Psychological distress among women who were sexually abused as children

One of the aims of the study was to investigate how participants in self‐help groups (SHG) for women (n = 87) who had been sexually abused in childhood rated their mental health and to what extent they were at risk of developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A further aim was to investigate the relationship between the ratings of mental health, occurrence of PTSD, women's interpersonal relationships, reasons for participating in an SHG and characteristics of the childhood sexual abuse (CSA). The participants completed questionnaires regarding their personal relationships, reasons for joining a group, abuse characteristics, mental health (Symptom Checklist‐90‐Revised) and PTSD (Impact of Event Scale‐Revised). The women showed poor mental health, and more than half of them were at risk of developing PTSD. Lack of social support and feelings of shame correlated with poor mental health, whereas guilt did not. Relationships with female friends had a positive association. Further research is needed to determine whether participating in an SHG could provide adequate social support and reduce feelings of shame, thereby contributing to the healing process in the aftermath of CSA. Key Practitioner Message: ? Child abuse is a significant component of the global burden of disease; ? Both social workers and public health care providers meet sexually abused girls and it is important that they have knowledge about the subject; ? An important clinical implication for adequate treatment would be to assess and recognise childhood sexual abuse and to link diagnosis to trauma.     

Coping Styles in Persons Recovering from Substance Abuse

This qualitative study was conducted among persons recoveringfrom substance abuse. The data were collected in three rehabilitationfacilities in Trinidad in 2002–03. The aim was to examinethe types of coping strategies which subjects used and learnedin response to stressful and problematic life situations, startingwith experiences related to childhood and socialization. Thecoping styles reported were overwhelming in the category ofemotion-focused coping, developed in the main to regulate stressin uncontrollable situations in childhood and to cope with theloss of significant others. Only a minority used, or were ableto use, problem-focused or social support coping strategiesto meet stressful events. It is suggested that the observedbias in the development of the individuals’ coping ‘armamentarium’might have had, in the long run, negative implications for individuals’capacity to meet ongoing challenges of life. This has criticalimplications for how we fashion preventive approaches to theproblem of substance abuse.     

Factors Associated with Suicidal Ideation Among Women Abused in Intimate Partner Relationships

This study examines factors associated with suicidal ideation among women abused in intimate partner relationships. Data were collected from the case records of 95 women screened upon in‐person contact with admissions workers in a domestic violence shelter in one Midwestern state. Forty‐three percent of the women reported suicidal ideation as significantly associated with childhood sexual abuse, childhood physical abuse, and adulthood intimate partner abuse lasting fewer than 12 months in duration. The results have policy and practice implications for those interested in the mental health needs of women abused in childhood and adulthood. Implications for research are presented that more precisely identify how the effects of past and current traumatic experiences intersect and contribute to suicidal ideation among women abused in intimate relationships.     

The impact of childhood maltreatment on young adults’ mental health: Evidence from the Philippines

Using a new retrospective data set on young Filipino adults, this study aims to quantify the prevalence, risk factors, and mental health consequences in later life of childhood maltreatment in the Philippines. A survey was conducted with a sample of 155 adults (83 women, 72 men) aged 18–24 living in Quezon City, the largest metropolitan city in the Philippines. Findings show that four out of five young Filipino adults experience minor physical violence during childhood, while one out of four suffer severe physical violence. Boys from less educated families that grow up in urban environments face the highest risks. While we find a strong link between childhood physical abuse and young adults’ mental health, no such effect was found for experiences of psychological aggression. Childhood physical abuse was further found to have negative effects on young adults’ family relations, social relations, and overall satisfaction with life.     

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Substance Use History among Vulnerable Older Adults Living in Public Housing

ABSTRACT

Previous research shows strong correlations between adverse childhood experiences (ACE) and later life health. The current study examines the relationship between ACEs and substance use among older adults living in public housing. Results show that about one-third of participants had four or more ACEs, and ACE score predicted likelihood of substance use history. Over half of older adults with four or more ACEs experienced substance abuse in their lifetime compared to one out of ten older adults with less than four ACEs. Findings shed light on a vulnerable group and point to next steps in research and practice.     

