting interventions to prevent child maltreatment, and shares reflective insights regarding the value added, challenges encountered, and lessons learnt. Methods: The methodological approach comprised describing the intended step-by-step application of the WHO-INTEGRATE framework and gaining reflective insights from introspective sessions within the core team guiding the development of the WHO guidelines on parenting interventions and a methodological workshop. Results: The WHO-INTEGRATE framework was used throughout the guideline development process. It facilitated reflective deliberation across a broad range of decision criteria and system-level aspects in the following steps: (1) scoping the guideline and defining stakeholder engagement, (2) prioritising WHO-INTEGRATE sub-criteria and guideline outcomes, (3) using research evidence to inform WHO-INTEGRATE criteria, and (4) developing and presenting recommendations informed by WHO-INTEGRATE criteria. Despite the value added, challenges, such as substantial time investment required, broad scope of prioritised sub-criteria, integration across diverse criteria, and sources of evidence and translation of insights into concise formats, were encountered. Conclusions: Application of the WHO-INTEGRATE framework was crucial in the integration of effectiveness evidence with insights into implementation and broader implications of parenting interventions, extending beyond health benefits and harms considerations and fostering a whole-of-society-perspective. The evidence reviews for prioritised WHO-INTEGRATE sub-criteria were instrumental in guiding guideline development group discussions, informing recommendations and clarifying uncertainties. This experience offers important lessons for future guideline panels and guideline methodologists using the WHO-INTEGRATE framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Empirical researchers often consider a single determinant of labor productivity: speed. This paper asks whether they are neglecting spillovers on output quality. Using high‐frequency data on the speed and quality of strawberry harvesters' work, we offer novel evidence that two distinct workplace policies associated with increases in worker speed lead to similar decreases in the quality of their work. We find that both peer speed and wage changes boost worker speed and lower output quality; 10 percent increases in speed are associated with reductions in quality on the order of 1.5–1.7 percent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Childhood maltreatment has been associated as a risk factor with the development of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), with difficulty in emotion regulation explaining the association. However, little is known about the potential factors that make some individuals with maltreatment history more vulnerable to difficulties in emotion regulation and, in turn, engage in NSSI. The current study aimed to examine the roles of distress tolerance, self-compassion, and self-disgust in the association between childhood maltreatment types and emotion regulation difficulty, which was expected to predict NSSI. The sample included 397 university students between the ages of 18 and 30. Participants completed self-report scales assessing childhood maltreatment, emotion regulation difficulty, distress tolerance, self-compassion, self-disgust, and NSSI using the paper-pencil and online methods. The mediation model suggested for the association between childhood maltreatment types and NSSI was tested using path analysis. Low distress tolerance, low self-compassion, high self-disgust, and resulting high emotion regulation difficulty mediated the indirect effect of emotional neglect on NSSI. The current study sheds light on various factors in the development and maintenance of NSSI and reveals three developmental pathways from emotional neglect in childhood to engaging in NSSI. Emotional neglect may be a distal risk factor for nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI). Low distress tolerance and self-compassion and high self-disgust may increase the risk of NSSI. Emotion regulation difficulty may make people engage in NSSI to regulate emotions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Violence against young children is known to have detrimental short and long-term effects. Yet, few studies investigate the prevalence of violence against young children, particularly very young children under the age of 2 years. This paper reports on the prevalence of violence against young children in Jamaica using data obtained from the JA KIDS birth cohort study that undertook pre-enrolment of pregnant mothers in the antenatal period and followed full or sub-samples of parents and children at 9–12 months, 18–22 months and 4–5 years. Violence in pregnancy was experienced by 6.1% of pre-enrolled mothers. As many as 43.1% of Jamaican children ages 9–12 months were shouted at, and almost 30% were slapped. Physical and emotional violence increased with age, and by 4–5 years, approximately 90% of children experienced physical and emotional violence. Non-violent methods, primarily explaining and reasoning with children, were also reported by more than 95% of parents at 4–5 years. Corporal punishment was the most common form of violence experienced, but young children also