Preventing child abuse.

Discusses 2 general approaches to analyzing child abuse: a comprehensive approach which defines abuse as collective, institutional, and individual in nature; and a narrow approach which considers only individual abuse. The preventive implications of each are considered, and the relationships between theoretical formulations of the causes of individual physical abuse and preventive programs are discussed. The successful reinforcement of these programs is seen as a necessary step to raise public consciousness about all forms of individual as well as collective abuse. (43 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Toward dissemination of evidence-based family interventions: Maintenance of community-based partnership recruitment results and associated factors.

A major challenge in the dissemination of evidence-based family interventions (EBFIs) designed to reduce youth substance use and other problem behaviors is effective and sustainable community-based recruitment. This understudied topic is addressed by a preliminary study of 14 community-university partnership teams randomly assigned to an intervention condition in which teams attempted sustained implementation of EBFIs with two cohorts of middle school families. This report describes attendance rates of recruited families maintained over time and across both cohorts, along with exploratory analyses of factors associated with those rates. When compared with community-based recruitment rates in the literature, particularly for multisession interventions, relatively high rates were observed; they averaged 17% across cohorts. Community team functioning (e.g., production of quality team promotional materials) and technical assistance (TA) variables (e.g., effective collaboration with TA, frequency of TA requests) were associated with higher recruitment rates, even after controlling for community and school district contextual influences. Results support the community-university partnership model for recruitment that was implemented in the study. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Parental personality factors in child abuse.

Studied whether abusing parents differ from nonabusing parents in personality variables by administering the Michigan Screening Profile of Parenting to 6 groups of mothers: (a) adjudicated abusers, (b) spouses of adjudicated abusers, (c) mothers convicted of child neglect, (d) nonabusing mothers from a college student population, (e) nonabusing mothers from a middle socioeconomic level, and (f) nonabusing mothers from a lower socioeconomic level. 107 Ss were studied, all of whom had at least one child under 5 yrs of age. Major differences occurred when comparison was made of 1 or more of the 1st 3 groups with 1 of the latter 3 groups. The groups differed significantly on 6 factor-analyzed cluster categories: (a) relationship to one's own parents, (b) tendency to becoming upset and angry, (c) tendency toward isolation and loneliness, (d) expectations of one's own children, (e) inability to separate parental and child feelings, and (f) fear of external threat and control. In all of the cases, the 1st 3 groups scored at levels of higher risk than did the latter 3 groups, whereas the abusers scored at the highest risk levels throughout. It is suggested that a therapist who helps a parent develop the ability to maintain equanimity under stress, by helping reduce deviations from the norm in characteristics related to abuse potential, is ultimately helping to reduce actual abusive behavior. (20 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A comparison of child abuse and child neglect.

Compared data from the child welfare and the hospital files for each of 422 children identified from a hospital list as abused. The children fell into 4 categories: 62 (mean age 2.1 yrs) who were neglected, 243 (mean age 5.2 yrs) who were abused, 83 who were abused and neglected, and 34 for whom evidence of abuse or neglect was not established. Significant differences were found between the families who abused their children and those who neglected them, including differences in maternal age and socioeconomic status (SES). Abuse was more prevalent in children who had been previously separated from their parents, while children of teenaged mothers were most likely to be neglected. Data relating to the difficulties in decision making support the notion that interdisciplinary community teams might have much to offer in the development of more stringent guides for determining the nature of mistreatment and the probability of further risk to the child. (French abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Exemptions from child abuse reporting.

Comments on the article by R. E. Emery and L. Laumann-Billings (see record 1997-38813-004) regarding the nature, causes, and consequences of abusive family relationships. The author discusses the original authors statement that they would exempt mental health professionals from reporting less serious causes of abuse when a family is actively engaged in treatment. Fischer notes that any departure from mandatory reporting needs to be well thought out, with much consideration given to detail. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Toward cultural competence in child intake assessments.

As cultural diversity within the U.S. population increases, cultural competence in service delivery to children, youths, and families is a growing necessity. This article presents a process for integrating assessment of cultural data with the traditional intake assessment in children's mental health. The purpose and process of integrating cultural assessment throughout the child intake are presented. By using the cultural formulation guidelines proposed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.; American Psychiatric Association, 1994), the content of a culture-integrated assessment is conceptualized and organized. The purpose of this article is to assist child, youth, and family psychologists with developing applied cultural competency skills in the context of the intake assessment with children. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Group treatment for child sexual abuse.

