Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma最新文献

This case study presents a 7-year-old girl who was brought to the emergency department after sustaining superficial burns on the anterior aspect of both legs approximately 8-9 days following a reported fall. The mother claimed the injuries resulted from applying oil and allowing the child to sit near a fireplace for warmth. However, forensic examination revealed parallel superficial burns with intervening normal skin, suggesting the burns were due to a hot cylindrical object rather than accidental injuries. Despite stable vitals and no evidence of infection, the delay in seeking medical care and the inconsistencies in the mother's explanation raised concerns of neglect and potential abuse. Further investigation revealed additional indicators of neglect in the child's home environment, including inadequate food provision and excessive housework responsibilities. This case shows the importance of comprehensive forensic examination and history evaluation in pediatric burn cases, stressing the demand for awareness and intervention in suspected child abuse scenarios.

Early social experiences of an individual profoundly impact their subsequent development of self-concept, psychopathology, affect regulation and interpersonal skills. The present study examines the relationship between childhood maltreatment, silencing the self, and self-esteem. Silencing the self, a construct proposed by Jack (1991), refers to the extent to which individuals perceive themselves based on external standards, sacrifice their needs as an act of caring, silence their opinions to avoid conflicts, and feel a disparity between their inner and outer selves. The study included 70 young adults (18-25 years; 51 females, 19 males) from India, recruited using snowball sampling. Results revealed a significant positive correlation between silencing the self and childhood maltreatment. Self-esteem was found to have a significant negative correlation with both childhood maltreatment and silencing the self. Further analysis revealed that childhood maltreatment and silencing the self act as significant predictors of self-esteem, but only self-esteem acts as a significant predictor of silencing the self. The findings of this study have important implications for understanding the influence of socialisation and consequent psychological changes in an individual.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been linked with increased risk for postpartum depression, which subsequently can lead to poor maternal and infant outcomes. The present study investigated how different patterns of ACEs are associated with postpartum depressive symptoms and with use of depression screening services. A racially/ethnically diverse sample of low-income women (N = 427) in an urban, university hospital in the Mid-Atlantic region reported their ACEs, depressive symptoms, receipt of depression screening, and receipt of a postpartum home visit. Three latent classes of maternal ACEs were identified: Low ACEs (57% of the sample), High Parental Separation/Divorce (30%), and High/Multiple ACEs (13%). Participants in the High/Multiple ACEs classes reported the highest levels of depressive symptoms, followed by women in the High Parental Separation/Divorce class, then the Low ACEs class. There were no statistically significant differences in depression screening services used across the three classes. Findings highlight the importance of screening for maternal ACEs during the perinatal period and targeting depression prevention services based on ACEs. More specifically, findings suggest multiple types of ACEs at high levels may be a more important predictor of depressive symptoms postpartum than the specific types of ACEs that are experienced.

Emotional abuse is associated with several deleterious outcomes including poor mental health, sexual assault, and partner homicide. Exposure to violence during childhood is an Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) that has also been shown to increase the likelihood of experiencing mental health issues, including depression. Building on this understanding, this paper presents two studies that examined the relationship between these constructs, hypothesizing that individuals with ACEs would be more likely to experience both depressive symptoms and emotional abuse in intimate relationships during adulthood. Study One consisted of 345 Australian women and men aged 18 to 29 years, while Study Two comprised 700 women (18-82 years) from several countries. In both studies, participants completed online measures assessing ACEs, adult experiences of emotional abuse, and depression. Results from both studies showed that experiencing childhood adversity increases the risk of experiencing emotional abuse in intimate relationships and developing depressive symptoms in adulthood. Moreover, emotional abuse positively predicted depression, even after controlling for ACEs. The results provide further evidence for intergenerational cycles of abuse and their long-term mental health consequences.

Childhood trauma significantly impacts adult psychological well-being, including interpersonal relationships. This study explored the relationship between childhood trauma, rejection sensitivity, and interpersonal cognitive distortions among 265 young adults (ages 18-25) from Islamabad and Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Participants completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), Interpersonal Cognitive Distortion Scale (ICDS), and Adult Rejection Sensitivity Questionnaire (ARSQ). Results showed that childhood trauma was positively associated with overall interpersonal cognitive distortions as well as its sub-dimensions of intimacy avoidance and mind-reading. Physical abuse emerged as the most influential trauma type, significantly predicting both the overall distortions and its two sub-dimensions. Intimacy avoidance was particularly affected by childhood trauma and its types. Rejection sensitivity was also positively associated with overall interpersonal cognitive distortions and its mind-reading sub-dimension. These findings have important implications for mental health professionals, marriage and family counselors, and therapists by understanding the role of various childhood traumas in shaping adult relationship patterns.

Research indicates that both adverse childhood events (ACEs) and poor interoception, the ability to recognize visceral sensations, are independently associated with anxiety and depression. Little is known, however, about the relationship between ACEs and interoception. The current study aimed to characterize the relationship between ACEs and interoception in two independent studies. In both studies (Study 1: N = 160, 70% female, M age = 20.28; Study 2: N = 814, 52% female, M age = 38.00) ACEs were self-reported using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. Self-reported confidence in interoceptive accuracy, the precision with which a person can monitor visceral signals, and interoceptive attention, the dispositional tendency to attend to bodily signals were measured using the Interoceptive Accuracy Scale and Body Perception Questionnaire, respectively. In both studies, significant relationships emerged between high levels of emotional (study 1: β = -.300, p < .001; study 2: β = -.124, p < .001) and physical neglect (study 1: β = -.177, p = .039; study 2: β = -.136, p < .001) and low confidence in interoceptive accuracy, even after adjustment for sociodemographic factors and current stress levels. While in study 1 no relationships emerged between ACEs and interoceptive attention, in study 2 emotional neglect (β = -.101, p = .006) was associated with less interoceptive attention. Both studies demonstrated a relationship between some ACEs and low confidence in interoceptive accuracy and provide initial evidence that poor self-reported interoceptive accuracy may be a possible mechanism linking childhood trauma with poor mental health.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40653-025-00721-1.