'School was just a nightmare': childhood abuse and neglect and school experiences

Children who have experienced abuse display significant difficulties in dealing with all aspects of the school environment. This paper examines the experiences at school of a group of respondents who had been subject to abuse and neglect during their childhood and adolescence. A qualitative research approach, utilizing in-depth interviews, was used to explore their perspectives and insights in relation to their experiences. The findings of this study show how the various forms of abuse and neglect experienced in their families had consequences for them in the school setting. A further important finding was a lack of professional student welfare support for the interviewees at school. Implications for prevention and intervention approaches in relation to both policy and service delivery are outlined.     

Safeguarding adults at end of life: audit and case analysis in a palliative care setting

This paper reports an audit of safeguarding adults' cases arising over two years from the introduction of an adult protection policy in a UK palliative care service serving a diverse area with 48 beds, over 600 home care and 100 day care patients. Twenty cases were identified, involving institutional, physical, verbal, and financial abuse and neglect. Most patients wanted protective work, but some did not want to disturb personal care and relationships in spite of abuse. Protection from abuse increased support for patients and carers. An analysis of cases where neglect was associated with physical abuse identified a large proportion of cases where difficulties in existing family relationships, sometimes associated with alcohol and drug misuse and histories of mental illness, exacerbated the stresses of caring at end of life, leading to abuse allegations or concerns. Assessment of family relationships and interventions to clarify and organize family caring responsibilities, and deliver services that can support carers and monitor potential abuse are useful social work contributions.     

Sense of coherence in women with a history of childhood sexual abuse

Women with a history of childhood sexual abuse experience a range of difficulties. The aim of the present study is to examine the personal resources of women with such a history measured using the SOC scale. The relationships of SOC to other factors were analysed. Eighty-one women who participated in self-help groups were questioned using the 29-item version of the SOC scale. The SOC mean score for the whole group was 104.1 (range 58–187). The women who had a more than ten-year duration of sexual abuse had a low SOC score (M = 96.8) but those who did not remember the number of years of duration had an even lower score (M = 94.4). In a first step of multiple regression analysis of childhood sexual abuse characteristics and SOC total score, only duration of sexual abuse was entered and accounted for 10.3 per cent of the variance. In a second step of multiple regression analysis, relationship to fellow workers was a significant predictor of SOC and contributed to 31.7 per cent of the variance.     

Physical and Sexual Abuse,Battering, and Substance Abuse

Abstract

Women born before 1945 are the older women of today. Many of these women were subjected to childhood physical and sexual abuse and spouse battering at a time where there were no laws to protect them and few people discussed such subjects. Some of these women became substance abusers or lived with substance abusers. While there are retrospective studies on the experiences of adult women who suffered abuse in the family, little is known about the experiences of women over the age of 60 years.

Similarly, there is information on substance abuse among young and middle-aged women, but very little information on or about older womens' experiences with substance abuse. In this study, we review the literature on abuse and substance abuse. We present three clinical cases of older women who have experienced various forms of abuse and who in turn abuse substances. The cases are analyzed. Assessment, treatment, and evaluation methods for social workers are discussed.     

The role of social support when giving up drug abuse: a female perspective

This article contains a presentation and analysis of the results from two qualitative studies, which examined female drug abusers' everyday lives and the social support available to them within their close relationships. Both studies concerned women who were participating in work-training or treatment programmes and who were in the process of giving up drug abuse. The two main questions concerned the supply of social support from the women's social networks and whether the amount of support available or lack of support had any impact on the exit process. Social support within different relationships of the women's social networks is presented, as well as different types of professional social support and treatment. The results in relation to previous research about female drug abusers and social support from gender and class perspectives are discussed. Conclusions about three important factors when creating a new life after drug abuse are drawn.     

Preliminary data on abuse during childhood among female university students

This study investigated the childhood experiences of physical and sexual abuse in relation to the risk of adult depression among female university students. The objectives of the study were to determine the prevalence of abusive experiences in childhood, to examine if childhood physical and sexual abuse, parental antipathy and neglect correlated to depression, and to determine the risk factors of depression in this population. A translated childhood experience of care and abuse questionnaire (CECA-Q) was randomly distributed to the students. The results showed that the reliability of the CECA-Q was good and stable. The prevalent rate of childhood physical abuse in this population was 19% and childhood sexual abuse was 5%. Childhood physical abuse by the mother was a significant risk factor in contributing to depression. The study provides evidence of a correlation between childhood abuse and depression among female university students.     

