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There is constant debate surrounding the importance of the foundation year, and whether or not it should stay. But in an era where there is a dire need for diversity in industries that are lacking skills and talent, Dr Lucy Atkinson, Director of the Centre for Academic Persistence at Arden University, argues that foundation years have never been more important for students. In this article, Dr Atkinson addresses the benefits of the foundation year for students. In doing so, she explores how it improves access to education for those from more disadvantaged backgrounds, as well as mature students. Criticisms surrounding the foundation year. [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]

The current commentary provides an introduction to the special issue examining COVID-19-related professional challenges, innovations, and implications for child maltreatment victims. The editors of the special issue provide a summary of the research presented as well as the implications for the field of child maltreatment research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human trafficking is a severe form of child abuse and maltreatment. Cases are pervasive and no demographic, socioeconomic status, community, or school is immune. The most effective response to human trafficking in school settings requires increased awareness and establishing policies, protocols, and procedures that support collaborative response to suspected human trafficking. School nurses are well equipped to lead these efforts. While the National Association of School Nurses acknowledges the importance of the role of the school nurse in child trafficking response in their Human Trafficking Position Statement, resources to aid school nurses in coordinated recognition and response efforts remain limited. This article reviews clinical guidance on human trafficking through a school-based lens, highlights indicators that should alert school nurses to the risk of trafficking, outlines best practices for response to abuse and exploitation, and provides additional tools and resources available to aid school nurses in their approach to caring for children experiencing trafficking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examined adults' interpretations of invitations using the word 'time'. Recent research has demonstrated that children may misunderstand these invitations as solely requesting temporal information (Friend et al., 2022). This study tested whether adults perceive the ambiguity in these invitations and whether they understand the source of children's pseudotemporal errors. We examined 401 adult participants' perceptions of invitations using the word 'time', varying the phrasing of the invitation (about the time vs. what happened) and whether the participant had exposure to a child's pseudotemporal response. Adults largely interpreted the invitations as requests for what happened during an event, not requests for when an event occurred. They rated the invitations as clear, not difficult and appropriate for elementary‐aged children. However, they were more likely to rate about the time invitations as temporal compared to what happened invitations. Additionally, their perceptions of clarity and age appropriateness decreased when they were exposed to children's overtly pseudotemporal responses. These results suggest that although adults typically fail to identify the ambiguity in invitations using the word 'time', they are able to adjust their interpretation of the questions, at least when they are provided clear evidence of children's misinterpretation. Key Practitioner Messages: Recent research has demonstrated that invitations with the word 'time' can be confusing for witnesses, as these invitations can be misunderstood as requests for time.Using the phrasing 'about the time' in these invitations increases the rate of temporal misunderstanding. Therefore, when using invitations with the word 'time', interviewers should always phrase their question with 'what happened' language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Child maltreatment is any type of abuse or child negligence which results the concrete or prospective hurt for those under age of eighteen. It is a global issue which severely endangered children's physical, emotional, behavioral, developmental and mental well-being for immediate and later in life. Although, its magnitude and devastating burden are difficult to comprehend, much remains to be done to know its prevalence and comprehensive impact. This meta-analysis and comprehensive review will provide important light on the burden, consequences, and contributing factors for child maltreatment. Methods: This meta-analysis and comprehensive review was coded at Prospero number of CRD42024503799. Universal online databanks including PubMed, Cochrane, Google, Google Scholar, SCOPUS, and Web of Science and Global Health were used to search for articles. Microsoft Excel was used for data extraction, and STATA17 was used to analyze this systematic review and meta-analysis. A random effect model exploration was employed when heterogeneity among included studies were evidenced. Results: The pooled prevalence of childhood maltreatment was 57.0 % (95 % CI = 32.00, 83.00). Included studies revealed that childhood maltreatment has multiple child health-related consequences. Being female (AOR = 2.94, 95 % CI: 1.48, 4.41), being young (AOR = 1.22, 95%CI: 1.09, 3.35), paternal illiteracy (AOR = 2.16, 95%CI: 1.012, 3.302) and have an open family discussion about sexual matters (AOR = 0.381 (95%CI: 0.121, 0.884) were considerably associated with child maltreatment. Conclusion: This finding publicized that the burden and multiple consequences of childhood maltreatment need much attention. Childhood maltreatment has both immediate and life time consequences for children later in life. Being female, being young, having illiterate fathers, and open family discussion about sexual matters were associated factors of child maltreatment.

