Firesetting among 18-23 year old un-apprehended adults: a UK community study

Purpose This study aims to assess the prevalence of firesetting in a sample of young UK adults aged 18 to 23 years and to compare their characteristics with non-firesetting individuals. Design/methodology/approach Two-hundred and forty male (n = 119, 49.6%) and female (n = 121, 50.4%) participants were recruited through Prolific Academic. Comparisons were made between self-reported firesetting and non-firesetting participants on a range of demographic, fire-related and personality measures. Factors predictive of firesetting status were examined using hierarchical logistic regression. Findings Twenty-five percent of participants (n = 60) reported igniting a deliberate fire. Logistic regression was used to examine the ability of parental supervision and behavioural issues (e.g., witnessing domestic violence, experimenting with fire before age 10 and family history of firesetting), antisocial behaviours (e.g., having criminal friends, impulsivity, teenage access to fire paraphernalia, skipping class more than once per week, taken any illegal drugs and participation in criminal behaviour) and fire-related interests, attitudes and propensities in predicting firesetting status. Factors found to distinguish firesetting and non-firesetting participants included the following: experimented with fire before 10 years of age, family history of firesetting, impulsivity, teenage access to fire paraphernalia, participation in criminal behaviour and the Fire Setting Scale. Practical implications The results provide key information about potential risk factors relating to un-apprehended firesetting in the general population. Originality/value This research adds to the small body of literature examining firesetting in the general population. It refines previously used methodologies, presents the first research study to examine the prevalence of firesetting behaviour in emerging adults and enhances our understanding of un-apprehended firesetting.

Examining adolescent maltreatment and connections to school engagement

This article examines how maltreatment experienced by adolescents is related to school engagement. Maltreatment includes physical, mental, and sexual violence along with sexual harassment, neglect, and witnessing domestic violence. School engagement refers to the students’ relationship to all activities in the school. It describes students’ thoughts, activities and participation as well as their emotions in relation to school. Analysis is based on the Finnish School Health Promotion data ( N = 155,299) and analyzed by linear regression analysis. Results indicate that adolescents’ maltreatment experiences are related to school engagement, regardless of gender, age, family structure, or immigrant background. Maltreatment increases functional engagement and decreases emotional and cognitive engagement. These results thus confirm that maltreatment can also cause immersion in schoolwork. The results can be used to prevent lower school engagement and maltreatment of adolescents.

The Effects of Exposure to Domestic Violence on Sleep Among Urban Adults

Purpose: Domestic violence contributes to poor health including sleep disruptions, which has been associated with risk for chronic conditions and ultimately, premature mortality. The present study examined the effects of ever witnessing domestic violence on sleep among urban neighborhoods of color. Design: Cross-sectional. Setting: Ten of Chicago’s 77 community areas. Participants: Adults, aged 18 years and older (N = 1,543, Response Rate = 28.4%). Over 49% of participants reported a Hispanic ethnicity, 34.8 percent reported being non-Hispanic Black and 14.2 percent reported being White. Measures: We used the Sinai Community Health Survey, 2.0, to examine: average hours of sleep in a 24-hour period, ever witnessing domestic violence, ever being emotionally or physically abused, frequent stress in the past 12 months, and other key covariates (race and ethnicity, annual household income, sex, and health status). Analysis: Multivariate logistic regression. Results: In the full model, participants who reported witnessing domestic violence were significantly less likely to report meeting sleep recommendations even after controlling for ever being emotionally or physically abused, frequently feeling stress, demographic factors, and health status. Non-Hispanic Blacks were most likely to report not meeting sleep recommendations (OR = .54, 95% CI = .30-.96, P = .036). Conclusion: Witnessing domestic violence contributes to not meeting sleep recommendations and this appears to be most salient for Non-Hispanic Blacks. These point-in-time findings document an important potential contributor to racial health disparities.

Families in the COVID-19 pandemic: parental stress, parent mental health and the occurrence of adverse childhood experiences—results of a representative survey in Germany

Parenting during the COVID-19 pandemic is highly challenging, with parents having to meet various demands simultaneously. An increase in adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) has been widely predicted, but empirical evidence is still scarce. This study aimed to (1) generate representative data on pandemic-related stress, parental stress, general stress, parental subjective and mental health, and the occurrence of ACEs; (2) identify risk factors for an increase in ACEs, and (3) provide qualitative data on parents’ experiences. A representative survey was conducted in Germany in August 2020 with 1024 parents of underage children (Mage = 41.70, 50.9% female). More than 50% of parents reported being stressed by social distancing and the closure of schools and childcare facilities. Parental stress increased significantly during the pandemic (d = 0.21). Subgroups of parents also reported very high levels of depressive symptoms (12.3%) and anxiety (9.7%). Up to one-third of the sample reported ACEs in the child’s lifetime. In this group, 29.1% reported an increase in children witnessing domestic violence during the pandemic, and 42.2% an increase verbal emotional abuse. These families were characterized by higher parental stress, job losses, and younger parent and child age. Positive aspects of the pandemic related primarily to personal or family life (e.g. slower pace of life, increase in family time). While some parents coped well, a particularly negative pattern was observed in a subgroup of families that experienced an increase in ACEs. Parental stress emerged as important target point for interventions addressing the negative sequelae of the pandemic.

The State of Children during Pandemic

Coronavirus and pandemics have led to drastic and unexpected changes in the whole world. It has affected people’s lives and their ways of living drastically. Although lockdowns and mobility restrictions were imposed to save lives, on the other hand, it put the lives of the underprivileged population at other risks too such as violence and abuse. This paper attempts to describe the situation of children during this epidemic of covid-19. Evidence and researches proved that emergency situations are significantly related to an increased level of violence, especially against children. A number of problems from which children suffered during pandemic and lockdown have been discussed such as excessive screen use, domestic child abuse, witnessing domestic violence, etc. Furthermore, this paper also suggests essential recommendations for not only the government but also for the public as they must corporate with the government in such high alert times.

Violenza domestica assistita: effetti sullo sviluppo del bambino e implicazioni cliniche per i pediatri

Witnessing domestic violence may have serious negative consequences for the health, development and well-being of children. Only recently, witnessing domestic violence has been evaluated as a form of child maltreatment, considering the effects it may have within the family. Domestic violence is a complex and lasting experience that often results in interruptions, losses and challenges for the meaningful relationships of children. Children have very often feelings of fear, worry, guilt, helplessness and sadness and adopt strategies to deal with such traumatic situations. Moreover, children exposed to domestic violence have a high risk of having delays in cognitive, psychic, emotional and physical development with school and social interaction difficulties, internalising and externalising problems, learning disorders, aggressive behaviour and post-traumatic symptoms. Therefore, it is critical to early identify the signals that children show to help them and their family get out of the violent and abusive environment.

Loss, grief and loneliness

Loss is strongly present in early experience of loneliness. This may be bereavement, but it may also be an experience of parental divorce and separation, of moving into foster care. Sometimes a loss of a feeling of safety and good connection which is the result of violence is accompanied by a loneliness; and the stigma, shame and self-reproach which is associated with becoming a victim of violence is then multiplied in a further stigma associated with loneliness. Using examples of attempted suicide, the trauma of witnessing domestic violence and the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder experienced by a young refugee this chapter’s sub-themes are loss and grief; shame; and social isolation.