witnessed hurtful physical and emotional violence between mothers and their partners and lived in communities in which there were violent events. Strategies to reduce young children's experiences as victims and witnesses of violence are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines children's opportunities to participate in everyday child–parent conflicts as revealed in young boys' fictional narratives. The data were collected from 19 boys aged 3–6 years using the Story Magician's Play Time method. Narrative analysis yielded four story types: ignored participation stories, parent‐directed participation stories, child‐directed participation stories and dialogical participation stories. The study illustrates that when considering children's participation in child–parent conflicts, differences between children in their opportunities to participate in resolving conflicts should be taken into account. The boys' stories draw attention to the importance of children's right to a voice and influence in child–parent conflicts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the experiences of US child welfare professionals during the COVID pandemic. Using an online survey, we report on a convenience sample of 444 child welfare workers. The majority reported receiving adequate guidance on staying safe; 86.3% were given access to face masks. Workers reported 75.8% of clients used masks; 10.7% reported contracting COVID through work. About 80% worried that child clients were more at-risk. Workers who felt the most supported and least at-risk were those with stay-at-home orders. Results are discussed in terms of supporting child welfare professionals during periods of crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Munchausen syndrome by proxy (MSbP) is a form of abuse in which a caregiver with Factitious Disorder Imposed on Another (FDIA) fabricates or induces signs or symptoms in a person under their care to satisfy a self‐serving psychological need. Unnecessary clinical evaluations, procedures, and treatments that are initiated based on falsification by the abuser inadvertently add to the trauma experienced by the victim. It is a form of abuse and the impact on victims can be severe, sometimes fatal, and far‐reaching such as prolonged neglect and extension to affected siblings. The long‐term exposure to MSbP may predispose the victim to eventually developing factitious disorder imposed on self (FDIS). While MSbP often involves child victims, elderly, adults, and pets have also been reported as victims. MSbP can be a diagnostic challenge, and the important keys to timely identification of MSbP include the ability to detect deception by caregivers through awareness, clinical suspicion, and careful review of available health records; it also involves collecting collaborative information from other relevant healthcare providers including dentists, schoolteachers, and social workers. To date, there are limited published cases of MSbP with oral findings. This paper provides a narrative review of the current understanding of MSbP with a section on cases with oral findings. This paper aims to increase awareness about the clinical presentations and management considerations for MSbP among dentists and other healthcare professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite a history of critique, concentrated discussion and improved assessment processes, neglect continues to be a major challenge for child protection services. This paper draws on findings from a government‐commissioned analysis of 'serious case reviews' (SCRs) in England, arising from incidents of serious child abuse in 2017–2019. There were 235 cases, for which 166 final reports were available. Alongside a quantitative analysis of the whole cohort, we undertook an in‐depth qualitative analysis of 12 cases involving neglect. A key challenge in responding to neglect in its different forms is that it can be so widespread amongst families that practitioners no longer notice its severity or chronicity – it becomes normalised. In this paper we explore two dimensions of the 'paradox of neglect' where it seems to be everywhere and nowhere simultaneously. The first is that neglect is so closely bound up with the prevalence of poverty that little action is taken to address it. The second is that the overwhelming nature of neglect can blind practitioners to other forms of maltreatment that may also be present within a family. Practitioners, now more than ever, need to recognise the dimensions of this paradox to protect children from neglect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Critical discursive analyses offer possibilities for equity‐oriented research, and are a resource for addressing resistant social problems, such as child neglect and abuse (CN&A). A key challenge for discourse analysts in health disciplines is the tensions between materiality and social constructions, particularly at the site of the body. This paper describes how Donna Haraway's ideas of figuration and technobiopower can augment critical discourse analysis to address this tension. Technobiopower, an intensification of biopower in the context of technoscience, is seen as underpinning the melding of material and semiotic practices. The subject is no longer a material body, but a hybrid body that exists in tropic