Experiencing trauma in childhood is a global public health issue linked to worse physical and mental health outcomes, including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Self-concept is a transdiagnostic concept linked to various psychopathologies and understanding its unique relationship to trauma is important. This meta-analysis aimed to understand the size of the effect between trauma and maltreatment and self-concept in children and adolescents. The current meta-analysis searched PubMed, PILOTS, PsycINFO, and Web of Science databases. Inclusion criteria involved studies with defined trauma exposure, valid measures of self-concept, and participants' mean age under 18 years old. One-hundred-and-thirty-four studies were included in the meta-analysis (N = 255,334). A random-effects meta-analysis was performed. A small negative relationship was observed between trauma exposure and self-concept (r = − 0.20, 95% CI − 0.22, − 0.18). This relationship was significantly moderated by some variables (type and nature of trauma exposure) but not others (participant gender, type of self-concept measure, quality of studies, country economic status). A small relationship between trauma exposure and negative self-concept in children and adolescents was detected, with repeated trauma exposure and type of trauma exposure moderating this relationship. This provides important directions for clinical practice around providing support for those exposed or most vulnerable to experiencing trauma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to identify the sensory characteristics of children with both developmental disabilities such as ASD and ADHD and a history of child maltreatment (DM group), children with developmental disabilities (DD group), and typically developed children (TD group). The sensory characteristics of 24 children were assessed through virtual reality and self-administered questionnaires. The results elucidated that the duration of gazing at the "teacher" (60–75 s) was significantly different with the DM group's gaze being shorter than the DD group's gaze (p = 0.042). The duration of the "others" gaze (45–60 s) was also significantly different with the DM group's gaze being longer than the DD and TD groups' gaze (p = 0.018; p = 0.030). Additionally, the scores for tactile sensitivity, taste/smell sensitivity, under-responsive/seeks sensation, and the total short-term sensory profile were significantly different between the DM-DD and DD-TD groups. The scores of the heart rate perception test and Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness were significantly lower in the DM and DD groups. In conclusion, children who have experienced trauma and developmental disabilities may have different sensory characteristics than children with only developmental disabilities or none, implying the need for further research and tailored care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abnormal attentional processes to socially relevant information may underlie behavioral dysfunctional symptoms in children exposed to a complex trauma. Attentional biases to social scenes close to real-world situations and their association with behavioral symptomatology were examined in complex trauma-exposed children. A visual dot-probe task involving neutral versus emotional (i.e., threatening, sad, or happy) scenes was applied to twenty-one maltreated children (mean age 10.43; 42.8% female; 61.1% White). These children were exposed to a complex trauma (i.e., severe, repeated, multiple, prolonged, and interpersonal) and were safeguarded in a juvenile welfare home after all parental responsibility was removed. Twenty-four comparable non-maltreated children (mean age 10.13; 29.2% female; 76% White), served as control group. All participants were at risk of social exclusion and every legal representative completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Complex trauma-exposed children showed an attentional bias toward threatening scenes, while the control group showed an attentional bias toward sad scenes. There were no differences for happy scenes between groups. Attentional bias toward threatening scenes was associated with withdrawn symptoms in complex trauma-exposed children. Children exposed to a complex trauma show an abnormal attention to threatening social situations, which can trigger maladaptive behaviors such as withdrawn. The understanding of how complex trauma-exposed children process affective environmental information may provide new targets in the social skills interventions such as diminishing maladaptive behaviors and improving coping strategies to face threatening situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Childhood maltreatment and neglect are associated with a host of negative outcomes. Yet, some children show resilience despite their exposure to these traumatic events. Several protective factors have been documented in the literature, but few studies focus on protective factors in the child's community that can promote resilience. The purpose of this review was to provide a comprehensive portrait of the impact of community protective factors on the resilience of abused and neglected children. The databases PsycNet and PubMed were used to screen the literature relying on the following inclusion criteria: (1) published in English or in French; (2) report empirical and quantitative data; (3) include a minimum sample size of 30 participants; (4) rely on a sample of maltreated children or adolescents under the age of 24; (5) examine the associations between community protective factors and indicators of psychological adaptation; and (6) include outcome measures that assessed either positive adaptation or the absence of symptomatology in participants. Of the 9,553 articles identified, 44 studies met the eligibility criteria for inclusion in this review. Although many protective factors show significant results, several methodological limitations remain to be examined to affirm that these community variables have a significant impact on the level of resilience of maltreated children. Since child maltreatment is a systemic issue, it remains important to fully understand how community protective factors operate on the resilience of these children as it can greatly inform practitioners and community institutions on how to intervene with populations at risk of maltreatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developmental trauma and disability are frequently co-occurring lived experiences for children and young people. The present research explores the considerations and practices for pedagogy provided to children with a disability and who have experienced developmental trauma in an educational setting. A systematic literature review was conducted to explore and synthesise the current evidence base that exists relating to the considerations for quality teaching practice for this cohort of students within schools. Findings revealed five key themes, which contribute to an understanding of considerations and practices for teaching students with childhood trauma experiences whilst considering an additional dimension intersecting with disabilities including mental ill-health. The findings of this study broaden the understanding of the complexities facing the education sector in ensuring inclusion principles are enacted to increase impact and improve outcomes for these students with multiple and complex needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When children are removed from their parents's custody because of substantiated maltreatment and placed in out-of-home placements, they may be placed separately from siblings, potentially leading to even higher levels of stress in children. This possibility emerges insofar as siblings serve as a source of support during the uncertain times that accompany maltreatment and subsequent removal. We explored these issues in the present study, focusing on whether sibling relationship quality was related to post-removal behavioral functioning in maltreated children and adolescents. A total of 102 six- to seventeen-year-olds residing in a residential facility completed questionnaires about their sibling relationship quality and behavioral functioning. With age, sibling relationships became more hostile; although in girls, sibling affection also increased with age, at least when their sibling was a girl. Sibling hostility was related to increases in aggression and behavioral problems. Surprisingly, greater sibling affection was associated with increased problems, particularly when children had little contact with their sibling. Results provide insight into perceptions of sibling relationships in maltreated children and have implications for placement decisions.

