Childhood Maltreatment and Relationship Quality: A Review of Type of Abuse and Mediating and Protective Factors

2021 ◽  
pp. 152483802199831
Author(s):  
Osnat Zamir
Keyword(s):  
Protective Factors ◽  
Relationship Quality ◽  
Physical Abuse ◽  
Behavioral Problems ◽  
Childhood Maltreatment ◽  
Parental Support ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Relationship Functioning ◽  
Healthy Relationships ◽  
Partner Characteristics

Childhood maltreatment (CM) has long been recognized as a risk factor for good intimate relationships. Research on the effects of CM on relationship functioning has focused on sexual abuse in girls. However, CM also includes emotional and physical abuse and neglect and is also common in boys. Moreover, prior research has mostly focused on individuals in isolation, ignoring that marriage is a system in which two partners mutually influence each other. Questions also remain about mediating and protective factors for healthy relationships in the context of CM. This article reviews the literature on the link between different forms of CM and one’s own and one’s partner relationship quality. It reviews 43 empirical studies that assessed associations between CM in any form and relationship quality. Also, mediating and protective factors and major methodological topics are examined. The review indicated that CM (neglect, sexual, emotional, or physical abuse) is associated with lower relationship quality in men and women. Psychological distress, cognitive and behavioral problems, insecure attachment, and self-dysregulation were identified as mediating factors. Protective processes involve good coping strategies, emotion regulation, parental support, and early secure attachment, but not partner characteristics. The results regarding gender are inconclusive. It is crucial to broaden the research on the dyadic effects of CM of various forms on relationship quality and study mediating and protective factors. More studies on neglect and diverse populations are needed, as well as prospective studies. This will enable the development of prevention programs for couples with a partner exposed to CM.

Parenting and Adolescents’ Sexual Development in Western Societies

2011 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanneke de Graaf ◽  
Ine Vanwesenbeeck ◽  
Liesbeth Woertman ◽  
Wim Meeus
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Behavior ◽  
Parenting Styles ◽  
Sexual Development ◽  
Parental Support ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Sexual Practices ◽  
Psychosexual Development ◽  
First Sexual Intercourse ◽  
Parenting Influences ◽  
Reciprocal Associations

This review examines associations between parenting styles and the psychosexual development of adolescents. Methods and results of empirical studies of associations between parental support, control, and knowledge and the sexual behavior and sexual health of adolescents are described and evaluated. The results show that, in general, higher scores on support, control, and knowledge relate to a delay of first sexual intercourse, safer sexual practices, and higher sexual competence. Despite the vast amount of literature on this subject, the majority of these studies focus on single dimensions of parenting and unidirectional parenting influences. This review generates hypotheses regarding interactions of different parenting styles and reciprocal associations between parents and their children. There is a need for more dynamic, dialectical studies of parenting, and children’s sexual development.

Partners’ Attachment Insecurity and Stress Predict Poorer Relationship Functioning During COVID-19 Quarantines

2021 ◽  
pp. 194855062199297
Author(s):  
Nickola C. Overall ◽  
Valerie T. Chang ◽  
Paula R. Pietromonaco ◽  
Rachel S. T. Low ◽  
Annette M. E. Henderson
Keyword(s):  
Relationship Quality ◽  
Family Environment ◽  
Family Cohesion ◽  
Attachment Anxiety ◽  
Relationship Functioning ◽  
Attachment Avoidance ◽  
Attachment Insecurity ◽  
Relationship Problems ◽  
Ongoing Relationship ◽  
Related Stress

The COVID-19 pandemic presents acute, ongoing relationship challenges. The current research tested how (1) preexisting vulnerabilities assessed prior to the pandemic (attachment insecurity) and (2) stress as couples endured a mandated quarantine predicted residual changes in relationship functioning. Controlling for prequarantine problems, relationship quality, and family environment, greater partners’ attachment anxiety predicted greater relationship problems, lower relationship quality, and a less stable and cohesive family environment when people were experiencing more stress. Greater partners’ attachment avoidance predicted lower problem-solving efficacy and family cohesion. The effects of partners’ preexisting vulnerabilities and pandemic-related stress demonstrate the utility of key models in relationship science in identifying who is at most risk of relationship problems in the unprecedented context of a mandated quarantine. The results emphasize that the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on relationship functioning will be shaped by the characteristics of partners with whom people are confined with during the pandemic.

