Brief communication

Polyvictimization and victimization of children and youth: Results from a populational survey☆

Numerous studies have examined the relationship between childhood maltreatment (CM) and nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI). However, few studies have explored both the specific and cumulative effects of CM on NSSI. Additionally, the impact of sleep disturbance on the association between CM and NSSI remains unclear.

To comprehensively explore the effects of CM on NSSI, and to determine whether these effects are moderated by sleep disturbance.

A retrospective study was conducted in April 2021 among a representative sample of 21,340 students aged 11–20 years in China.

All participants completed questionnaires assessing CM, sleep disturbance, and NSSI. Adjusted multivariate logistic regression models were utilized to evaluate the associations between CM and NSSI, as well as the impact of sleep disturbance.

The findings revealed that 13.0 % of adolescents reported occasional NSSI, while 25.2 % reported repetitive NSSI. Except for sexual abuse, all subtypes of CM were significantly associated with increased odds of both occasional and repetitive NSSI. A significant dose-response relationship was observed between cumulative CM and repetitive NSSI. Stratification analyses by sleep disturbance indicated that adolescents reporting sleep disturbance had a higher risk of developing repetitive NSSI, irrespective of the type of CM experienced. Furthermore, a dose-response relationship was identified between cumulative CM and repetitive NSSI among adolescents reporting sleep disturbance.

This study demonstrated that CM increases the risk of NSSI among Chinese adolescents, and sleep disturbance plays a moderating role. Interventions targeting sleep disturbance may hold significance in reducing NSSI.

Collecting child maltreatment data from participants is expensive and time-consuming, and often suffers from substantial attrition rates. Administrative population data may prove fruitful to overcome these barriers. The aim of this study was twofold: (1) to illustrate how administrative data may be used in evaluating long-term intervention effects; and (2) to examine collateral effects of three preventive early childhood interventions offered to families in the Netherlands (Supportive Parenting, VoorZorg, and Incredible Years). Using population data, four proxies of child maltreatment were assessed to examine collateral intervention effects: incidences of child protection orders, placements of children in residential care, crime victimization of children or their parents, and parental registrations as a crime suspect. The results revealed no significant differences between experimental and control conditions on any of these proxies, with very small effect sizes (ranging from Cramer’s V = 0.01 to Cramer’s V = 0.10). We conclude that the results do not provide support for collateral effects, but that studying other outcomes may provide this support. We further discuss that small sample sizes and low prevalences challenge studies using administrative data. Notwithstanding these limitations, we conclude that administrative data can strengthen the evidence base for collateral and direct intervention effects.

The association between child maltreatment and polyvictimization has received growing attention since being identified by Finkelhor and colleagues in 2005.

The current study was designed to explore the experiences and perceptions of children who reported polyvictimization during forensic interviews.

This mixed-methods study sample comprised 117 children aged 5–14, referred for the first time to forensic interviews following suspected physical abuse by a parent. More than one-third of the children reported polyvictimization. A thematic analysis was carried out to spotlight these children's experiences.

The analysis identified three main themes: the way children comprehend the polyvictimization, the consequences of the polyvictimization regarding the children's negative self-attribution, and the way the polyvictimization was constructed through the dynamic with the forensic interviewers.

The findings pointed to the importance of the forensic interview platform in assessing children's maltreatment burden. The current study also provided a glance into the possible involvement of the mechanics of self-blame among maltreated children. These findings have the potential to enhance our understanding of the excessive psychological toll taken on polyvictimized children.

Childhood maltreatment (CM) is an interpersonal trauma reported by 35% to 40% of individuals in population-based studies in North America. It refers to physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, as well as physical and emotional neglect. Although there is a growing body of cross-sectional work focusing on associations between CM and sexual health, most studies have ignored the broader relationship context in which sexuality is experienced.

The current review sought to systematically and critically appraise all studies that reported on the association between CM and couples’ sexual health, to inform clinical care and recommendations for research.

The electronic literature search was conducted using PubMed, PsycNET (PsycINFO, PsychArticles), Medline, CINAHL, and Eric for peer-reviewed journal articles published before September 2021. Eligible studies had to report on the association between any form of CM and any dimension of sexual health in couples or individuals in a romantic relationship.

In total, 13 studies (18 articles) were included in this systematic review: 4 studies pertained to clinical couples and 9, to community couples; 2 studies used a longitudinal design and 11, a cross-sectional design; 3 studies examined CM as a whole, 2 studies examined multiple subtypes of CM separately, 1 study examined both CM as a whole and its subtypes separately, whereas the other 7 studies focused on childhood sexual abuse. Results indicated that studies using valid measures of sexual health outcomes found significant associations between CM and worse outcomes – including declines over time – in both clinical and community samples. Mediators and moderators of these associations were also identified.

Findings provide preliminary support for the role of CM in couples’ sexual health. There is a need for future longitudinal studies involving both members of the couple, valid and multidimensional measures of sexual health, and potential mediators and moderators.

Bergeron S, Bigras N, Vaillancourt-Morel M-P. Child Maltreatment and Couples’ Sexual Health: A Systematic Review. Sex Med Rev 2022;10:567–582.

Growing up in the context of intimate partner violence (IPV) is associated with a range of mental health problems in childhood. A recent area of research in this field considers the perspectives of children and adolescents in understanding the phenomenon of IPV.

To explore the lived experiences of adolescents growing up in the context of IPV and the meanings they construct about the phenomenon.

Ten adolescents (five females and five males), between 12 and 17 years old, who were attending psychosocial programs specialized in child maltreatment in Santiago, Chile.

The data were obtained through semi-structured interviews and thematic narrative analysis.

The results show that many of the adolescents narrate their lived experiences of severe and chronic episodes of IPV as part of their life story, and that they continue to do so even after their parents separate. It was also found that the adolescents suffered other forms of victimizations, such as physical and sexual abuse.

Adolescents growing up in the context of IPV are demonstrated to be not only direct victims of violence but also active agents capable of reflecting on it. The implications of children and adolescents participating in such investigations for the development of effective interventions in IPV are also discussed.

Given the formidable health burdens associated with children’s exposure to community-based violence (CBV) and trafficking and exploitation (TE), continued investments in determining their epidemiology constitute an important focus for Canada.

The objective of the present study is to provide a narrative summary and policy perspective concerning the quantitative studies reporting on the risk and protective factors and prevalence of children’s (<18 years) exposure to CBV and TE in Canada.

To identify literature, we searched eight electronic databases. English and French citations from database inception to December 2018 were included; this was supplemented with citation chaining for peer-reviewed publications and grey literature up to December 2019. Evidence is synthesized via a narrative summary.

There are few studies that have investigated children’s exposure to TE and CBV in Canada. Self-reported exposure to these forms of violence varies according to the type investigated, with estimates ranging from 2 % - to - 23 % and 5 % - to - 53 % for TE and CBV, respectively. Literature focused on risk and protective factors for these forms of victimization are also limited.

Canada has the infrastructure in place to make significant gains in their data collection and monitoring of children’s exposure to TE and CBV via five national-level studies. To help realize the goal of ending all forms of violence against children by 2030, incorporation of reliable measures of these forms of exposure in new and ongoing national-level data collection systems is urgently needed.