figuration between the real and unreal. This paper uses an analysis of the figuration of The Monstrous Perpetrator from a study of nursing responses to CN&A to illustrate how Haraway's figuration aligns with and provides an analytical tool to extend critical discursive analyses. Specifically, this methodology offers new ways to identify the discursive qualities of bodies, and how material aspects of bodies are exaggerated, concealing their hegemonic ideologies and discriminatory effects. By identifying discourses within or inscribed upon the body, they can be disrupted, opening new possibilities for social change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We sought to determine whether the Good School Toolkit-Primary violence prevention intervention was associated with reduced victimisation and perpetration of peer and intimate partner violence four years later, and if any associations were moderated by sex and early adolescent: family connectedness, socio-economic status, and experience of violence outside of school. Methods: Drawing on schools involved in a randomised controlled trial of the intervention, we used a quasi-experimental design to compare violence outcomes between those who received the intervention during our trial (n = 1388), and those who did not receive the intervention during or after the trial (n = 522). Data were collected in 2014 (mean age 13.4, SD 1.5 years) from participants in 42 schools in Luwero District, Uganda, and 2018/19 from the same participants both in and out of school (mean age 18, SD: 1.77 years). We compared children who received the Good School Toolkit-Primary, a whole school violence prevention intervention, during a randomised controlled trial, to those who did not receive the intervention during or after the trial. Outcomes were measured using items adapted from the International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect Child Abuse Screening Tool-Child Institutional. We used mixed-effect multivariable logistic regression, with school fitted as a random-effect to account for clustering. Results: 1910 adolescents aged about 16–19 years old were included in our analysis. We found no evidence of an average long-term intervention effect on our primary outcome, peer violence victimization at follow-up (aOR = 0.81, 95%CI = 0.59–1.11); or for any secondary outcome. However, exposure to the intervention was associated with: later reductions in peer violence, for adolescents with high family connectedness (aOR = 0.70, 95% CI 0.49 to 0.99), but not for those with low family connectedness (aOR = 1.07, 95% CI 0.69 to 1.6; p-interaction = 0.06); and reduced later intimate partner violence perpetration among males with high socio-economic status (aOR = 0.32, 95%CI 0.11 to 0.90), but not low socio-economic status (aOR = 1.01 95%CI 0.37 to 2.76, p-interaction = 0.05). Conclusions: Young adolescents in connected families and with higher socio-economic status may be better equipped to transfer violence prevention skills from primary school to new relationships as they get older. Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT01678846, registration date 24 August 2012. Protocol for this paper: https://www.researchprotocols.org/2020/12/e20940. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence-based parenting interventions (EBPI) support children and families to promote resilience, address emotional and behavioral concerns, and prevent or address issues related to child maltreatment. Critiques of EBPIs include concerns about their relevance and effectiveness for diverse populations when they are implemented at population scale. Research methods that center racial equity and include community-based participatory approaches have the potential to address some of these concerns. The purpose of the present review was to document the extent to which methods associated with promoting racial equity in research have been used in studies that contribute to the evidence base for programs that meet evidentiary standards for a clearinghouse that was developed to support the Family First Prevention Services Act in the United States. We developed a coding system largely based on the Culturally Responsive Evaluation model. A sample of 47 papers that are part of the evidence base for ten in-home parent skill-based programs were reviewed and coded. Only three of 28 possible codes were observed to occur in over half of the studies (including race/ethnicity demographic characteristics, conducting measure reliability for the study sample, and including information on socioeconomic status). Although the overall presence of equity-informed methods was low, a positive trend was observed over time. This review highlights ways in which rigorous research can incorporate racial equity into the planning, design, execution, and interpretation and dissemination of programs of study. We posit that doing so improves the external validity of studies while maintaining high-quality research that can contribute to an evidence base. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Limited evidence exists regarding medication administration errors (MAEs) on general paediatric wards or associated risk factors exists. Objective: The aim of this study was to identify nurse, medication, and work-environment factors associated with MAEs among paediatric inpatients. Methods: This was a prospective, direct observational study of 298 nurses in a paediatric referral hospital in Sydney, Australia. Trained observers recorded details of 5137 doses prepared and administered to 1530 children between 07:00 h and 22:00 h on weekdays and weekends. Observation data were compared with medication charts to identify errors. Clinical errors, potential severity and actual harm were assessed. Nurse characteristics (e.g. age, sex, experience), medication type (route, high-risk medications, use of solvent/diluent), and work variables (e.g. time of administration, weekday/weekend, use of an electronic medication management system [eMM], presence of a parent/carer) were collected. Multivariable models assessed MAE risk factors for any error, errors by route, potentially serious errors, and errors involving high-risk medication or causing actual harm. Results: Errors occurred in 37.0% (n = 1899; 95% confidence interval [CI] 35.7–38.3) of administrations, 25.8% (n = 489; 95% CI 23.8–27.9) of which were rated as potentially serious. Intravenous infusions and injections had high error rates (64.7% [n = 514], 95% CI 61.3–68.0; and 77.4% [n = 188], 95% CI 71.7–82.2, respectively). For intravenous injections, 59.7% (95% CI 53.4–65.6) had potentially serious errors. No nurse characteristics were associated with MAEs. Intravenous route, early morning and weekend administrations, patient age ≥ 11 years, oral medications requiring solvents/diluents and eMM use were all significant risk factors. MAEs causing actual harm were 45% lower using an eMM compared with paper charts. Conclusion: Medication error prevention strategies should target intravenous administrations and not neglect older children in hospital. Attention to nurses' work environments, including improved design and integration of medication technologies, is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-agency collaboration (also termed inter-professional, inter-agency, and multi-sector) between agencies and practitioners has been established as a valuable way of working in safeguarding, to protect people from harm. Whilst multiagency working is mandated in legislation, policy, and guidance, there are challenges in its implementation. Research has not only highlighted many benefits of multi-agency working, for example, sharing resources and expertise, but also key barriers, including uncertainty of agency roles, remits, and responsibilities. Ongoing challenges, such as information sharing in an appropriate and timely manner, are often cited within various serious practice reviews and inspections. However, what is less explored and understood is how we know and evidence if our multi-agency safeguarding arrangements are effective. This article summarizes the multi-agency safeguarding landscape and highlights an urgent need for the development of a framework that identifies key components to evidence effectiveness. This framework should seek to define, identify, monitor, and review factors that enable effective multi-agency partnership working. In doing so, we argue that the evidence of practice needs to build on safeguarding being “everyone’s responsibility” towards establishing a “collective responsibility.” This is the first of the two papers mapping developmental journey of “The Collective Safeguarding Responsibility Model: 12Cs”. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence of child labour in Bangladesh is a major concern, exposing children to hazardous working conditions with severe physical and psychological impacts on their well being. This ethnographic study investigates the interplay between the agency and vulnerability of child labourers in hazardous battery-recycling workshops, exploring the social, economic, and cultural factors that contribute to their vulnerability. The research posits that while addressing poverty and socio--economic challenges is essential to combat child labour, a blanket ban on child labour in developing countries might be unfeasible due to complex economic factors. Therefore, the study suggests a middle ground between the 'absolutist universalist' and 'contextualist' approaches. This approach entails improving working conditions, enforcing age-related labour laws, and revising child labour policies to reflect the needs and views of children and their families. It emphasises participatory decision-making and introduces support measures for children compelled to work, including residential vocational schools and stipends. The study also advocates treating hazardous child labour as child abuse, legally combating it, and increasing public awareness against such practices. Additionally, the paper underscores the necessity of re-evaluating current social policies and thoroughly assessing anti-poverty initiatives to effectively curb child labour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual revictimization can have a negative impact on many facets of women's wellbeing, yet limited evidence exists regarding specific interventions that support healing and the reduction of further revictimization. This paper will explore regional and rural women's experience of a group-based empowerment program, the Shark Cage program, in Victoria, Australia. The "Shark Cage" program aims to address revictimization by empowering women and girls to build