Mistrust and Self-Isolation: Barriers to Social Support for Older Adult Methadone Clients

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to explore barriers to the use, maintenance, and expansion of social supports in older adult methadone clients. Methods: The data for this analysis were derived from a qualitative study of the needs of aging methadone clients. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews with 24 methadone clients over the age of 50. Results: A lack of trust was identified as a principal barrier to the use, maintenance, and expansion of the social supports of older adult methadone clients. Causes of this mistrust include issues associated with aging, past traumatic experiences, and difficult personal relationships. Implications: These findings imply that addressing the issue of self isolation and recognizing the reason older adult methadone clients engage in this behavior is a key element in getting this specific population to use, maintain, and foster healthy social supports. A common phrase echoed throughout the interviews is that a person cannot trust anybody. Because of this mistrust, some clients keep to themselves by electing to self-isolate and decline to use, maintain, or foster new relationships. As a result, these individuals are less likely foster and/or engage in healthy social relationships, which are a key component of substance abuse treatment and abstinence maintenance.     

Sibling coalitions in the context of parental child maltreatment

Child maltreatment (CM) is a social and public health issue with a high global prevalence. However, sibling dynamics in the context of CM remain understudied. The present study aims to shed light on sibling relationships in the context of parental CM. The sample included 20 Israeli adult CM survivors who grew up with at least one sibling. In-depth interviews explored their experiences as children, with a focus on their relationship with their siblings. A thematic analysis identified the main theme of the formation, or lack thereof, of sibling coalitions in childhood and adulthood. Some participants described comforting and protective sibling relationships in childhood, whereas others told of conflictual or distant childhood relationships that developed into adulthood alliances. Others described perpetrating parents who attempted to disrupt the sibling relationship. The sibling relationship comprises complex dynamics and emotions, which can vary within a single sibling subsystem. The findings highlight the need to examine sibling dynamics throughout the lifespan and their relation to CM survivors' wellbeing. Regarding the spillover and compensation hypotheses, there is a need to explore the role of the perpetrating parent and their attempts to sabotage the sibling dynamic.     

Social support available for substance‐dependent mothers from families with parental substance abuse

Substance‐dependent mothers, who have grown up with parental substance abuse, struggle during and after treatment to abstain from substances while trying to process traumatic experiences and integrate their family into society. The aim of this study was to explore the social support available for these mothers to help them stay abstinent and create safe family environments for themselves and their children. Using purposeful sampling, we approached nine mothers admitted for 1 year to a family ward at a substance abuse clinic and their significant others. Through in‐depth, qualitative interviews, first with the mothers, later with their significant others, we investigated characteristics of the available social support. The findings indicated that the significant others had limited resources and were themselves exposed to adverse and cumulative psychosocial and socioeconomic risk factors. Their relationships with the mothers were, nevertheless, close, consistent and reliable. Supporting the existing social network should be an integrated part of the work of family welfare services aiming to help substance‐dependent mothers from families with parental substance abuse to rehabilitate and to integrate successfully into local communities.     

Mindfulness Training for Social Service Providers in Hawaii: Context and Considerations

Abstract

Few studies exploring outcomes for mindfulness training have specifically focused on social service providers such as case managers, juvenile justice (probation/parole) officers, family court liaisons, substance abuse and mental health counselors, and school behavioral health specialists, among others. This study examined whether social service professionals across various agencies in the state of Hawai‘i would be accepting of mindfulness-based training and practices, and explored their personal practice experiences. Participants (N?=?97) received mindfulness skills training including mindful breathing, mindful walking, and the body scan. Through post-evaluation surveys, practice logs of homework practices, and reflections, they were then asked to reflect on their experiences with the practice and identify potential changes that they would attribute to mindfulness. Interpretative phenomenological and content analyses revealed that participants generally reported a high level of acceptance of the mindfulness training and practices but progress, continuity, and sustainability were slow. Findings provided some indications of mindfulness resulting in salutary effects for social service professionals, but the training structure was problematic. Future research needs to examine how institutional, cultural milieu facilitate or hinder opportunities for social service professionals to embody and embed mindfulness in daily life; this would require multimodal and qualitative methodologies that seek to highlight and understand the live experiences of social service providers.     

