Pathways from family violence exposure to disruptive behavior and suspension in elementary school

Abstract

Suspension is associated with a host of negative outcomes, including future suspension and poor academic engagement. A number of demographic and behavioral factors, such as behaviors and race/ethnicity, have been found to predict a child’s risk of suspension, however factors in the family environment, such as family violence, have not been widely explored within this body of literature. The current study examined whether disruptive behaviors mediated the relationship between family violence exposure and suspension in elementary school using data from the age 8 wave of the LONGSCAN dataset. In this sample, 68% of children had been exposed to some sort of family violence and 6.6% of children had been suspended. The direct pathway from family violence to suspension was significant, as was the indirect pathway through disruptive behaviors, where children exposed to more family violence were more likely to exhibit disruptive behaviors and more likely to be suspended. In this sample, boys and African American students were also more likely to be suspended. These findings support the need for school-based responses that addresses both the impact of violence exposure and racial disparities within discussions of children’s outcomes.     

Parental Conflict and College Student Functioning: Impact of Child Involvement in Conflict

Parental conflict is associated with negative effects on children, and child feelings of involvement in conflict might exacerbate negative outcomes. Research has yet to explore the long-term impact of both parental conflict and caught feelings. In a sample of college students, linear regressions (N = 800) indicated that regardless of parent marital status, children’s feelings of involvement in parental conflict were important predictors of academic and psychological functioning, and in some cases mediated the relationship between conflict and adult child outcomes. Given that parental conflict is common, it appears important to minimize children’s involvement in conflict, as it can have lasting impacts.     

Navigating the Concrete Jungle

Abstract

The multi-methodological study examines behavioral and educational outcomes of children and adolescents who live in public housing in Miami-Dade County, Florida. The children (N = 46) were from 14 different families and ranged in age from 1-10 (60.8%), followed by 11-18 (30.4%). Almost 60% were males. The female heads of household were interviewed repeatedly from July 1997-March 2000. Results indicated high levels of parental stress. Adolescents (12–17 years of age) had substantially higher levels of negative school and behavioral outcomes, including those who became adolescents during the course of the research. Ethnographic analysis indicated that stressful life events and violence, child supervision issues, parent-child conflicts, and family health situations were key contributors to negative outcomes. Positive outcomes may be associated with child involvement in organized neighborhood activities.     

How mothers perceive their own domestic violence victimization and how it impacts their children

Children’s exposure to domestic violence has been associated with various negative outcomes. This study explores the effects of children’s exposure to domestic violence through the lenses of the primary victims of abuse. Specifically, the consequences associated with their children’s exposure to domestic violence, the coping mechanisms employed, and identified preventative measures to address this social problem. Semistructured interviews were conducted to obtain the mother’s perspective. Participants for this study were randomly obtained from the database of the Legal Aid and Advisory Authority. Findings revealed that children are used as a bargaining tool by both mothers (to prevent DV) and perpetrators (to exert control). The coping mechanisms that mothers believed their children used included listening to music, adopting care taking roles, and positioning themselves away from the violence.     

Assessing the effect of community violence in minority children

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to assess the extent to which minority inner city children were adversely affected when exposed to violence in their homes and in their communities. The findings from this study suggested that Hispanic children endorsed the highest levels of physiological cues and somatic complaints from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder symptomatology compared with groups of African-American and Caucasian children. The importance of assessing minority children exposed to traumas and ethnocultural issues are discussed.     

Experiences of Violence, Post-Traumatic Stress, Academic Achievement and Behavior Problems of Urban African-American Children

This study examined the frequency of family violence, community violence, and witnessing of violence for 110 African-American children. Levels of post-traumatic stress, academic achievement and behavior problems of the children were also examined. The students were sixth graders between the ages of 11 and 13 from four inner-city Chicago public schools. The level of exposure to family violence was significantly related to levels of behavior problems and negatively related to school achievement. The level of exposure to community violence was associated with levels of behavior problems and approached significance in a negative direction with school achievement. Academic achievement was not significantly related to behavior, but was significantly associated with post-traumatic stress disorder, family violence, witnessing violence and approached significance with community violence exposure.     