personal boundaries and assertiveness within the context of gender equality and human rights. Data were collected via participant observations across the 8-week program, in combination with semi-structured interviews with participants (N = 11) pre and post intervention. All participants had access to therapeutic support outside of the program. Findings indicate that the program fostered connections among women with shared experiences of sexual revictimization, reducing feelings of isolation. Participants detailed the benefit of developing and practicing skills in reducing revictimization, such as assertiveness and boundary setting. Program learning and recovery was embedded within a network of embodied emotions, social connections, cultural norms and place-based relations that influenced how participants recovery could be understood, processed and addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The routine of the dental profession exposes dentists not only to medical challenges but also to ethical and legal ones. Compared to other physicians, dentists are more likely to encounter children who are victims of domestic violence. This reality exposes them to legal liability due to the reporting obligations and the risk of misdiagnosing injuries. This paper aims to examine the importance of dentists in diagnosing injuries to children caused by domestic violence and the inherent dangers of failing to make such a diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS) Child File, the only national dataset cataloging child maltreatment reports. It includes variables representing economic distress frequently used in published research. At the national level, these variables are demonstrably implausible, substantially underestimating economic distress. Method: This paper reviews recent work using these variables, analyzes the NCANDS data directly, demonstrates why the economic variables in NCANDS are unusable at a national level, and provides recommendations for incorporating economic measures using NCANDS. Results: We find 19 articles that have used these variables within the past 10 years. Most states provide implausible estimates. Economic measures can be incorporated into NCANDS data by either subsetting to s states with plausible estimates of these variables in given years, or appending county-level economic Census data. Discussion: Without addressing these variables' issues in plausibility, use of them will yield biased estimates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To describe how the UNC Horizons program, a comprehensive women-centered program for pregnant and parenting women with substance use disorders, and its patient population have changed over time and summarize basic neonatal outcomes for infants born to women in treatment at Horizons. Methods: Yearly Annual Reports from fiscal years of 1994 to 2017 were abstracted. Patient characteristics and infant outcomes compared to normative North Carolina data were examined. Results: Highlights of findings include: The percentage of women for whom opioids were the primary substance of use increased from 0% in 1995–1996 to 62% in 2016–17, while cocaine decreased from 66 to 12%. Intravenous substance use history increased from 7% in 1994–1995 to 41% in 2016–2017. The number of women reporting a history of incarceration rose from 10–20% in the early years to 40%-50% beginning in 2007–2008. The proportion of women reporting a desire to hurt themselves rose from 20% in 2004–2005 to 40% in 2016–2017. Self-reported suicide attempt history remained consistent at 32% across years. While reporting of childhood physical abuse remained at 38% across years, reporting of sexual abuse and domestic violence trended upward. Horizons did not differ from North Carolina in the likelihood of patients giving birth prematurely [χ2(13) = 20.6,p =.082], or the likelihood of a patient giving birth to a low birthweight infant [χ2(13) = 14.7,p =.333]. Conclusions for Practice: Breaking the cycle of addiction for women and children must focus on helping women with substance use problems develop a sense of hope that their lives can improve, and a sense of feeling safe and nurtured. Significance: Systematic examinations of programs that provide treatment services to pregnant and parenting women with substance use disorders have typically been focused on a limited set of outcomes and have been cross-sectional in nature. The current paper presents a detailed examination of the patient populations over a 23-year period, with particular attention to the changes over time in the women served. The birth weight and prematurity of infants born to the women in this program were likewise examined over time, and in comparison to state-level data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper presents a re-analysis of the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS) data presented by Briggs et al. (2022). Methods: We review five components of that article: The aims, variables, analytic strategy, analysis, and conclusions. Results: We conclude that several of the NCANDS variables used are invalid at the national level, and that this is sufficient to call the research into question. We find concerning issues in analytic strategy and analysis as well, many stemming from a failure to account for the serious underreporting of services in NCANDS, and the wide variability in data quality and consistency across states. We also found what we consider to be issues with their statistical analysis. Discussion: The reanalysis presented in this article shows no pattern of disparate within Child Protective Services (CPS) outcomes by race and, therefore, no support for the Briggs et al. claim of pervasive anti-Black racism within the CPS system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

