Epidemiology of Traumatic Experiences in Childhood

There is limited research on the role of childhood trauma in personality pathology according to Kernberg's psychodynamic model of internalized object relations. Because childhood trauma reflects the disruptions of these relations, it is expected to predict borderline personality organization, especially at the threshold of adulthood. Therefore, the main aim of this retrospective study was to examine the impact of childhood trauma on borderline personality organization in a community sample of emerging adults. Participants were 543 Greek individuals aged 18–29 (M = 21.45; 58.6 % females; 85.1 % university students). They completed the Greek versions of the Traumatic Antecedents Questionnaire (TAQ) and the Inventory of Personality Organization (IPO), which were tested for their factorial structure, reliability, and measurement invariance across gender, as few empirical data exist on the psychometric properties of these measures. Confirmatory factor analyses showed that the TAQ consisted of four factors, namely positive experiences, abuse, traumatic life events, and family chaos. The five-factor theoretical structure of the IPO, namely primitive defenses, identity diffusion, reality testing, aggression, and moral values, was confirmed. Low to moderate links between childhood trauma and borderline personality organization were found, with stronger links emerging for abuse and family chaos. Structural equation modeling showed that the various forms of childhood trauma across the age periods studied (i.e., 0–6, 7–12, 13–18) significantly and differentially predicted the dimensions of borderline personality organization. The finding that stronger links emerged when trauma occurred in older ages may be attributed to the retrospective method of the study. Gender differences were also found; for example, personality pathology was more likely in men when abuse and traumatic life events occurred in younger ages and abuse was a more important risk factor for personality pathology in women. This study highlights the impact of childhood adversity on personality pathology in emerging adulthood, provides empirical support for Kernberg's psychodynamic model, and has useful implications for trauma-informed early screening, prevention, and intervention regarding personality pathology in young people. Limitations of this study and suggestions for future research are outlined.

Trauma experienced during childhood can have deleterious impact on children’s social, emotional, and physical health. Teachers working in educational settings are uniquely positioned to respond to and support children impacted by trauma.

The aim of this systematic review and thematic synthesis is to explore the experiences and needs of early childhood and primary teachers in terms of their work with trauma-impacted children.

This is a systematic review and qualitative evidence synthesis of primary studies. Systematic searching and screening were conducted following the PRISMA guidelines; an iterative three-stepped thematic synthesis procedure was followed in terms of coding and analysis.

Fourteen studies were included in the final synthesis, with three themes emerging across studies: (1) teachers lack training and support to work with trauma-impacted children, (2) dilemma of teachers’ roles, and (3) teachers need multifaceted support.

An under-examination of early childhood teachers’ experiences and needs in working with trauma-impacted children was identified. Teachers are ill-prepared and lack confidence working with children impacted by trauma. They report multiple challenges, face several dilemmas and confusion relating to the boundaries of their role. Working with trauma-impacted children, without adequate preparation and support, can have a negative impact on teacher wellbeing. Multifaceted support, including training, collaboration with professionals with expertise in trauma, and trauma-informed organisational change is needed. Recommendations for future research and practices are discussed.

There is growing awareness in Australia of the need for trauma-informed programs and the role schools can play in addressing trauma. However, Australian best-practice guidelines informing the development and implementation of trauma-informed programs are currently lacking. This systematic review aims to provide an overview of studies depicting and evaluating trauma-informed programs implemented in Australian schools, with particular focus on the programs’ theoretical foundations, design, implementation and efficacy. Four peer-reviewed articles published between 2014 and 2022 were identified. The overall quality of all studies was found to be adequate through the use of the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. All studies reported positive effects of the implemented trauma-informed programs. Contrary to prior research, this systematic review found similarities in the theoretical foundations, design, and implementation, indicating the use of a unified framework. Differences in the focus of staff training and program implementation were also found; however, variances in evaluation methods and lack of reported outcomes specific to design and implementation elements hindered comparisons and evaluations of program elements. While findings support the continued implementation of trauma-informed programs, a deeper understanding of program elements and how they may impact the efficacy of trauma-informed programs could lead to improved trauma-informed care in Australian schools.