scholarly journals Students' engagement in school and family variables: A literature review

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 187-197 ◽  
Author(s):  
Feliciano Henriques VEIGA ◽  
Viorel ROBU ◽  
Joseph CONBOY ◽  
Adriana ORTIZ ◽  
Carolina CARVALHO ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Parental Support ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Dropping Out ◽  
School Variables ◽  
Family Contexts ◽  
Perceived Parental Support ◽  
Family Variables ◽  
A Current

"Students' engagement in school" is regarded in the literature as a current and valued construct despite the lack of empirical studies on its relationship with specific family variables. The present research aimed to survey studies on the correlation between students' engagement in school and family contexts, specifically in terms of the following variables: perceived parental support, socioeconomic and sociocultural levels, perceived rights, and parental educational styles. In order to describe the state of the art of student's "engagement in school" and "family variables", a narrative review was conducted. The studies reviewed highlight the role of family as a context with significance in student's engagement in school. However, further research is needed to deepen the knowledge of this topic considering potential mediator variables, either personal or school variables. It was also found the need for a psychosocial intervention aimed at providing support for the students coming from adverse family contexts who exhibit low level of engagement associated with poor academic achievement and a higher probability of dropping out.

scholarly journals Identifying Types of Dating Violence and Protective Factors among Adolescents in Spain: A Qualitative Analysis of Lights4Violence Materials

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (7) ◽  
pp. 2443 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alfredo Pérez-Marco ◽  
Panmela Soares ◽  
Mari Carmen Davó-Blanes ◽  
Carmen Vives-Cases
Keyword(s):  
Protective Factors ◽  
Youth Development ◽  
Dating Violence ◽  
School Intervention ◽  
Positive Development ◽  
Psychological Violence ◽  
Healthy Relationships ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Open Coding ◽  
Verbal Violence

Introduction: The Lights4Violence project was created to promote healthy relationships among adolescents using a school intervention in which participants developed video-capsules where they highlighted skills to resolve situations of dating violence. This study aims to assess the results of the Lights4Violence training program by identifying different types of violence and positive development assets that Spanish adolescents use in their video-capsule scripts. Methods: A thematic analysis of the Lights4Violence video capsules was carried out. Open coding was used to identify violence patterns. A deductive analysis was used to identify student assets using the “Positive Youth Development Model”. Findings: Adolescents describe different patterns of violence, such as psychological violence, sexist violence or verbal violence that is present on the scripts. However, they showed themselves capable of resolving these situations using language and personal empowerment skills as resources. Family, friends and community were identified in adolescents’ scenarios as the most frequent assets to address situations of conflict. Conclusion: Adolescents can promote healthy relationships using protective factors against violence. Interventions that use this approach can potentially be useful in preventing violence.

scholarly journals Do Trajectories of Sensation Seeking Vary by Sex and Child Maltreatment Subtypes?

2020 ◽  
pp. 088626052094372
Author(s):  
Tamara J. Sussman ◽  
Julian Santaella-Tenorio ◽  
Cristiane S. Duarte ◽  
Melanie M. Wall ◽  
Maria Ramos-Olazagasti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Child Maltreatment ◽  
Physical Abuse ◽  
Childhood Maltreatment ◽  
Sensation Seeking ◽  
Multinomial Logistic Regression ◽  
Sociocultural Context ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Youth Study ◽  
Conflict Tactics