Teenage Black Girls and Violence: Coming of Age in an Urban Environment

Abstract

Exposure to violence and fear of violence in relation to hopefulness and anger were investigated for 30 teenage Black girls 14 to 19 years of age. Information from focus groups was included to provide a context for the empirical data. Results indicated that overall the girls were hopeful, with a mean score of 135 (SD = 18.2) out of a possible score of 168. Correlation and regression procedures revealed a statistically significant negative relationship between hopefulness and exposure to violence. No significant relationship was found between anger and hopefulness. Fear of violence was positively related to exposure to violence but did not appear related to anger or hopefulness. The findings were mixed and did not capture the kind of hopelessness and anger which often appear in the literature describing children growing up in urban environments. Through the use of focus groups the teenage girls provided contextual information which seemed to indicate that many of them shared the values of mainstream society in terms of their future aspirations and assessment of their communities.     

Partner Violence and Mental Health Outcomes in a New Zealand Birth Cohort

This study examines the prevalence and extent of domestic violence and the consequences of domestic violence for mental health outcomes in a birth cohort of New Zealand young adults studied at age 25 years. A total of 828 young people (437 women and 391 men) were interviewed about the domestic violence victimization and violence perpetration in their current or most recent partner relationship. Key findings of the study were (a) domestic conflict was present in 70% of relationships, with this conflict ranging from minor psychological abuse to severe assault; (b) men and women reported similar experiences of victimization and perpetration of domestic violence; and (c) exposure to domestic violence was significantly related to increased risks of major depression (p < .05) and suicidal ideation (p < .005) even after extensive control for covariates.     

Negative Stereotypes of Ethnic Outgroups: A Longitudinal Examination Among Palestinian,Israeli Jewish,and Israeli Arab Youth

Ethno‐political conflict impacts thousands of youth globally and has been associated with a number of negative psychological outcomes. Extant literature has mostly addressed the adverse emotional and behavioral outcomes of exposure while failing to examine change over time in social cognitive factors in contexts of ethno‐political conflict. Using cohort sequential longitudinal data, this study examines ethnic variation in the development of negative stereotypes about ethnic outgroups among Palestinian (n = 600), Israeli Jewish (n = 451), and Israeli Arab (n = 450) youth over 3 years. Age and exposure to ethno‐political violence were included as covariates for these trajectories. Findings indicate important ethnic differences in trajectories of negative stereotypes about ethnic outgroups, as well as variation in how such trajectories are shaped by prolonged ethno‐political conflict.     

Intergenerational Conflict in Korean Immigrant Homes and Its Effects on Children's Psychological Well-Being

Abstract

This study is concerned with the nature of parent-child conflict in the Korean immigrant home and how such conflict impacts on children's self-esteem, depressive symptoms, sense of marginality and subsequently their coping behavior. Acculturative stresses of immigrant families and potential cultural sources for intergenerational conflict are explored. To test the relationship between intergenerational conflict and its impact on children's psychological well-being, the study relies upon 312 cases of survey data that were collected by Shalom Christian Counseling Center in Los Angeles in 1999-2001. Using a series of bivariate relationships and multiple regression analyses, we evaluate the relative effects of intergenerational relations and perceived marginality along with several demographic factors on dependent variables: self-esteem, depressive symptoms, and coping behavior. Our findings clearly demonstrate that conflictual intergenerational relations impact negatively on the psychological adaptation process of Korean immigrant children. Korean immigrant children whose conflict is not dealt with or resolved well tend to exhibit high depressive symptoms and low self-esteem, which also are associated with their perception of marginality in larger society. Females are more associated with depressive symptoms, but less on unhealthy coping behavior. Children whose residency is relatively shorter are less likely to show depressive symptoms and subsequently to engage less in negative coping behavior than are those who have resided longer in the U.S. These children tend to experience more unhealthy coping behavior than do children having stable relations with their parents at home. The implication of this study is discussed, and possible intervention methods are suggested.     