Describes a 12-wk group therapy program used with more than 50 preadolescent children (aged 7–12 yrs) who have experienced intrafamilial sexual abuse. A cotherapy model is used. 90-min group sessions consist of 4 parts: circle time, focused activities, diary time, and snack. Activities are designed to highlight (1) development of trust, cohesiveness, and safety; (2) identification and labeling of feelings; (3) discussion of family relationships and family changes; and (4) exploration of issues associated with the offender. Sessions also examine legal issues and concerns and focus on self-esteem enhancement, social skills development, sex education, prevention of future abuse, and termination issues. (French abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The impact of hearsay testimony on conviction rates in trials of child sexual abuse: Toward balancing the rights of defendants and child witnesses.

The authors examined how mock jurors respond to the testimony of hearsay witnesses in trials of child sexual abuse. In Experiment 1, participants watched a highly realistic videotape of a sexual abuse trial. In one condition, the child victim/witness testified on her own behalf, in the hearsay condition, the child's mother testified in lieu of her daughter. Conviction rates were significantly higher in the child condition versus the hearsay condition. In Experiment 2, participants read a trial summary of a sexual abuse case where either the child testified on her own behalf or the child did not testify and hearsay testimony was given by either the child's mother, doctor, teacher, or neighbor. Conviction rates were significantly lower in the child condition versus each of the hearsay conditions but not when the neighbor testified as the hearsay witness. The impact of hearsay testimony may depend on the perceived credibility or prestige of the hearsay witness. Several theoretical reasons are given to resolve the discrepancies in these and other studies that examine the impact of hearsay testimony in trials of child sexual abuse. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Transcultural factors in child abuse

A transcultural analysis of 54 cases of child abuse that were consecutively referred to the psychiatric clinic of the Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital is presented. Among the data studied were the legal status of the abused child, the nature of the injuries received and the characteristics of the abusers. It is stressed that this was a pilot investigation, and that there is a need for better reporting and further research.     

Graduate-level education and training in child sexual abuse.

The purpose of this article is to further graduate-level education and training in child sexual abuse. Two graduate-level courses that focus on child sexual abuse are considered as well. The following points are made: (a) Training in child sexual abuse should be incorporated into professional training programs; (b) research and theory courses on child sexual abuse are indicated; (c) the topic of child sexual abuse should be mainstreamed into existing practica; (d) the multidisciplinary nature of the field necessitates consideration of resources and references beyond those specific to psychology as well as professional engagement with individuals from many disciplines; and (e) training in child sexual abuse elicits strong emotional responses in trainees and others. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Toward effective treatment for music performance anxiety.

Contends that strategies for dealing with free-floating or phobic anxieties are blunt instruments if applied indiscriminately to the delicate process of musical performance. Current remedies sometimes aim at physical relaxation or tranquilization without altering the trying-too-hard effect created by the anxiety. Successful procedures include cognitive desensitization, redirection of attention from task-irrelevant worry to content and requirements, and shifting attention from catastrophized expectations, negative self-statements, and signs of nervousness toward task-relevant or performance-relevant cues. Motivational interventions render technical mistakes less aversive, give permission to work toward long-range goals even if one performance is a disaster, and wean clients away from an overly perfectionistic or defensive posture. Work with a male undergraduate piano major illustrates the suggested therapeutic approach. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Treatment of child abuse

Standards of care have recently been established for the diagnosis and treatment of child abuse. This article addresses the key areas of treatment with which each primary care physician should be acquainted. As part of a community-based approach to this problem, the physician can positively impact the prognosis for the victimized child and his or her family.     

The challenge of defining child sexual abuse.

Although child sexual abuse has been a concern for many researchers, therapists, and advocates for the past 3 decades, several fundamental issues regarding child sexual abuse remain unresolved. In particular, the term child sexual abuse has never been unequivocally defined. The lack of a commonly accepted definition of child sexual abuse continues to inhibit research, treatment, and advocacy efforts. Early researchers used broad and inclusive definitions of child sexual abuse—definitions that often continue to be used today. The consequences of these definitions are discussed, and strategies for developing other definitions of child sexual abuse are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Substantiation of child abuse and neglect reports.

A representative sample of 796 sexual abuse, 198 physical abuse, and 880 child neglect reports in New York State in 1985 was examined to identify case factors that predict the substantiation of the reports following an investigation by child protective services. This issue has taken on added significance as the number of child maltreatment reports continues to rise, whereas the percentage of those being substantiated declines. Regression analyses revealed that reports from professionals were substantiated at a significantly higher rate than reports from nonprofessionals for all types of maltreatment. These analyses further revealed that part of the effect of source of report was due to differences between professional and nonprofessional reports in the types of actions taken after the report was received. The most important predictors of substantiation, after source of report, were the variables that reflected the case investigatory process. The data also showed that background characteristics, such as the child's ethnicity or the number of children in the household, had some impact on the outcome of the investigation and that this varied as a function of the type of maltreatment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Acceptability and availability of harm-reduction interventions for drug abuse in American substance abuse treatment agencies.

