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Trauma and Adversity During Childhood and Adolescence: Assessment, Case Conceptualization, and Intervention

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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Children's Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 July 2020) | Viewed by 23442

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Carryl P. Navalta

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Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, USA
Interests: child and adolescent behavioral health; child abuse and neglect; science-based practice; parenting; psychological trauma; behavior therapy; cognitive behavior therapy

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Perhaps no other field is more relevant to health, in general, and behavioral health, in particular, than child abuse, neglect, and other adversities during childhood and adolescence (i.e., adverse childhood experiences (“ACEs”)). Such adversity includes both traditionally-defined trauma as well as experiences that fall short of the definition but are nonetheless significantly stressful (i.e., “sub-threshold” traumatic events and circumstances). Scientific inquiry within this area has matured over the years (decades, in fact) to the point where the conclusion is undeniably clear. That is, ACEs serve as potent environmental risk factors for the development of a multitude of health-related problems and their impact spans the entire behaviour–biology continuum. In this Special Issue, we invite papers that consider the assessment, case conceptualization, and intervention implications of exposure to ACEs as well as contributions that underscore the cumulative and/or differential effects of varied developmental adversities. Although clinically-relevant papers are especially welcome, submissions that focus on basic research, public health, or policy will also be strongly considered.

Dr. Carryl P. Navalta
Guest Editor

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Keywords

Child abuse and neglect
Adverse childhood experiences
Developmental stress exposure
Developmental psychopathology
Evidence-based practice
Assessment
Case conceptualization
Treatment
Intervention.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 653 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Bad Blood or My Blood: A Qualitative Study into the Dimensions of Interventions for Mothers with Children Born of Sexual Violence

by Elisa van Ee and Jorin Blokland

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16(23), 4810; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph16234810 - 29 Nov 2019

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3064

Abstract

Research has shown that there is a negative relation between the experience of sexual violence of mothers and the well-being of their children. When a child is born out of sexual violence, the origin of the child is connected to the traumatic experience. Despite the difficult maternal task of navigating this relationship, research on interventions for mothers with a child born of sexual violence is absent. The current qualitative study was designed to gather expert knowledge of twelve clinicians on the dimensions of interventions for these mothers and their children as a first step in the development of good clinical practice for interventions. Using thematic analysis, the interviews were transcribed, coded and analyzed. Three building blocks for interventions for mothers and their children born of sexual violence were identified: building a secure attachment, reduction of trauma-related symptomatology, and addressing stigmatization. Clinicians describe many factors that need to be taken into account in treatment but emphasize the importance of the therapeutic relationship to be efficacious. The foundation of a strong therapeutic relationship together with the building blocks are the elements for good clinical practice on interventions for mothers with a child born of sexual violence. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Trauma and Adversity During Childhood and Adolescence: Assessment, Case Conceptualization, and Intervention)

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12 pages, 585 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Emotional and Behavioral Problems Among 3- to 5-Year-Olds Left-Behind Children in Poor Rural Areas of Hunan Province: A Cross-Sectional Study

by Jing Luo, Jiaojiao Zou, Meimei Ji, Tong Yuan, Mei Sun and Qian Lin

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16(21), 4188; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph16214188 - 29 Oct 2019

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3574

Abstract

The term left-behind children (LBC) refers to underage children who have been separated from their father/mother or parents for a long period of time. At present, there are few studies on the emotional and behavioral problems of three- to five-year-old LBC in poor rural areas of China. In this study, random cluster sampling was used to recruit caregivers of left-behind children (CLBC) aged three to five years in two poor rural areas in Hunan Province. General demographic data of LBC and their caregivers were collected via face-to-face questionnaires. Children’s emotional and behavioral problems were assessed by the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Among 557 LBC, the prevalence of a total difficulties score in an abnormal/borderline range was 27.6–50.6%. The most common problem of LBC was hyperactivity, with a rate of 33.6%. Compared with boys, girls had more emotional problems (p < 0.05) and fewer hyperactivity disorders (p < 0.01). Factors related to the emotional and behavioral problems of LBC were the LBC’s age, the number of sick people at home, and the CLBC’s willingness to take care of the LBC. The detection rate of emotional and behavioral problems of three- to five-year-old LBC in poor rural areas is higher than that of children of the same age in urban areas and Western developed countries. There were gender differences in hyperactivity and emotional symptoms. Poor care will increase the risk of children’s emotional and behavioral abnormalities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Trauma and Adversity During Childhood and Adolescence: Assessment, Case Conceptualization, and Intervention)

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16 pages, 707 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Adverse Childhood Experiences of Children Adopted from Care: The Importance of Adoptive Parental Warmth for Future Child Adjustment

by Rebecca E. Anthony, Amy L. Paine and Katherine H. Shelton

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16(12), 2212; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph16122212 - 22 Jun 2019

Cited by 40 | Viewed by 11671

Abstract

We investigated the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and children’s internalising symptoms and externalising problems in the Wales Adoption Cohort Study, a prospective longitudinal study that used case file records (n = 374) for a sample of British children adopted from care (M = 2 years, 55% male). Parents (n = 96) completed questionnaires at 3–5 months, 15–17 months, and 31–33 months post-placement. We hypothesised that: (1) children adopted from care would have experienced more ACEs than children in the general population; (2) the number of ACEs would be associated with higher internalising symptom and externalising problem scores; and (3) adoptive parental warmth would moderate the relationship between ACEs and post-placement internalising symptoms and externalising problems. Nearly half (42%) of the children experienced four or more ACEs. Internalising symptoms and externalising problems were significantly higher than the UK general population. The number of ACEs was associated with internalising symptoms 3 years post-adoptive placement but this relationship was moderated by adoptive parental warmth. This study profiles the experiences and characteristics of a national sample of adopted children and highlights the potential importance of parent warmth as a factor that ameliorates the impact of ACEs on poor child outcomes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Trauma and Adversity During Childhood and Adolescence: Assessment, Case Conceptualization, and Intervention)

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13 pages, 295 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Poor Family Relationships in Adolescence and the Risk of Premature Death: Findings from the Stockholm Birth Cohort Study

by Susanne Alm, Sara Brolin Låftman and Hannes Bohman

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16(10), 1690; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph16101690 - 14 May 2019

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4753

Abstract

Poor family relationships during childhood have been shown to have long-term negative effects on an offspring’s health. However, few studies have followed the offspring to retirement age, and relatedly, knowledge about the link between poor family relationships and premature death is scarce. The aim of this study was to examine the association between poor family relationships in adolescence and the risk of premature death, even when considering other adverse childhood conditions. Prospective data from the Stockholm Birth Cohort study were used, with 2636 individuals born in 1953 who were followed up until age 65. Information on family relations was based on interviews with the participants’ mothers in 1968. Information on mortality was retrieved from administrative register data from 1969–2018. Cox proportional hazards regressions showed that poor family relationships in adolescence were associated with an increased risk of premature death, even when adjusting for childhood conditions in terms of household social class, household economic poverty, contact with the child services, parental alcohol abuse, and parental mental illness (Hazard Ratio (HR), 2.08, 95% Confidence Interval (CI), 1.40–3.09). The findings show that poor family relationships in adolescence can have severe and long-lasting health consequences, highlighting the importance of early interventions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Trauma and Adversity During Childhood and Adolescence: Assessment, Case Conceptualization, and Intervention)

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