Reducing interparental conflict among parents in contentious child custody disputes: an initial investigation of the Working Together Program

Interparental conflict is one of the primary risk factors for negative outcomes for children whose parents separate, and it is likely to be high while parents are separating. Results are mixed regarding the effectiveness of interventions aimed at reducing interparental conflict. This study examined co-parents who were court-ordered to attend a 12-hr co-parenting intervention and completed pre-postassessments (n = 20) and 2-month follow-up assessments (n = 17). The results demonstrated increases in co-parents' relationship functioning and confidence in co-parenting. Both men and women reported decreased amounts of conflict in the presence of their children; however, only women reported decreases in general negative communication with the co-parent. These changes were generally maintained at a 2-month follow-up assessment. These findings suggest that interventions for high-conflict co-parents may increase their ability to work cooperatively.     

Girl soldiers: towards a gendered understanding of wartime recruitment,participation, and demobilisation

Scholarship on political violence and armed conflict has long been gender-blind. Often subsumed within the category of ‘children’ (who are assumed to be male in the context of soldiery), girl soldiers have been subjected to a double invisibility. However, in the last decade the literature dedicated to the topic of girls within armed groups has grown. We now have a much clearer understanding of girls’ strengths and challenges, and clear evidence of their overall marginalisation both during wartime violence and following demobilisation. What is now needed is to implement what we have learnt, to support girls in the aftermath of violence, particularly in the long term. This article seeks to provide an overview of what is known about girl soldiers. It explores their entry into armed groups, and their multiple roles and wartime experiences, as well as their experiences of demobilisation and reintegration. To support the points raised, we highlight the voices and experiences of nine former girl soldiers from Colombia, and eight former girl soldiers from Sierra Leone, who were interviewed in 2010 and 2011. The realities of girls affected by armed conflict vary in different contexts, yet there are similarities. Girls’ options, roles, power relations, both during conflict and following demobilisation, are embedded within broader gendered power structures and identities.     

Inner‐City Children's Exposure to Community Violence: How Much Do Parents Know?

This study examines the psychological impact of children's exposure to violence and the influence of mothers' knowledge about their children's encounters with violence. Our sample consists of a poor, multiethnic sample of 104 fourth‐ or fifth‐grade children and their mothers. Children in this sample were exposed to rather high levels of community violence, and on the whole, mothers greatly underestimated their children's exposure to violence and feelings of psychological distress. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that children's exposure to violence was associated with greater psychological distress. Our findings suggest that the detrimental effects of community violence are present for all children, irrespective of their racial background. Further, greater mother‐child agreement about children's exposure to violence was related to better psychological functioning. The implications of these results for effective parenting strategies and community‐based interventions are discussed.     

Aboriginal Women's Perceptions and Experiences of a Family Violence Transitional Accommodation Service

Abstract

This article presents a qualitative study of Aboriginal women's perceptions and experiences of a transitional housing program in South Australia that was established to assist long-term homelessness and family violence. The aim of the study was to explore the experiences and service outcomes for Aboriginal women and their children and to identify both facilitators and barriers to the effective operation of the program. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 13 Aboriginal women and thematic analysis was used to report their collective stories. The women's stories showed individualised, flexible, and open-ended support as well as practical outcomes of stable, safe housing for themselves and their children were particularly valued. The women reported that these features of the program augmented feelings of strengthened confidence and self-efficacy. The authors argue the domestic and family violence sector has the opportunity to learn from the perceptions and experiences of Aboriginal women, particularly allowing time and commitment to working long-term with families.     

Does community violence exposure predict trauma symptoms in a sample of maltreated youth in foster care?

Previous studies find that childhood exposure to family and community violence is associated with trauma symptoms. Few studies, however, have explored whether community violence exposure (CVE) predicts trauma symptoms after controlling for the effects associated with family violence exposure (FVE). In the current study, CVE and FVE were examined in a sample of 179 youth with a recent history of maltreatment. CVE was associated with trauma symptoms after controlling for FVE, but FVE was not associated with trauma symptoms after controlling for CVE. In addition, negative coping strategies (e.g., self-harm, interpersonal aggression) partially mediated the association between CVE and trauma symptoms. These findings are discussed in terms of their implications for interventions aimed at addressing the needs of children exposed to violence.     