College students have high rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms as well as high rates of sexual assault. What is less clear, however, is whether different sexual assault types (e.g. coercive, physically forced, and incapacitation) are associated with greater PTSD symptoms. Moreover, understanding early familial and mental health histories of college students is important for explaining PTSD symptoms. As such, we use a social stress framework to examine the relationships between early familial risk (i.e. child abuse, perceived maternal rejection), borderline personality (BP) symptoms, and three sexual assault types with PTSD symptoms among college students. A total of 783 undergraduate students (65.4% female) completed paper and pencil surveys in fall 2019 and spring 2020 at a large public university. Results revealed that females were more likely to experience child sexual abuse and all three forms of sexual assault, while males experienced higher rates of child physical abuse. OLS regression results showed positive associations between child sexual abuse, perceived maternal rejection, BP symptoms and all three types of sexual assault with PTSD symptoms. Females also experienced more PTSD symptoms compared to males. Findings have implications for targeted interventions to improve mental health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This review provides guidance and ideas for researchers through a comprehensive and comparative analysis of the present state, trends, and hotspots in the pediatric fracture literature over the past 6 years. Methods: We used Citespace 6.1.R6 software to explore the country/region distribution, institutions, journals, keyword analysis, and co-cited references of the literature from Web of Science core database. Results: There are 6472 pieces of pediatric fracture–related literature, including 2962 from 2017 to 2019 and 3510 from 2020 to 2022. The country with the most papers is the United States, and US institutions and journals also have a pivotal position in this field. Research hotspots for pediatric fractures in 2017–2019: The topic with the most attention is bone mineral density leading to related bone diseases. Treatment for pediatric fractures, including supracondylar humeral fractures, Monteggia fractures, forearm fractures, knee fractures, and ankle fractures in children, is another topic of greater interest. Brain injuries and dental injuries in children due to abuse and trauma are also concerning issues. Research hotspots for pediatric fractures in 2020–2022: comparison with 2017–2019 revealed a relative decrease regarding ankle-related epiphyseal injuries, but there is a higher focus on the epidemiology of fractures in children, risk factors, and reasons for childhood trauma. We have confirmed through literature co-citations that the literature of high interest is also in these aspects. Conclusion: Researchers and clinicians can quickly learn about topics of interest through authoritative journals and highly cited literature and rapidly master the current status and frontiers of the field through study, providing ideas for future work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this paper is to analyze the implications for the social sciences of online crimes, specifically fraud and pedophilia in Ecuador. The methodology used is justified in the conception of systematized reviews, using the analytical framework of systematized reviews in Human and Social Sciences. Databases such as Google Scholar, SCOPUS, Web of Science (WOS), Scientific Electronic Library Online (Scielo), among others, were used. The conclusions point to the need to increase research on these crimes from the social sciences, the application of the phenomenological approach, the investigation of myths and beliefs about these phenomena, the promotion of public policies and the promotion of interdisciplinarity with other behavioral sciences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This systematic review is the first to synthesize knowledge of parental involvement in child sexual abuse (CSA) prevention programs. Guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) criteria, 24 intervention evaluations met the inclusion criteria of aiming to change parental knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, behavioral intentions, self-efficacy, response-efficacy, or capabilities for prevention of CSA. Included papers were identified via a combination of electronic database searches (PsycINFO, Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, World Health Organization's International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, google.com.au, open.grey.eu, Global ETD, Open Access Theses & Dissertations, EThOS, and Trove) and direct communication with researchers. Improvement post intervention was found most commonly for parental