Child maltreatment and elevated sensation seeking are associated with a wide range of negative outcomes. Longitudinal data from a study of Puerto Ricans living in two sociocultural contexts were used to determine whether child maltreatment subtypes, sex, or sociocultural context relate to trajectories of sensation seeking. Participants were 2,489 individuals from the Boricua Youth Study (48.5% girls) living in New York and in Puerto Rico (PR; 5–15 years old at Wave 1). Subtypes of child maltreatment were measured using child report on the Parent–Child Conflict Tactics Scale and the Sexual Victimization Scale at Wave 1. The association between child maltreatment subtypes, sex, sociocultural context, and previously established sensation-seeking trajectories across three waves of data collection was probed using multinomial logistic regression. Girls, but not boys, who experienced neglect (adjusted odds ratio; AOR; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 5.33 [1.35, 21.03]), or physical abuse (AOR [95% CI] = 3.66 [1.07, 12.54]), were more likely to have an elevated sensation-seeking trajectory than a normative trajectory. For boys, none of the maltreatment subtypes were linked to the elevated sensation-seeking class. Girls exposed to verbal abuse (AOR [95% CI] = 0.33 [0.15, 0.75]) and boys exposed to physical abuse (AOR [95% CI] = 0.39 [0.16, 0.97]) were less likely to belong to the low sensation-seeking class. No significant interactions between sociocultural context (i.e., PR vs. New York) and maltreatment subtype on the development of sensation seeking were found. This research suggests sensation-seeking levels vary by experiences of childhood maltreatment, and that sex moderates the relationship between child maltreatment experiences and sensation seeking, with an association between some maltreatment subtypes and elevated sensation-seeking trajectories found in girls, but not boys. These results underline the importance of considering sex when examining how child maltreatment relates to outcomes.

scholarly journals 3558 Do Recognition, Behavioral Intentions, and Attitudes of Adolescent Relationship Abuse (ARA) Serve as Protective Factors Against Future ARA and Cyber Dating Abuse (CDA)?

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (s1) ◽  
pp. 60-60
Author(s):  
Linden Wu ◽  
Elizabeth A. Schlenk ◽  
Susan M. Sereika ◽  
Elizabeth Miller
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
High School Students ◽  
Protective Factors ◽  
Behavioral Intentions ◽  
Secondary Analysis ◽  
School Students ◽  
Healthy Relationships ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Healthy Relationship

OBJECTIVES/SPECIFIC AIMS: To create prevention strategies targeting ARA and CDA, it is critical to educate and mold adolescent recognition, behavioral intentions, and attitudes regarding healthy dating relationships. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine if high school students’ recognition of ARA, the students’ behavioral intentional to intervene during ARA episode of someone they know, and the students’ attitudes about the importance of healthy relationship serve as a protective factors against experiencing ARA. Aim 1: Do baseline (T1) recognition, behavioral intentions, and attitudes serve as protective factors against experiencing ARA in high school students at 3-month follow-up (T2)? Aim 2: Do baseline (T1) recognition, behavioral intentions, and attitudes serve as protective factors against CDA in high school students at 3-month follow- up (T2)? METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: To examine the relationships between recognition, behavioral intentions, and attitudes of ARA and CDA, a secondary analysis using a descriptive correlational design was used to analyze electronic survey data from a large randomized controlled parent study. The parent study consisted of 1,011 high school students ages 14 to 19 years who sought health service through one of eight school-based health clinics in California. This secondary analysis consisted of 819 students, with 640 (78.1%) female, 178 (21.7%) males, and 1 (0.2%) transgender participant. There were 42 (5.1%) Caucasians, 141 (17.2%) Asians, 218 (26.7%) African Americans, 313 (38.2%) Hispanics, 42 (5.1%) American Indians/Alaskan Natives, and 63 (7.7%) students who responded multi-racial. To measure recognition of ARA, a 10-item, 5-point Likert scale was used with responses ranging from 1=“not abusive” to 5=“extremely abusive” (Cronbach’s a = 0.85). To assess behavioral intentions to intervene, a 5-item, 5-point Likert scale was used to ask participants how likely they would be to stop the ARA behavior if they witness a peer perpetrating ARA with responses ranging from 1=“very unlikely” to 5=“very likely” (Cronbach’s a = 0.89). A 6-item, 3-point Likert healthy relationship tool measured participants’ attitudes regarding healthy relationship with responses ranging from 1=“not important” to 3=“very important”. Both ARA and CDA were assessed using a “yes/no” response choice for the lastthree months. To account for the hierarchical nature of the data analysis, a binary logistic regression was used in SPSS 24. To take into account the clustering coefficients of the eight different school clinics and as well as the parent study’s intervention and control groups, these clusters were examined as co-variates. Sex, race, and age were included as covariates, also. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: The relationship status of high school students consisted of 262 (32.0%) who were single, 97 (11.8%) who were going out, dating, or hooking up with more than one person, 423 (51.7%) who were seriously dating one person, and 37 (4.5%) who were not sure. At 3-month follow-up assessment, 111 (13.6%) of high school students experienced ARA, and 476 (58.1%) experienced CDA. The mean recognition of ARA score was 3.90 + 0.67, mean behavioral intentions score was 4.00 + 0.83, and mean attitudes score was 2.54 + 0.37. When examining the full ARA model including all three predicators controlling for the demographics and group assignment, none of the predictor variables were significant (p>0.05) in predicting ARA in high school students. Also, all three predictors were not significant in predicting ARA in the main effects model. When examining the full CDA model, with no interaction, all three predictors were significant. Recognition had 0.784 decrease odds (95% CI = 0633-0.971, p = 0.026) of predicting CDA. However the odds of CDA increase non-linearly up to the mean (2.537709) for the attitudes variable after which the odds then decreases non-linearly. The odds of CDA is increasing non-linearly up to 3.073913 for the behavioral intention variable after which the odds then decrease non-linearly. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: Adolescence is typically a time of exploration, transition, and social development. Researchers should investigate the efficacy of ARA and CDA prevention programs that focus on recognition, behavioral intentions, and attitudes to educate adolescents on healthy relationships. Results showed that behavioral intention to intervene and attitudes about healthy relationship can serve as protective factors against CDA. From our data, more students experienced CDA compared to ARA. Thus, it may by useful to recognize the use of technology as a social force within the adolescent culture in defining adolescents’ experiences of healthy relationships and potential experience of CDA.