Parental denigration reports across parent–child dyads: Divorced parents underreport denigration behaviors compared to children

Abstract

Parental denigration is a phenomenon characterized by disparaging comments made by one parent about the other parent, in front of their children. It is an emerging area of research with implications that appear to follow from a conflict perspective, rather than a parental alienation perspective. In three prior studies of young adults, sibling pairs, and parents, denigration was found to be (a) measured reliably and validly, (b) reciprocally occurring, (c) related to children feeling more distant from both parents, particularly the more frequent denigrator, (d) associated with various measures of maladjustment, and (e) underreported by divorced parents. These results held across marital status and parent gender, in group and individual analyses, across sibling reports, and across studies. In the current study, parent reports of co-parent denigration behaviors were similar to child reports in both married and divorced families. However, divorced parents consistently underreported their own denigration behaviors compared to child reports, and their reports of parent–child closeness and attachment was not associated with child reports. This is consistent with findings from previous work that divorced parents may be less aware of their harmful behaviors and view co-parents in a globally more negative light than children perceive them.     

Violence,resistance, and social transformation in anarchist thought and practice

ABSTRACT

Dating to the nineteenth century, anarchism has been commonly associated with violence and revolutionary upheaval. Yet, there have also been a number of nonviolent anarchists, including those that set up social work projects, alternative organizations, or those that advocated for educational or spiritual transformation. To date, violence and its relation to anarchism remain vague. This study analyzes a sample of historical and contemporary anarchists (N = 56) along with their respective viewpoints and experiences with violence and its alternatives. It discovers several tendencies inherent to violence rejection and acceptance in anarchism. These findings raise implications for anarchism and its relation to social work.     

A Multi-National Study of Interparental Conflict,Parenting, and Adolescent Functioning

Abstract

This study assessed the associations between interparental conflict (IPC), parenting, and individual functioning among data gathered from school-going adolescents in Bangladesh, China, India, Bosnia, Germany, Palestine, Colombia, United States and three ethnic groups within South Africa. Specifically, we tested the validity of the spillover dynamic found in much research in the U.S., whereby marital conflict spills over into parenting and into the psychological and social functioning of children and adolescents. Previous analyses of these same data showed complete invariance in the linkages between parenting and adolescent functioning. This study thus provided a meaningful extension to the substantive literature on family processes. We followed recommendations within cross-cultural psychology to “transport and test” models validated in one culture to other cultures as an initial step in systematic comparative research. The findings revealed substantial invariance across the samples in documenting significant direct and indirect associations. Similar to prior research in the U.S., IPC was associated with youth outcomes directly, and more often indirectly, via parenting.     

The Incarcerated Parent: Examining Mother-Child Conflict at the Margins through a Bio-Ecological Lens

ABSTRACT

This study examined conflict, parenting communication style, and attitudes regarding the parent-child relationship for a marginalized special population: incarcerated mothers and their children. Bronfenbrenner’s bio-ecological perspective served as a guiding framework, based on its ability to consider family interactions across ecological contexts, both proximal and distal to the developing child’s home setting. Fifty incarcerated mothers in the central U.S. provided in-depth interviews and individual self-report surveys. Findings indicate that incarcerated mothers most frequently used an authoritative parenting communication style in conflict situations that ended positively, and authoritarian style in conflict that ended negatively. Authoritative parenting was associated with incarcerated mothers’ reports of greater satisfaction with parenting. Study findings suggest that parenting communication style can help support efforts to reduce recidivism. Contextualizing these findings within Bronfenbrenner’s model, the present study affirms the role of proximal as well as distal factors governing relational communication between incarcerated mothers and their children.     

Psychosocial distress,physical illness,and social behaviour of close relatives to people with substance use disorders

ABSTRACT

This study explores how a family member with substance use disorder (SUD) affects the psychosocial, behavioral, and physical states of other family members. Sixteen in-depth interviews with relatives of Icelandic individuals afflicted with SUD were performed. The interviewees were selected from a pool of Icelandic families whose members included one or more chronic SUD users. They represented different relations to the user (spouses, parents, children, and siblings) and both genders. All participants except for siblings expressed that SUD had negatively affected their mental health by inducing depression, anxiety, and stress-related physical illness. All had experienced physical violence, mental abuse and financial loss. Parents indicated that the SUD of the family member had isolating psychosocial impacts on their children and caused a loss of connection among their family members. All participants, except the siblings, regarded their workplace as a shelter. The study’s findings can help social professionals to better understand the effects of SUD on families, family systems, and public health in general.