Background: Domestic violence has a significant impact on growing children. However, existing evidence is limited and often under reported. Consequently, the Child Exposure to Domestic Violence (CEDV) scale has been developed for global use. This study aims to provide a cross-cultural translation, adaptation and validation of the CEDV based on Malay language. Methods: CEDV scale was translated from the original English version to Malay. Content and face validity were examined before field-testing. The study comprised a cross sectional study using the Malay version of the CEDV (CEDV-M) scale conducted at a secondary school in Perlis, Malaysia and investigated 235 children aged 13 years old--16 years old using an online platform. The construct validity, internal consistency and stability of the tool were assessed. Results: The CEDV-M scale's content and face validity both yielded a value exceeding 0.80. Furthermore, the tool demonstrated has good stability reliability, using the intra-class correlation value for all items ranging from 0.659 to 1.00. The exploratory factor analysis of the 36 items of the CEDV scale revealed possibilities of five or six factor domains. However, the five factor domains were most conceptually equivalent. Consequently, this study found that the CEDV-M scale is reliable with a total Cronbach's alpha of 0.87. Conclusion: CEDV-M scale is a valid and reliable tool for measuring a child's experience of domestic violence. Future studies recommend confirmatory factor analysis and standard settings for scoring systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are certain concepts of abuse that are unique in the adolescent and young adult age groups. In this review paper, a number of these concepts are discussed including: epidemiology, risk factors, consequences of abuse, concepts of screening, adolescent males as perpetrators of abuse, and management of abuse, including with pharmacologic agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

History has taught us that children with disabilities in general are at an increased risk of child maltreatment. The maltreatment may cause additional disabilities. Furthermore, child maltreatment as an adverse childhood experience has been linked to leading causes of adult morbidity and mortality. In this paper, the international disability prevalence is reviewed as well as the connection between disability and maltreatment. Stigma, discrimination and ignorance regarding disabilities are factors which place people with disabilities at higher risk for violence. Prevention and early detection are therefore important public health aspects in this regard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible self-regulation has been shown to be an adaptive ability. This study adapted and validated the adult Flexible Regulation of Emotional Expression (FREE) Scale for use with youth (FREE-Y) in community and maltreatment samples. The FREE-Y measures the ability to flexibly enhance and suppress emotion expression across an array of hypothetical social scenarios. Participants (N = 654, 8–19 years) were included from three studies. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) confirmed a theoretically appropriate higher order factor structure. Using multiple-group CFAs, measurement invariance was achieved across maltreatment status, age, and gender. Reliabilities were adequate and construct validity was demonstrated through associations with measures of emotion regulation, psychopathology, IQ, and executive functioning. Group comparisons indicated lower Suppression and Flexibility scores for maltreated versus comparison participants. Findings suggest that the FREE-Y is a valid measure of expressive regulation ability in youth that can be applied across a range of populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review provides an overview of the consequences of early adverse experiences across various domains of life. Drawing on the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) conceptual framework, we discuss the ACE pyramid and the varying degrees of consequences that ACE exposure may elicit. Using online search engines such as Google Scholar, the authors sifted through empirical research to locate relevant articles and research to help prepare this review. This article sheds light on the implications of ACEs for health, socio-emotional and psychosocial well-being, relationships, personality, and cognitive functioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Health and social inequality are associated with multiple adverse childhood experiences including poverty, mental illness, and child maltreatment. While effective interventions currently exist for many health and social problems, large segments of the population experience barriers accessing needed services. In alignment with broader public health efforts to reduce health and social inequality in one state in the U.S.A., the current study describes the development and formative evaluation of a brief, low cost, portable model of prevention-oriented family service navigation called Navigate Your Way. Methods Caregivers of children experiencing significant unmet health or social service needs were recruited to the study. Participants completed an initial and closing telephone interview which included measures of past and current family health and social service utilization, service barriers, parenting stress, and child internalizing/externalizing behaviors. Between interviews participants created a family service plan and received 10 weeks of telephone and web-mediated family navigation, at which time process and fidelity of implementation data were collected. Frequency and descriptive statistics are provided for participant demographic characteristics, service barriers, intervention engagement, and primary and secondary study outcomes. Paired samples t-tests examined changes in study outcomes between initial and closing telephone interviews. Results Thirty two caregivers enrolled, twenty-nine completed the study. The age range was 20–59 (M = 39.5, SD = 10.0). The majority identified as female (96.9%, n = 31), racial/ethnic minority (56.2%, n = 18), and reported an average 10 barriers to care (M = 10.4, SD = 4.1). The most frequently reported service needs were mental health care, housing, food security, transportation, and health insurance. The mean duration of intervention delivery was 83 days. Most participants (82.8%, n = 24) were connected to one or more health or social services. Caregivers reported significant improvements to youth internalizing behaviors (d = 2.5, p = .05) and high levels of overall satisfaction with the navigation approach. Conclusion Telephone and web-mediated service navigation is a feasible and practical approach to supporting families in rapidly connecting to health and social care. Future research investigating the efficacy and implementation of Navigate Your Way in routine settings is indicated.