The study objectives were to 1) examine what methodological approaches have been used to determine adverse childhood experiences (ACE) prevalence and 2) determine the prevalence of different ACEs.

A scoping review was conducted on 2009–2020 articles focused on persons 17 years and younger, highlighting screening and surveillance of ACEs, and evaluating the psychometrics of ACE screening tools.

A descriptive analysis categorized results of 27 articles into key methodological themes (i.e., study design, self vs. caregiver reporting, location/setting). Majority of the studies were cross-sectional (81.5%), self-reporting (74.1%) and focused on neglect, bullying/victimization and violence. There were 26 unique instruments used to assess ACEs. The prevalence for ACEs reported in the literature varied widely based on factors such as the type of ACEs examined, instrument, self vs. caregiver reporting, age group, and setting.

Synthesis of our findings highlights the need for standardization in ACE measurement as they contribute to variations in ACE prevalence estimations and understanding the overall burden ACEs have on a population. Recommendations for improving ACE measurement among U.S. children and adolescents were provided.

Childhood adversity (CA) is associated with increased risk of psychopathology, and reward processing (RP) may be one of the underlying mechanisms. However, evidence on impaired RP in childhood adversity is theoretically and methodologically heterogeneous.

To provide a quantitative overview of studies on the relation between childhood adversity and RP assessed at the behavioral and subjective levels, and identify differences between studies that influence the effect size.

Twenty-seven studies (overall N = 6801) were included.

Peer-reviewed publications describing empirical studies on the relation between CA and behavioral and self-report measures of RP in humans were identified through systematic searches in six bibliographic databases. Effect sizes (r) were pooled using random-effects models. The potential moderator role of RP dimension, type of RP assessment, type of childhood adversity assessment, and age were examined.

Results indicated a small, but consistent association between CA and impaired RP (r = 0.12; 95% CI: 0.07, 0.16), with medium heterogeneity (I² = 62.43). The effect size was significantly larger (i.e., medium-sized) in studies that focused on reward learning rather than reward valuation and reward responsiveness; used cognitive tasks rather than self-report assessments of RP; and relied on official records rather than subjective reports of CA. There was evidence of publication bias, but overall effect size remained significant after imputation.

These results suggest that multidimensional RP impairments (e.g., deficits in reward learning, biased reward valuation) are a consistent marker of CA, and may represent mechanisms underlying the increased risk of psychopathology.

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) are associated with many deleterious outcomes in young offenders. There is a dearth of studies examining its effects on young offenders' antisocial attitudes, disruptive behaviors and aggression, risk factors for delinquency and reoffending.

This study examined ACE patterns and their association with the above factors in young offenders.

1130 youth offenders (964 males; M_age = 17.57 years), provided self-reports on ACEs, antisocial attitudes, disruptive behavior ratings and aggression.

Latent Class Analysis was performed on 12 self-reported ACEs, followed by Analyses of Covariance on each of the measures.

Four classes – Low ACE, Indirect Victims, Abusive Environment, and Polyvictimized – were identified. Polyvictimized youths had the highest levels of conduct problems (M = 70.35, ps < .05) and proactive aggression (M = 0.45, ps < .05) but did not differ from youths in Abusive Environment in reactive aggression (M = 1.02, p = .69), oppositional problems (M = 65.15, p = .18), and antisocial attitudes (M = 26.95, p = .21). Indirect Victims had lower levels of conduct problems (M = 64.80, p < .05) and antisocial attitudes (M = 24.35, p < .05) than Polyvictimized youths but higher levels of these outcomes than the Low ACE group.

Our findings showed that ACEs patterns vary in their effects on antisociality and disruptive behaviors. The novel finding was that childhood victimization does not have to be direct, as indirect victimization significantly impacted factors important to delinquency and reoffending.