[Correction Notice: An erratum for this article was reported in Vol 18(1) of Psychology of Addictive Behaviors (see record 2007-16711-001). On page 208, the first sentence in the note of Table 4 incorrectly reads as follows: "Numbers in parentheses are ns of respondents who provided an 'other' reason for this specific intervention." The sentence should read as follows: "Numbers in parentheses are ns of respondents whose agencies do not offer this intervention."] This study assessed acceptability, availability, and reasons for nonavailability of interventions designed to prevent drug use related harm by substituting pharmaceuticals for illicit drugs; facilitating detoxification; and reducing the occurrence of HIV transmission, relapse, and opiate overdose. A survey was mailed to a sample of 500 randomly selected American substance abuse treatment agencies. Of 435 potentially eligible respondents, 222 (51%) returned usable data. A subset of interventions--including harm reduction education, cue exposure therapy, needle exchange, substitute opiate prescribing, various detoxification regimes, and complementary therapies--were rated as somewhat or completely acceptable by 50% or more of the respondents. Regardless of their acceptability, listed interventions were generally not available from responding agencies; respondents typically attributed unavailability to lack of resources and inconsistency of an intervention with agency philosophy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Toward helping child analysands observe mental functioning.

Discusses the emphasis on developing the technical implications of the structural model by modern literature on classical psychoanalytic technique and the importance of P. Gray's (1986) work in this resurgence of classical technical writings. In this article, the author applies Gray's work to child analytic technique and suggests ways in which his approach may prove useful in the difficult task of helping child patients to gain insight. A case of an 11-yr-old boy is presented as a heuristic example of how one might go about analyzing the child's defensive use of superego functions in the way that the author understands Gray to suggest. It is hoped that such an example can further attempts both to understand the nature of the child analytic process and to clarify further the technical implications of modern-day classical thinking. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Assessment of sexual abuse allegations in child custody cases.

Family courts frequently rely on the expertise of mental health professionals to assess allegations of sexual abuse within the context of child custody evaluations. Such evaluations are complex and require knowledge of techniques used in sexual abuse and sexual offender evaluations, as well as knowledge of child custody practices. Preliminary findings from a national survey of 84 psychologists indicated that respondents tend to adhere to the child custody guidelines of the American Psychological Association. However, few practitioners followed formal models, protocols, or guidelines when evaluating alleged victims or alleged perpetrators of sexual abuse in conjunction with child custody disputes. Implications for professional practice are discussed, along with a proposed comprehensive model for assessing sexual abuse allegations in child custody cases. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Jurors' perceptions of hearsay in child sexual abuse cases.

The authors examined jurors' perceptions of child victims who testified in court and adult witnesses who repeated children's hearsay statements. Data were collected from criminal courts in 2 major U.S. cities (42 juries and 248 jurors). After deliberating in child sexual abuse trials, jurors completed a detailed questionnaire concerning their perceptions of the main child victim involved in the case and the adult who spoke with the child prior to trial about abuse and who testified about what the child disclosed (the adult-hearsay witness). In all trials, a child victim and adult-hearsay witness testified. Results are discussed in relation to trial outcome, child credibility, and adult-hearsay witness credibility. Implications for use of hearsay evidence in child abuse cases are also addressed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

False allegations and false denials in child sexual abuse.

The amicus brief in the Kelly Michaels case ignores the risks that abused children will fail to reveal abuse unless direct and sometimes leading questions are asked. Although the brief correctly criticizes previous research for understating the risks that aggressive interviewing practices will lead young children to make false allegations of abuse, it overstates the likelihood that false allegations occur by overlooking the aspects of the Kelly Michaels case and the research it inspired that are unlike the typical abuse case. The author discusses factors that lead abused children to falsely deny abuse and that minimize the likelihood that nonabused children will allege abuse. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Alliance development in therapy for resolving child abuse issues.

Investigated client factors related to alliance development in an empirically supported, emotionally focused therapy for adult survivors of child abuse (EFT-AS). Despite severe abuse histories (emotional, physical, and/or sexual) and impairments in current interpersonal functioning, 33 clients (aged 19–72 yrs) reported strong early alliances, measured on the Working Alliance Inventory, comparable to nonabuse clients in a similar type of experiential therapy. Furthermore, alliance quality significantly improved over the course of EFT-AS, and early and late alliances each were associated with particular dimensions of posttreatment change. Severity of childhood physical and emotional abuse and neglect, measured on the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, and the presence of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV (DSM-IV) Axis II psychopathology were associated with early alliance difficulties. Axis II disturbance was the only client factor linked to alliance difficulties late in therapy, however, and none of the client prognostic variables were negatively associated with treatment outcome. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)