Exposure to childhood victimisation (i.e. abuse, neglect, domestic violence or bullying) can detrimentally impact later psychosocial adjustment. However, this is not the case for all victimised children; some do well despite their experiences and are considered to be resilient. Understanding the factors associated with such resilience is important to inform interventions to support better psychosocial outcomes among victimised children. This review provides an overview of the extant research examining resilience factors for psychosocial outcomes during the transition to adulthood following exposure to childhood victimisation. Studies were identified through a systematic literature search of Embase, PsychINFO and Ovid MEDLINE databases. The 26 included studies spanned a range of psychosocial outcomes between ages 18–25, including education and work, housing and independent living, criminal behaviour, victimisation, and social and psychological adjustment. For each outcome, a variety of putative resilience factors had been investigated including those related to the individual, their family and the wider community within which they lived. However, because few studies had comparable resilience factors and psychosocial outcomes, it is difficult to draw conclusions about which factors are consistently associated with resilience to a particular psychosocial outcome. Additionally, this review revealed that the included studies were of variable methodological quality – many were limited by cross-sectional designs with retrospective self-reports of childhood victimisation, and convenience or unrepresentative samples. In this review, we also highlight gaps in knowledge about the co-occurring impact of multiple resilience factors in combination and the need for studies conducted in non-Western and low- and middle-income countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Child maltreatment is considered a major public health concern among children because they can cause significant physical and psychological problems. Child maltreatment is widespread but often underestimated. Surprisingly, there is hardly any data on child maltreatment and any associated sociodemographic factors children affected by HIV/AIDS in low-income countries. This study employed cross-sectional, quantitative survey that involved 291 children aged 10–17 years and their caregivers in the Lower Manya Krobo District, Ghana and examined their exposure to and experience of child maltreatment. The results show that at least one form of maltreatment was reported by approximately 90% of the children, and it was significantly higher among orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) as compared with comparison children. Older age, frequent changes in residence, non-schooling and living with many siblings are associated with child maltreatment. The results demonstrate that maltreatment among children affected by HIV/AIDS are not rare, and that the dysfunction family conditions that they find themselves bear systemic risks for maltreatment. It is important that culturally appropriate and evidence-based interventions are implemented to address the maltreatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Childhood maltreatment is linked to deleterious outcomes, whereby post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been identified as one of the most debilitating. This retrospective chart review examined whether self-reported affective measures (anxiety, depression, trauma), type of maltreatment (sexual, physical, emotional/verbal abuses), and demographics predicted a diagnosis of anxiety or PTSD among 169 children in a psychiatric inpatient hospital. Secondly, this study identified significant predictors of a PTSD diagnosis. Results indicated self-reported anxiety predicted a diagnosis of PTSD, while self-reported depression predicted PTSD only in maltreated children. Self-reported trauma predicted an anxiety diagnosis. PTSD risk variables including duration of stay, sex, self-reported anxiety, presence of sexual abuse, and presence of emotional/verbal abuse, showed sound sensitivity/specificity as predictors of risk for a PTSD diagnosis in an inpatient setting. Clinical implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2017 the Northern Territory (NT) government re-introduced the Banned Drinker Register (BDR) to address the high rates of alcohol related harm. This paper aims to evaluate whether trends in assault, maltreatment and sentinel injuries in children and adolescents were associated with the re-introduction of the BDR, in the context of other local interventions such as police officers stationed in bottle shops being partially removed, Police Auxiliary Liquor Inspectors, and the introduction of a minimum unit price of alcohol. Interrupted time series analysis was used to assess monthly trends in emergency department presentations and inpatient hospital admissions for assault, maltreatment and sentinel injuries between January 2014 and December 2019 in the regions of Greater Darwin, Alice Springs, and Katherine. A significant step increase after the introduction of the BDR in emergency department presentations for assault and maltreatment was present when examining the three regions combined (β = 7.65, 95 % CI = 2.15, 13.16). However, this was not present at the individual community level. Results across a range of other models pointed towards null effects of the BDR introduction. The current study found that the re-introduction of the BDR had minimal impact on rates of assault, maltreatment, or sentinel injuries in children and adolescents. To ensure long-term harm mitigation from alcohol use, a combination of evidence informed alcohol policies that address the price and availability of alcohol in a comprehensive framework, along with measures which address the underlying social determinants of unregulated drinking and health more broadly will assist in reducing alcohol related harm in both children and adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Low academic performance was correlated to poorer scores on the Child Behavior Checklist, particularly anxiety, depression, and somatic symptoms. • Academic performance was not correlated to maltreatment type or multiple maltreatment exposure. • Internalizing clinical symptoms between carer and self-report were significantly different. Self-report demonstrated higher sensitivity to internalizing symptoms than carer-report. Compared to their non-Indigenous peers in out-of-home care (OOHC), children who are Aboriginal are at an increased risk of low academic achievement, mental health problems, and emotional and behavioral symptoms. This study aimed to profile the clinical symptoms experienced and examine the relationships among these clinical symptoms, academic achievement, and early life environmental characteristics, such as maltreatment and placement instability. Data were accessed through a collaborating OOHC clinical service providing support for children who are Aboriginal. Analyses indicated that low academic performance was correlated to clinical symptoms, including anxiety, depression, and somatic issues. Neither academic performance nor clinical symptoms were associated with maltreatment type or exposures. Internalizing clinical symptoms between carers (Child Behavior Checklist, CBCL) and self-report (Youth Self Report, YSR) differed significantly for children 11–18 years. Self-report demonstrated higher levels of internalizing symptoms than the carers reported. The results highlight the importance of capturing the child person's voice. Future research should investigate the impact of internalizing symptoms on academic performance across education and the impact of informant under-reporting of internalizing symptoms on health, well-being, and diagnostic accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Health and social inequality are associated with multiple adverse childhood experiences including poverty, mental illness, and child maltreatment. While effective interventions currently exist for many health and social problems, large segments of the population experience barriers accessing needed services. In alignment with broader public health efforts to reduce health and social inequality in one state in the U.S.A., the current study describes the development and formative evaluation of a brief, low cost, portable model of prevention-oriented family service navigation called Navigate Your Way.Methods: Caregivers of children experiencing significant unmet health or social service needs were recruited to the study. Participants completed an initial and closing telephone interview which included measures of past and current family health and social service utilization, service