behavioral intentions and response-efficacy, closely followed by parental behaviors, then capabilities, self-efficacy, knowledge, and lastly, parental attitudes. Improvements in behaviors, intentions, and response-efficacy occurred in 88 to 100% of the studies in which they were addressed, improvements in self-efficacy and capabilities occurred in 67 to 75%, and improvements in knowledge and attitudes occurred in only 50 to 56%. Many of the included evaluation studies suffered from methodological and reporting flaws, such as high participant attrition, lack of control group, lack of statistical tests, missed testing time points, and a lack of (or short) follow-up. Future parent-focused CSA prevention evaluations must address these concerns by conducting rigorous empirical research with sound methodologies and comprehensive reporting. Furthermore, study designs should consider measuring the real-world impact of increases in assessed parent variables, including their ability to prevent sexual victimization of children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Irritant diaper dermatitis is a common dermatologic problem among infants and young children. Severe erosive presentations, although uncommon, are diagnostically challenging and can mimic non‐accidental trauma (NAT). Diagnosing inflicted injury and NAT where it does not exist can cause parental distress, yet failing to diagnose inflicted injury and NAT can result in re‐injury. We describe three cases of severe erosive diaper dermatitis in pediatric patients aged 2–6 years that were initially concerning for inflicted scald burn or neglect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on a feasibility study for an evaluation of a UK primary school‐based prevention programme that addresses multiple forms of abuse and neglect, identifying research design and ethical issues and exploring research practice. For this feasibility study, 194 children aged 6–11 years completed a baseline survey and 113 did so following the intervention. Eight focus groups were undertaken with 52 children and nine interviews with school staff. We highlight key considerations for conducting large‐scale mixed‐method research on sensitive topics with younger children, a focus that is largely absent from the extant research methods literature. The feasibility study showed that younger children can contribute their views on sensitive topics in ways that are measurable, replicable and reliable, contesting ideas that certain topics are too sensitive to explore with younger children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews 26 reports into deaths and serious abuse of children in families who were subject to the No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) rule. Our analysis illustrates vulnerabilities caused by exclusionary policies, exacerbating social deprivation and isolation experienced by the children and families and making it more difficult for professionals to respond in ways which safeguarded children's welfare. Drawing upon a social model for protecting children that requires recognition of the social determinants of harm and the economic, social and cultural barriers faced by families, we examine the experiences of children and families with NRPF who were the subject of a serious case review, and the responses of agencies responsible for safeguarding child welfare. We conclude with recommendations for practices aimed at promoting the rights and well‐being of children and families subject to NRPF rules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Family violence is a multifaceted issue encompassing various harmful behaviors within familial relationships. This paper explores the definitional problems presented in this special issue on family violence and its impact on parenting and coparenting. By examining the shifts and expansions of concepts related to family violence over time, we highlight the transformative turns in this special issue that have helped us to clarify our understanding of family violence. We explore the transformative expansions of family violence by situating this exploration within a "concept creep" analysis. We make a note of the underlying assumptions associated with these concepts. Through an analysis of concept creep, we elucidate how the expansions and redefinition of violence‐related terms have influenced our understanding of family violence. By differentiating family violence, intimate partner violence, and maltreatment, we emphasize the necessity of unpacking these terms to avoid oversimplification or overlooking certain forms of violence that may go unnoticed under narrow definitions. The authors further highlight the need for interdisciplinary collaboration to address the complexities of family violence and its impact on parenting and coparenting. By acknowledging and responding to expansions of concepts in family violence, we can strive to protect and support children in these challenging circumstances, ultimately promoting their well‐being and creating safer family environments. Key points for the family court community: Family violence is a hypernym for various forms of violence and abuse that can impact intimate relationships.Concept creep provides a framework for understanding family violence concepts' horizontal and vertical expansions over time and