scholarly journals Childhood maltreatment and biomarkers for cardiometabolic disease in mid-adulthood in a prospective British birth cohort: associations and potential explanations

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. e024079 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leah Li ◽  
Snehal M Pinto Pereira ◽  
Christine Power
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Child Maltreatment ◽  
Physical Abuse ◽  
Birth Cohort ◽  
Childhood Maltreatment ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Density Lipoprotein ◽  
Lipoprotein Cholesterol ◽  
Cardiometabolic Disease ◽  
Cardiometabolic Markers

ObjectivesResearch on associations between childhood maltreatment and adult cardiometabolic disease risk is sparse. We aimed to investigate associations between different forms of child maltreatment and mid-adult cardiometabolic markers and whether potential intermediaries could account for the associations observed.Setting1958 British birth cohort.ParticipantsApproximately 9000 cohort members with data on cardiometabolic markers.OutcomesAdult (45y) cardiometabolic markers (blood pressure, lipids and glycated haemoglobin [HbA1c]).ResultsSeventeen per cent of participants were identified as neglected; 6.1%, 1.6% and 10.0% were identified as experiencing physical, sexual and psychological abuse, respectively. Childhood neglect and physical abuse were associated with high body mass index (BMI) and large waist circumference when adjusting for early-life covariates. For neglect, the adjusted odds ratio (AOR) was 1.16 (95% CI: 1.02 to 1.32) and 1.15 (1.02 to 1.30) for general and central obesity, respectively, and for physical abuse, the respective AOR was 1.36 (1.13 to 1.64) and 1.38 (1.16 to 1.65). Neglect was also associated with raised triglycerides by 3.9 (0.3 to 7.5)% and HbA1c by 1.2 (0.4 to 2.0)%, and among females, lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) by 0.05 (0.01 to 0.08)mmol/L after adjustment. For physical abuse, the AOR was 1.25 (1.00 to 1.56) for high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, HbA1c was raised by 2.5 (0.7 to 4.3)% (in males) and HDL-c was lower by 0.06 (0.01 to 0.12)mmol/L (in females). Associations for sexual abuse were similar to those for physical abuse but 95% CIs were wide. For psychological abuse, the AOR for elevated triglycerides was 1.21 (1.02 to 1.44) and HDL-c was lower by 0.04 (0.01 to 0.07)mmol/L. Maltreatments were not associated with raised blood pressure. In analyses of potential intermediary factors, several associations attenuated after adjustment for adult lifestyles (mainly smoking and alcohol consumption rather than physical activity) and child-to-adult BMI.ConclusionsChildhood maltreatments, particularly neglect and physical abuse, were associated with greater adiposity and poorer lipid and HbA1c profiles decades later in adulthood. Associations were modest but independent of early-life factors linked to these outcomes. Findings implicate adult lifestyles as an important intermediary between child maltreatment and outcomes.