Social Dominance in Romantic Relationships: A Prospective Longitudinal Study of Non-verbal Processes

The study of social dominance has a long tradition within the peer relationships literature, but rarely has the topic been investigated observationally and longitudinally within other salient close relationships. The present study investigated the role of experiences in social relationships and adjustment indices in childhood in predicting later observed non‐verbal social dominance behaviors in the context of romantic relationships in emerging adults. Analyses from a subsample (N = 70) from a 29‐year prospective longitudinal study revealed links between early peer behavior and subsequent romantic relationship interactions for men and women. Non‐verbal social dominance behaviors were concurrently associated with poor romantic relationship quality, conflict, and physical and verbal aggression within the dyad. Both childhood externalizing and internalizing behaviors significantly predicted non‐verbal social dominance behaviors in the romantic partner interactions.     

Substance‐dependent women becoming mothers: breaking the cycle of adverse childhood experiences

Parenting may be particularly challenging for substance‐dependent mothers who have grown up with parents who themselves had substance use disorders (SUDs). The aim of this study was to explore how substance‐dependent mothers describe their childhood experiences with substance‐abusing parents and the association between these earlier experiences and their own role as caregivers. Using purposeful sampling, mothers admitted for 1 year to a family ward at a substance abuse clinic were approached. Through in‐depth, qualitative interviews, nine substance‐dependent mothers described their lives in the form of present, past and future tense. The findings indicate that substance‐dependent women, who have experienced SUDs in their families of origin, face several major challenges when they become mothers. Some describe having lived their whole lives ‘on the edge of society'. This makes their rehabilitation process more complex. All mothers work to abstain from substances, process traumatic experiences and integrate their family into society. They need help to build supportive social networks and to establish a safe and predictable family environment for themselves and their children. The therapeutic implications of these findings will be discussed.     

Home Street Home: The Interpersonal Dimensions of Adolescent Homelessness

This paper draws on the available literature, as well as unpublished data, to reconstruct the often chaotic early childhood experiences of homeless adolescents and to describe the problematic ways of relating that may result from these troubled life histories. We also examine the processes by which homeless youth become separated from their families, and we make connections between socio-emotional problems on the street and early neglect and abuse at home. The risk-amplification model is offered as a theoretically compelling explanation of the adolescent homeless experience, high rates of victimization on the streets, and mental health problems that arise out of these circumstances. Finally, we present a promising approach for intervening with homeless youth, one that explicitly targets this cycle of ineffective interpersonal relationships.     

Adult children of parents with mental illness: navigating stigma

The experiences of children who live with parental mental illness are becoming increasingly recognized. However, there remains a limited body of knowledge in relation to an individual's longer term experiences. This study sought adult children's experiences of childhood parental mental illness. It generated reflections of 13 adult children who had lived with parents with mental illness during their childhood. The narrative design of the study facilitated a voice for participants. The paper presents one main theme of the findings. The findings offer a unique insight into childhood awareness of social stigmas and children's behavioural changes to avoid disclosure of parental mental illness. Participants noted that they were aware of social stigmas associated with mental illness during their childhood. This contributed to their fear of disclosure to others that fuelled a culture of familial secrecy, reinforcing the children's own sense of difference. Further work is required to enhance community understanding about the familial journeys of parental mental illness and the impact of negative‐natured stigmas.     

Health and distress in social workers: Results of a national survey

Abstract

This study investigated the physical and emotional health status of professional social workers as well as their levels of distress. The results of this national survey of 668 randomly selected NASW‐member social workers indicated that while most were healthy and satisfied with work and relationships, 17% experienced distress, defined as substance abuse, emotional problems, and/or physical illness. The distressed social workers were more likely to experience difficulties in many areas of their lives, including dissatisfaction with work and low self‐esteem. Some of the social workers reported seeking help for personal/ emotional problems, but very few sought help for alcohol/other drug problems.