barriers, parenting stress, and child internalizing/externalizing behaviors. Between interviews participants created a family service plan and received 10 weeks of telephone and web-mediated family navigation, at which time process and fidelity of implementation data were collected. Frequency and descriptive statistics are provided for participant demographic characteristics, service barriers, intervention engagement, and primary and secondary study outcomes. Paired samples t-tests examined changes in study outcomes between initial and closing telephone interviews.Results: Thirty two caregivers enrolled, twenty-nine completed the study. The age range was 20-59 (M = 39.5, SD = 10.0). The majority identified as female (96.9%, n = 31), racial/ethnic minority (56.2%, n = 18), and reported an average 10 barriers to care (M = 10.4, SD = 4.1). The most frequently reported service needs were mental health care, housing, food security, transportation, and health insurance. The mean duration of intervention delivery was 83 days. Most participants (82.8%, n = 24) were connected to one or more health or social services. Caregivers reported significant improvements to youth internalizing behaviors (d = 2.5, p = .05) and high levels of overall satisfaction with the navigation approach.Conclusion: Telephone and web-mediated service navigation is a feasible and practical approach to supporting families in rapidly connecting to health and social care. Future research investigating the efficacy and implementation of Navigate Your Way in routine settings is indicated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few studies have assessed frequency of maltreatment and other factors associated with maltreatment of deaf and hard of hearing children. The present study's objective was to verify the frequency of physical and psychological maltreatment and associated factors experienced by DHH children. DHH children from low-income families in Maceió, Brazil, were studied (N = 265). The Parent-Child Conflict Tactics Scales (Straus et al. 1998) were used to identify nonviolent discipline, psychological aggression, and physical assault (minor, severe, very severe). The study found that 221 children (83.4%) experienced physical assault; 238 (89.8%) experienced psychological aggression. Both physical and psychological aggression was reported for 94.3%. Most mothers (98.1%) reported using nonviolent discipline. Maltreatment was associated with male children, mothers' job dissatisfaction, religiously nonobservant families, and children born of unintended pregnancy. In conclusion, high frequencies of physical and psychological maltreatment of DHH children of low-income families were found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This single‐arm, repeated measures study investigated the impact caregiver trauma history may have on treatment response following an intensive, 2‐day Emotion Focused Family Therapy (EFFT) caregiver workshop. Caregivers (n = 243) completed questionnaires regarding their child's emotion regulation and clinical symptoms, as well as their own childhood trauma history (i.e., exposure to various forms of child maltreatment), caregiver self‐efficacy and caregiver blocks (e.g., fears) to support their child's treatment and recovery. Questionnaires were administered prior to and immediately following the workshop and again 4, 8 and 12 months later. At baseline, caregivers who reported experiences of childhood maltreatment demonstrated more blocks compared with caregivers who did not (B = 6.35, SE = 2.62, p < 0.05). Results indicated that caregivers with and without maltreatment histories reported similar, significant gains in their child's total difficulties (B = 0.64, SE = 0.41, p = 0.12) and emotional negativity and lability (B = 0.51, SE = 0.48, p = 0.29) at 12‐month post‐workshop. Caregivers with maltreatment histories reported greater improvements in caregiver blocks (B = 5.15, SE = 1.34, p < 0.001) and child emotion regulation (B = 0.90, SE = 0.18, p < 0.001) than caregivers without maltreatment histories. They also report less, but still significant, improvement in parental self‐efficacy (B = −0.68, SE = 0.26, p < 0.01) when compared with caregivers without maltreatment histories. Findings suggest that EFFT workshops may be an acceptable and effective trans‐diagnostic intervention for families presenting with complex histories, including caregiver exposure to childhood maltreatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children and adolescents with maltreatment experiences show worse representations of themselves, as compared to their nonmaltreated counterparts. According to the looking-glass self hypothesis (LGSH), individuals' self-representations (SR) stem from interactions with significant others, reflecting associations between what significant others think of them (i.e., actual appraisals), individuals' perceptions of significant others' appraisals of them (i.e., reflected appraisals), and SR. However, little is known about the looking-glass self process in maltreated children and adolescents. This multi-informant study aimed to test the LGSH within the mother-child relationship with children and adolescents with maltreatment experiences. Specifically, including maltreatment experiences as copredictors, this study analyzed the mediating role of mothers' reflected appraisals (MRA) in associations between mothers' actual appraisals (MAA) and children/adolescents' SR. Participants were 203 children/adolescents (52.5% boys), 8-16 years old (M = 12.6; SD = 2.49), assisted by children and youth protection committees (CYPC), their mother, and their CYPC case workers. Case workers reported on child/adolescent maltreatment, children/adolescents reported on SR and MRA, and mothers reported on MAA. A multiple mediation path analysis revealed significant mediation effects of MRA between MAA and child/adolescent SR in instrumental, social, emotional, intelligence, and opposition SR, thus supporting the LGSH in the context of child/adolescent maltreatment. Also, psychological neglect was associated to worse intelligence SR, mediated by intelligence reflected appraisals. Findings emphasize the importance of the role of MRA on maltreated children and adolescents' SR construction process, and provide useful clues to incorporate in prevention and intervention strategies targeting maltreated children and adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Child vulnerability refers to the conditions where children have not the ability to protect them from harassment, maltreatment, and malnutrition which could them weakens. This study has tried to reveal the prevalence and the nature of child vulnerability in Bangladesh, and the root causes of child vulnerability have also been explored and debated, and discussed throughout the article. However, the study is narrative and qualitative in the manner and secondary data have been used to develop and support the arguments for the study. As findings, the study has also found that children are at great risks due to some notable reasons, such as excessive academic pressure, the worst form of child labor in the working place, disability, child trafficking, and natural disasters which led them to be victimized with maltreatment and malnutrition which is more prevalent in the rural and urban slum areas. Moreover, climate change and disasters have been playing an adverse role to increase the prevalence of children's vulnerability in Bangladesh. In conclusion, the study suggests that decision-makers and policymakers need to be more conscious and responsible to revise the existing legal frameworks and their effective implementation for the protection of children against vulnerability.

Developmental trauma and disability are frequently co-occurring lived experiences for children and young people. The present research explores the considerations and practices for pedagogy provided to children with a disability and who have experienced developmental trauma in an educational setting. A systematic literature review was conducted to explore and synthesise the current evidence base that exists relating to the considerations for quality teaching practice for this cohort of students within schools. Findings revealed five key themes, which contribute to an understanding of considerations and practices for teaching students with childhood trauma experiences whilst considering an additional dimension intersecting with disabilities including mental ill-health. The findings of this study broaden the understanding of the complexities facing the education sector in ensuring inclusion principles are enacted to increase impact and improve outcomes for these students with multiple and complex needs.