Cultural Similarities and Differences in Relationship Goals in Intercultural Romantic Couples

2020 ◽  
pp. 0192513X2092907
Author(s):  
Ana Laura Fonseca ◽  
Tony Ye ◽  
Melissa Curran ◽  
Jill Koyama ◽  
Emily A. Butler
Keyword(s):  
Relationship Quality ◽  
The United States ◽  
Romantic Partners ◽  
Relationship Functioning ◽  
Interpersonal Processes ◽  
Romantic Couples ◽  
Intercultural Couples ◽  
Perceived Responsiveness ◽  
Similarities And Differences ◽  
Using Data

Intercultural romantic relationships and multicultural families have increased in the United States and worldwide. Researchers have found that intercultural couples report high rates of conflict and relationship instability, which may be partly explained by differences between partners in relationship goals (e.g., how much intimacy is desired and how to approach conflict). Using data from 40 intercultural couples (N = 80), we test whether greater similarity in relationship goals between romantic partners is related to greater perceived partner responsiveness and, thereby, greater relationship quality. By means of Bayesian analyses, our results suggest that similarity of relationship goals is associated with both perceived responsiveness and relationship quality, but without evidence of mediation. Our results show that cultural similarities and differences exist in relationship goals in intercultural couples, and they are connected to relationship functioning. This information can be used to assist clinicians in understanding the interpersonal processes that make-up healthy relationship functioning in intercultural couples.

Dyadic coping and the significance of this concept for prevention and therapy

2008 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 108-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guy Bodenmann
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Clinical Work ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Dyadic Coping ◽  
Relationship Functioning ◽  
The University ◽  
Work Done ◽  
Couples Coping ◽  
Matched Samples

Abstract. This brief article aims to summarize the conceptual and clinical work done within the concept of dyadic coping by Bodenmann and colleagues at the Institute for Family Research and Counseling of the University of Fribourg (Switzerland). Apart from a new theoretical framework of dyadic coping, this group contributed to a better understanding of the role of dyadic coping for relationship functioning and well-being of the partners in many empirical studies. Based on these findings Bodenmann developed the Couples Coping Enhancement Traininig (CCET) that focuses on the enhancement of dyadic skills (among with dyadic coping play a crucial role). This program has been evaluated in several studies (randomized controlled trials and studies with matched samples) proving its efficacy.

Concordance of Parent- and Child-Reported Physical Abuse Following Child Protective Services Investigation

2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia M. Kobulsky ◽  
Nancy Jo Kepple ◽  
Megan R. Holmes ◽  
David L. Hussey
Keyword(s):  
Physical Abuse ◽  
Behavioral Problems ◽  
Child Behavior Checklist ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Multivariate Regression Analysis ◽  
Child Physical Abuse ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Protective Services ◽  
Attribution Bias ◽  
Parent Child

Knowledge about the concordance of parent- and child-reported child physical abuse is scarce, leaving researchers and practitioners with little guidance on the implications of selecting either informant. Drawing from a 2008–2009 sample of 11- to 17-year-olds ( N = 636) from Wave 1 of the second National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being, this study first examined parent–child concordance in physical abuse reporting (Parent–Child Conflict Tactic Scale). Second, it applied multivariate regression analysis to relate parent–child agreement in physical abuse to parent-reported (Child Behavior Checklist) and child-reported (Youth Self Report) child behavioral problems. Results indicate low parent–child concordance of physical abuse (κ = .145). Coreporting of physical abuse was related to clinical-level parent-reported externalizing problems ([Formula: see text] = 64.57), whereas child-only reports of physical abuse were the only agreement category related to child-reported internalizing problems ( B = 4.17, p < .001). Attribution bias theory may further understanding of reporting concordance and its implications.

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