Cyberbullying is a significant concern among adolescents, impacting mental health and behavior. This study aimed to examine the sex-specific prevalence and correlates of cyberbullying victimization among Thai adolescents. Data from the 2021 Thailand Global School-based Student Health Survey, involving 5,657 students in grades 7-12, were analyzed. Cyberbullying victimization was assessed through self-reported experiences in the past 12 months. Twenty-three outcome variables across five domains (lifestyle, mental health, substance use, sexual behaviors, and violence) were examined. Logistic regression models, adjusted for age, assessed the associations between cyberbullying and these outcomes separately for males and females, accounting for the complex survey design and sampling weights. Approximately 17% of male and 13% of female students experienced cyberbullying in the past year. For males, cyberbullying was significantly associated with negative outcomes, including poor mental health (loneliness, insomnia due to anxiety, suicidal thoughts and attempts), increased substance use (cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana), and risky sexual behaviors (multiple sexual partners). Male victims were also more likely to engage in violent behaviors and experience physical attacks. For females, cyberbullying was linked to poor lifestyle choices (sedentary lifestyle, poor oral hygiene, inadequate fruit/vegetable intake), heightened mental health issues (loneliness, insomnia, suicidal thoughts and attempts), and substance use. Female victims were also at higher risk of experiencing violence and traditional bullying. This study documented high cyberbullying rates among Thai adolescents and calls for comprehensive mental‑health support, especially for males with elevated suicidal ideation; healthy‑lifestyle and social‑connectedness programs for females; and universal resilience and digital‑citizenship training for all youth.

Quantitative research indicates public safety personnel, and correctional workers in particular, report a higher prevalence of exposure to abuse in childhood than the general population in Canada. Yet, little is known qualitatively about adverse childhood experiences among correctional workers. Framed by life course theory, in the current study, we explore how correctional worker childhood experiences inform their interpretations of work, life, and mental health. Open-ended survey data were collected from the Correctional Worker Mental Health and Well-being Study (n = 135), which surveyed correctional worker experiences across several Canadian provinces and territories. Qualitative findings reveal many participants were troubled by and judgmental of the abuse they suffered in the home, while others conceptualized the corporal punishment they received as 'deserving' and 'beneficial', especially when such behaviour was couched in past generational differences. We conclude with considerations for future research and possible interventions that could encourage correctional workers to process and cope better with adverse childhood experiences.

The UK incident rate of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) in looked after populations is estimated to be 27%. The vast majority of these children enter care due to experiences synonymous with the prodromal stages of developmental trauma and all of them experience some form of attachment disruption. The intersection between developmental trauma, attachment disruptions, prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE), and FASD is an emerging and complex research area however there are currently no evidence based interventions specifically designed for young people with both FASD and early life trauma. Therefore, the purpose of this extended case study is to explore the impact of a novel, practice-based, neurocollaborative Theraplay®-informed intervention on the presentations of developmental trauma and attachment difficulties in adopted children with PAE. The study was based in a specialist trauma and attachment service based in the North of England. A total 16 families engaged in a therapeutic intervention based on the principles of Theraplay, sensory interventions, and Dyadic Developmental Parenting. Outcomes were measured on the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Young Children (TSCYC), the Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL), the Behaviour Rating Inventory of Executive Function, and the Assessment Checklist for Children. The TSCYC Depression subscale demonstrated a significant difference following therapy with a further three TSCYC scales approaching significance. Clinically meaningful change was also demonstrated for several participants across the outcome measures. Implications and limitations are discussed. It is hoped that this study can provide proof of concept for interventions targeting pre- and post-natal adversities such as PAE and developmental trauma.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40653-025-00715-z.

There remains a need to better understand childhood sexual abuse (CSA) among men, given its prevalence and harmful impacts. This preliminary study examined the information in men's brief, 30-s CSA narratives, which were constructed for a neuroimaging component of a larger project comparing psychological outcomes for men with and without CSA histories. We also explored men's emotion regulation following construction of the CSA narrative and its links with information in the narrative. Twenty-one cis-gender men with CSA histories were recruited from the community. Their average age was 40.9 years (range 25-59), and the majority were White, employed, partnered, and without biological children. Men provided a brief CSA account that was audio-recorded and transcribed. Following the narrative construction, men also completed the State Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale. The transcripts were quantitatively coded for the presence of sexual abuse descriptors, CSA-related emotions, and content around responsibility. Men provided rich information, with most including details about perpetrator gender, sexual acts, abuse location, and feelings about the abuse. There was little to no mention of CSA duration, disclosure, feelings toward the perpetrator, and responsibility (although some mentioned the perpetrator's responsibility). Greater information in the narratives was associated with greater self-reported emotional awareness and better emotion regulation. While preliminary and largely descriptive, the findings point to the importance of creating emotionally safe and gender-sensitive opportunities for men to share their CSA experiences, with a focus on supporting difficult topics related to disclosure, responsibility, and the harms associated with masculinity norms (especially regarding emotional expression).