This review provides an overview of the consequences of early adverse experiences across various domains of life. Drawing on the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) conceptual framework, we discuss the ACE pyramid and the varying degrees of consequences that ACE exposure may elicit. Using online search engines such as Google Scholar, the authors sifted through empirical research to locate relevant articles and research to help prepare this review. This article sheds light on the implications of ACEs for health, socio-emotional and psychosocial well-being, relationships, personality, and cognitive functioning.

Background: Child maltreatment is associated with poorer social functioning and increased risk of mental health problems in adolescence and adulthood, but the processes underlying these associations remain unclear. Although crucial for establishing and maintaining relationships, trust judgements have not been experimentally investigated in children who have experienced abuse and neglect. Methods: A community‐based sample of 75 children aged 8–16 years with maltreatment documented on the basis of social services records, and a group of 70 peers matched on age, gender, cognitive ability, socioeconomic status, and ethnicity took part in the study. Children completed a trustworthiness face‐judgement task in which they appraised the trustworthiness of unfamiliar facial stimuli varying along a computationally modelled trustworthiness dimension. Results: In line with clinical observations that childhood maltreatment is associated with an atypical pattern of trust processing, children with maltreatment experience were significantly less likely than their peers to rate unfamiliar faces as trustworthy. Moreover, they were more variable in their trust attributions than their peers. Conclusions: The study provides compelling experimental evidence that children with documented maltreatment perceive others as less trustworthy than their peers and are less consistent in their estimates of trustworthiness in others. Over time, alterations in trust processing may disrupt the development of social bonds and contribute to 'social thinning' (a reduction in the extent and quality of social relationships), leaving children more vulnerable to environmental stressors, increasing risk of mental health difficulties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Children exposed to maltreatment are a vulnerable population with disproportionately high rates of adverse outcomes, including internalizing and externalizing behavior problems. Parental risk characteristics, such as poor mental health, may help to explain the health and developmental trajectories of children who have experienced maltreatment. This study examined the hypothesis that specific parenting behaviors mediate the association between parental mental health and children's behavioral health outcomes among families investigated for maltreatment. Method: We used data from parent interviews from Waves 1 and 3 of the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being II (N = 1,192) to measure parenting behavior pathways from parental mental health to children's behavioral health. Results: Path analyses indicated statistically significant direct effects of poor parental mental health on neglectful, psychologically aggressive, and physically assaultive parenting and on children's internalizing and externalizing behavior problems. We found statistically significant indirect effects from poor parental mental health to internalizing behavior problems through neglectful and psychologically aggressive parenting, and from poor parental mental health to externalizing behavior problems through psychologically aggressive parenting. Conclusion: Results suggest that specific parenting behaviors partially mediate the relationship between parental mental health and children's behavioral health outcomes. Findings suggest the need to target specific parenting behaviors to reduce children's internalizing and externalizing behavior problems and promote health and development across generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In France, the current recommendation is to perform a routine abdominopelvic ultrasound in any child under 2 years of age who is suspected to have been abused. We retrospectively studied the relevance of this practice in our center over the past fifteen years. This was a descriptive, retrospective study of all children under 2 years of age who had been subject to suspected abuse. Abdominal images and reports were reviewed and cross-referenced with possible clinical and biological signs. Four hundred and five children were included between 2006 and 2020, of whom 296 underwent abdominal imaging (2 initial abdominopelvic CT scans, 4 ultrasounds followed by CT scans, and 290 ultrasounds alone). Four examinations revealed traumatic abnormalities related to abuse. These four children all had clinical or biological anomalies. In the absence of clinical or biological signs, no imagery showed any abnormality related to abuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Worldwide, children who grow up under adverse conditions risk the development of mental health problems. However, reliable data on the estimated magnitude of mental disorders of PTSD, depression and their associated factors among maltreated children and adolescents in low- and middle-income-countries (LMICs) is still lacking. This study estimated the magnitude of PTSD, depression and the associated factors among the children and adolescents with ahistory of maltreatment in Southwestern Uganda. Methods In this cross-sectional study, we assessed 232 children and adolescents on the prevalence of PTSD using Child PTSD Symptoms Scale for DSM-5 – Self-Report (CPSS-VSR) and Depression using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC). Predictor variables were taken from the Maltreatment and Abuse Chronology of Exposure- Paediatric Version (Pedi MACE). Logistic regressions analyses were selected for statistical modelling while odds-ratios were calculated to assess the strength of associations between the predictor and outcome variables. Results In total, 140 (60%) participants fulfiled diagnostic criteria for PTSD and 91 (39%) for depression respectively. Predictor variables of PTSD were witnessing intimate partner violence (OR = 1.48, 95% CI: 1.19–1.83, p =

Background: A review of the scientific literature showed few valid tools for assessing reactive attachment disorder (RAD) and disinhibited social engagement disorder (DSED), two diagnostic entities traditionally grouped under "attachment disorders." The Early TRAuma-related Disorders Questionnaire (ETRADQ), a caregiver report, was developed to assess attachment disorders in school-age children based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders–Fifth edition criteria. This study sought to validate this instrument. Method: Caregivers of school-age children from the community (n = 578) and caregivers of at-risk children adopted or in out-of-home care (n = 245) completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, the ETRADQ, the Relationship Problem Questionnaire, the RADA (RAD and DSED Assessment) interview, and the Barkley Functional Impairment Scale for Children and Adolescents. Results: Confirmatory factor analysis of the ETRADQ items supported the expected organization of the measure, that is, two second-order factors and five subfactors: (1) RAD scale (three subscales: Low selective attachment, Low social and emotional responsiveness, Emotional unpredictability) and (2) DSED scale (two subscales: Interactions with unfamiliar adults, Social disinhibition). All scales showed excellent internal consistency, test–retest reliability, convergent validity, and known-group validity. Conclusions: Results support the reliability and validity of the