its impact on parenting and coparenting.Due to the complexity of family violence, a systematic approach must thoroughly screen, assess and intervene to ensure the safety and well‐being of all family members.An ecological approach to family violence emphasizes the various interrelated levels that impact and influence the consequences of violence within families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Using a mixed methodology comprising interviews, case file analysis and descriptive statistics, this study aims to examine the experiences of all 43 young people in Wales subject to secure accommodation orders between 1st April 2016 and 31st March 2018. Design/methodology/approach: Children in the UK aged 10–17 years who are deemed to be at a significant level of risk to themselves or others may be subject to a secure accommodation order, leading to time spent in a secure children's home (SCH) on welfare grounds. Following a rise in the number of children in Wales referred to SCHs for welfare reasons, this paper describes these young people's journeys into, through and out of SCHs, giving insight into their experiences and highlighting areas for policy and practice improvements. Findings: Findings indicate that improvements in mental health support and placement availability are key in improving the experiences of this particularly vulnerable group of young people throughout their childhood. Practical implications: Other practical implications of the study's findings, such as improvements in secure transport arrangements, are also discussed. Originality/value: While the findings are limited by the reliance on self-report methods and the size of the study, namely, the small number of young people with experience of SCHs who were able to participate, the findings build on the existing knowledge base around children's residential accommodation and provide new insights into how best to support these children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous methods are used in the measurement of child maltreatment (CM) exposure. As a science, it is necessary that the field of CM research evaluate its measurement approaches periodically to ensure that the common approaches are the best approaches. A prominent method for measuring CM in research as a predictor variable is to conceptualize CM as a two-level, yes/no binary variable (e.g., 0 = No CM exposure, 1 = CM exposure). While there is no consensus on what method is the best approach for measuring CM, empirical evidence suggests that the binary measurement approach to CM has significant limitations. The current paper sought to progress the field of CM and trauma research forward by reviewing several lines of research demonstrating why the use of a binary yes/no CM measurement approach is problematic. As evidence for why a binary measurement of CM should be halted, this paper reviews research on: why the characteristics or details of CM exposure matter, risk of CM "contamination," and CM's relation with environmental or systemic factors. The ethical and clinical implications of a CM binary measurement approach are also discussed. Several recommendations for the field are provided on how researchers can improve the measurement of CM and ensure accurate and replicable studies are being published. • Child maltreatment research requires an evaluation of its measurement practices. • There are many concerns related to measuring child maltreatment as a binary variable. • Researchers should consider a multidimensional approach to maltreatment measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Institutional child abuse has several negative impacts, including effects on mental health, well-being and interpersonal relationships. There is a need to understand this complex form of abuse occurring in an out-of-home setting. The current review aims to understand the literature base regarding the impact of institutional child abuse and to identify areas where further research is needed. Consequently, a systematic review was conducted, which captured quantitative and qualitative methods. This resulted in 58 papers being included. The papers captured the impacts of institutional abuse, covering physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse and neglect (i.e., a failure to be adequately cared for). These were then analysed using a qualitative methodology, specifically Reflexive Thematic Analysis. Several factors, such as prior abuse, were reported to exacerbate the impact of institutional abuse, whereas secure attachment was noted as a protective feature. Responses to disclosure appear to have an important role in recovery. Areas important for further research included understanding the role of protective factors and how they impact future outcomes, but to do so alongside an acknowledgement and greater exploration of negative impacts. • Diversity in impact is clearly evidenced, alongside complexity in presentation. • Pre-existing factors, including availability of protective factors, appear as important correlates with later mental health challenges. • A role for disclosure as a unique feature is indicated. • An absence of longitudinal research into impacts is evidenced. • The research field uses considerable diversity in method, with resulting varied quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]