ETRADQ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined stability and change of Norwegian dental health care workers' mandated reporting of suspected child maltreatment from 2014 to 2019 as well as the influence on reporting practices from regional, sociodemographic- and attitudinal factors. It was hypothesised that those factors associate independently with reporting practices across the survey period. In 2014 a census of 1542 dental health care workers employed in the public dental health care service (PDHS) were invited to participate in an electronic survey and 1200 (response 77.8%) consented to participation. Corresponding figures in 2019 were 1791 and 1270 (response 70.9%). Of the 1200 participants in 2014, 591 participated in 2019 (follow up 49.3%). A total of 58% and 25.7% of the dental health care workers confirmed ever reporting and avoidance of reporting in both survey years whereas 24.6% and 17.2% changed the status of ever- and avoiding reporting across time. The likelihood of being a stable reporter was greatest in experienced participants, those living in eastern parts of Norway and confirming professional obligations to report. At the population level, 59.6% and 79.5% confirmed ever reporting of suspected maltreatment in 2014 and 2019. Corresponding figures for confirmed avoidance of reporting were 33.9% and 37.9%. Reporting of suspected child maltreatment is maintained at a relatively high level and varies by socio-demographic and attitudinal concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We set out our difficulties in caring for abused minors, our reflection on children at risk, based on clinical practice and a confrontation with other care systems. Can we approach the work of childhood without thinking about epidemiological and clinical categories, without addressing the question of the values and norms that underpin a society? How to work with abused children when the tools are lacking? How can we rely on a theoretical system of thinking in order to be able, despite everything, to move forward? So what changes can we expect for children at risk in Morocco? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maltreatment among school-aged children is associated with negative impacts on development and can contribute to the onset of psychological difficulties, including early depressive symptoms. Maltreatment can have devasting consequences, thus it is important to better understand the mechanisms contributing to children's psychological outcomes. Purpose: The objective of this study was to examine children's personality functioning (ego control and ego resiliency) as mediators of the association between substantiated maltreatment and depression. Methods: A total of 300 school-aged children were followed over the course of 3 years in the context of a summer camp (168 maltreated children; 132 non-maltreated children). Maltreatment status was determined through cases referred by the Monroe County Department of Social Services, New York. Ego control and ego resiliency at year 2 (T2), as measured by camp counselors using the California Child Q-Set, were tested as mediators. Children's depressive symptoms were self-reported using the Childhood Depression Inventory at year 3 (T3). A parallel mediation model was tested using Mplus. Results: Maltreatment was not directly associated with depression at either time point, but significantly predicted both mediators. Ego undercontrol significantly predicted increased depressive symptoms at T3, while there was no significant prediction by ego resiliency. Conclusions: These findings point to the longitudinal paths to early depressive symptoms in maltreated children and the mediating effect of children's ego control which could be a target for intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Outcomes for children who have been received into state care due to maltreatment or neglect are very poor in comparison to the general population. A mental health focussed intervention is being trialled in the UK which seeks to improve outcomes for such children. Although the main study is concerned with outcome evaluation (child mental health measures), a robust process evaluation adds nuance to the findings by examining the relationship between the interventions, the participants and the context-thereby determining what works, for whom and in what context. This paper sets out the protocol for that process evaluation. Methods: The process evaluation is embedded within a Randomised Control Trial and uses Realist Evaluation as its theoretical framework. It sets out the mechanisms of change that are used to effect positive outcomes and outlines the various aspects of the context (including service provision and the legal system that provides the statutory basis for involvement with families). Data collection is primarily qualitative and takes place with a large group of stakeholders. The analysis of the interplay between context, mechanisms and outcomes will provide a richer understanding of the main trial outcomes. Discussion: The nature of the interaction between the social, legal and practice context is complex. The use of a variety of methods including case studies, focus groups and analysis of routine data are justified and it is argued that they will provide for greater understanding of the nature of the interactions within such a challenging context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experiencing maltreatment in childhood can have a lasting impact on how individuals identify and understand emotions in others. Research in this area has not examined parents' understanding of children's emotions, although emotion processing deficits may be one mechanism linking childhood maltreatment to subsequent parenting problems. In a matched case-control design, we test whether mothers with (n = 50) and without (n = 96) childhood maltreatment differ in their understanding of children's emotions on self-report measures and computer-based tasks. Compared to the control group, mothers who experienced maltreatment labeled more children with sad or angry emotions when given limited facial information and made different interpersonal inferences about children they labeled angry. They also reported more subjective difficulty interpreting emotions in unknown children and their own child. Results provide further evidence of emotion processing biases associated with childhood maltreatment. Interventions aimed at improving parental emotion understanding and mentalization may be particularly useful for mothers with a history of childhood maltreatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence of the association between traumatic experiences and psychosis are uncertain with respect to temporal order, clinical outcomes and the role of the age and genetic liability. The aim of the present meta-analysis was to explore the temporal relationship between the development of psychosis and traumatic exposure using prospective studies and to examine the role of moderation factors on overall effect sizes. Studies were identified by searching Embase-Ovid, PsycINFO (EBSCO), Pubmed, Scopus, Web of Science databases, and yielded an initial total of 9016 papers, leaving finally 23 after the screening process. Three sets of meta-analyses estimated the risk of developing psychotic experiences or full clinical psychosis by having experienced maltreatment by an adult or bullying by peers or parental death, using the random-effects model. Bullying by peers (OR = 2.28 [1.64, 4.34]), maltreatment by an adult (OR = 2.20 [1.72, 2.81]) and parental death (OR = 1.24 [1.06, 1.44]) all increased the risk of psychosis. Moderator analysis showed that negative effects of bullying were detected especially in those with genetic liability for psychosis and exposure to multiple trauma types; studies with higher prevalence of males showed a stronger risk for those exposed to parental death. No significant meta-regression was found between the risk of developing a full clinical psychosis or a psychotic experience. Lack of studies hampered the results about the age of trauma occurrence. The cumulative effect of being bullied from peers and experiencing other adversities during childhood and/or adolescence, together with genetic liability for psychosis, appears to confer the highest risk for developing psychotic symptoms later in life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Worldwide, children who grow up under adverse conditions risk the development of mental health problems. However, reliable data on the estimated magnitude of mental disorders of PTSD, depression and their associated factors among maltreated children and adolescents in low- and middle-income-countries (LMICs) is still lacking. This study estimated the magnitude of PTSD, depression and the associated factors among the children and adolescents with ahistory of maltreatment in Southwestern Uganda. In this cross-sectional study, we assessed 232 children and adolescents on the prevalence of PTSD using Child PTSD Symptoms Scale for DSM-5 – Self-Report (CPSS-VSR) and Depression using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC). Predictor variables were taken from the Maltreatment and Abuse Chronology of Exposure- Paediatric Version (Pedi MACE). Logistic regressions analyses were selected for statistical modelling while odds-ratios were calculated to assess the strength of associations between the predictor and outcome variables. In total, 140 (60%) participants fulfiled diagnostic criteria for PTSD and 91 (39%) for depression respectively. Predictor variables of PTSD were witnessing intimate partner violence (OR = 1.48, 95% CI: 1.19–1.83, p = <0.001), having lived in more than two homes (OR = 2.69, 95%CI: 1.34–5.41, p =.005), and being cared for by non-relatives (OR = 2.25; 95%CI: 2.26–223.9, p =.008). Variables predicting depression were witnessing intimate partner violence (OR = 1.30; 95%CI: 108–1.57, p =.006); being cared for by non-relatives (OR = 5.62, 95%CI: 1.36–23.1, p =.001) and being female (OR =.054, 95% CI: 0.30–1.00, p =.005). Children living under adverse conditions are at a higher risk of developing PTSD and depression. We recommend interventions that aim at reducing adverse psychosocial stressors so as to improve or restore the children's mental health.Abbreviations: PTSD: Post traumatic stress disorder; LMICs: Low- and middle-income countries; IPV: Intimate partner violence; OVC: Orphans and vulnerable children Children with a history of maltreatment are likely to meet depression and PTSD diagnosis that is associated with factors such as witnessing intimate partner violence, living in multiple homes, having been cared for by none relatives and being female. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Genetically high-risk children carry indicators of brain dysfunctions that adult patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder display. The accumulation of risk indicators would have a higher predictive value of a later transition to psychosis or mood disorder than each individual risk indicator. Since more than 50% of adult patients report having been exposed to childhood trauma, we investigated whether exposure to trauma during childhood was associated with the early accumulation of risk indicators in youths at genetic risk. Methods We first inspected the characteristics of childhood trauma in 200 young offspring (51% male) born to a parent affected by DSM-IV schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depressive disorder. A subsample of 109 offspring (51% male) had measurements on four risk indicators: cognitive impairments, psychotic-like experiences, nonpsychotic nonmood childhood DSM diagnoses, poor global functioning. Trauma was assessed from direct interviews and reviews of lifetime medical and school records of offspring. Results Trauma was present in 86 of the 200 offspring (43%). The relative risk of accumulating risk indicators in offspring exposed to trauma was 3.33 (95% CI 1.50, 7.36), but more pronounced in males (RR = 4.64, 95% CI 1.71, 12.6) than females (RR = 2.01, 95% CI 0.54, 7.58). Conclusion Childhood trauma would be related to the accumulation of developmental precursors of major psychiatric disorders and more so in young boys at high genetic risk. Our findings may provide leads for interventions targeting the early mechanisms underlying the established relation between childhood trauma and adult psychiatric disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Child maltreatment (CM) has received much research attention in recent years, leading to the enormous development of services provided to children worldwide. However, although the literature in the field of trauma studies recognizes that responses to trauma are of central importance, for a variety of reasons, the research on this subject is sparse. The current systematic literature review was therefore designed to characterize and analyze the existing knowledge on children's responses to CM, while putting in focus all possible responses that will appear in the identified manuscripts. Key databases were explored using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, and only six studies were identified as relevant to the focus of the current study. Utilizing thematic analysis, the results addressed four main themes: the studies' methodologies, the terminology and responses that were explored in these studies, the abuse-related factors and contexts that were taken into account, and the consequences for the children (of their responses to the maltreatment). A key conclusion from this review is that concepts in this area, as well as theory, are considerably lacking. Promoting the development of theory regarding children's responses to CM is urgently needed, as it will greatly impact clinical intervention, legal investigation, and the development of prevention programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Better understanding of the causes and circumstances of maltreatment deaths of children is needed to prevent tragedy. The purpose of this article is to facilitate understanding of child maltreatment fatality review processes and their outcomes. A literature review was conducted through searches of the databases PubMed, PsycINFO, and EMBASE and through citations in publications. Over 165 publications were reviewed and 55 were selected for inclusion. Papers were from the United States, England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Netherlands, France, Canada, Australia, South Africa, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, Japan, and China. These were included if they described fatality review goals, authority, procedures, and outcomes. Although we searched databases on a continual basis during the preparation of this review, we could have missed publications, particularly those in newspapers and journals that are not included in large-scale databases or cited in other articles. Improvement of fatality review requires diligence by individuals and organizations that provide information to the reviewers. Among challenges to the review process are varying criteria for review, misclassifications of the manner of death, inadequate or incomplete forensic and medical investigations, lack of information about the perpetrator, diversity of the community, concealment of the cause of death by parents or other caregivers, and disagreement among reviewers about the results of their inquiries. Institutional challenges are also present, which include the need for funding, privacy issues on obtaining information, updating reviewer training, lack of follow-up by institutional authorities on the recommendations of the reviews, and research facilitating the review of maltreatment fatalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]