Intergenerational coping: Examining how caregiver and child coping relate to resilience in bereaved children.

The death of a loved one can have harmful effects on children's mental health, yet some bereaved children exhibit resilience. Various caregiver and child coping strategies, including active and avoidant coping, may affect the psychosocial functioning of bereaved children. The current study recruited 78 bereaved children aged 8-17 and one of their caregivers to explore: 1) how caregivers' coping strategies affect their child's coping strategies and resilience, and 2) associations between children's coping and their resilience. Results from the active coping mediation model revealed that children's active coping was significantly associated with their resilience, and caregivers' active coping was indirectly associated with children's resilience through children's active coping. The avoidant coping model was not significant. These preliminary findings highlight the importance of promoting active coping strategies among bereaved children and caregivers.

A randomized controlled trial examining the effect of camp HOPE Tennessee on youth functioning: Results from a pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: Family violence can negatively affect youth's psychosocial functioning. Strengths-based interventions may enhance positive youth functioning among youth experiencing adversity, but little is known about the effectiveness of camp-based interventions for youth exposed to family violence. The current study examined the effectiveness of Camp HOPE Tennessee in promoting multidimensional well-being and school engagement among youth exposed to family violence. METHOD: This pilot study employed a nonmasked, parallel randomized controlled design. Participants were 47 children and their caregivers who sought services from a Family Justice Center. Children were 7-12 years old (M = 9.55, SD = 1.63; 79% Black/African American). Using block randomization, caregiver-child dyads were assigned to the camp (n = 23) or waitlist control (n = 24) condition and completed evaluations at baseline, 2-month follow-up, and 5-month follow-up. Children reported on two indicators of positive functioning: multidimensional Quality of Life (i.e., Physical Well-Being, Psychological Well-Being, Autonomy And Parent Relations, Social Support And Peers, And School Environment) and School Engagement. Piecewise latent growth curve models evaluated between-group differences in positive youth functioning at 2- and 5-month follow-up (ClinicalTrials.gov: CampHopeTN). RESULTS: Results suggest that Camp HOPE positively impacted children's psychological well-being (difference = 12.28, SE = 2.84, p < .001, g = 0.94) and autonomy and parent relations (difference = 7.96, SE = 2.95, p = .007, g = 0.77) at 2-month follow-up. Additionally, the camp appeared to have a long-term effect on school engagement at 5-month follow-up (difference = 9.97, SE = 4.83, p = .039, g = 0.59). CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that camp interventions may enhance positive functioning among youth exposed to family violence. Larger investigations are needed to strengthen the evidence base for Camp HOPE's effectiveness and support further dissemination. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

What was a gap is now a chasm: Remote schooling, the digital divide, and educational inequities resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 resulted in the unexpected transition to remote learning for K-12 schools, exacerbating the existing digital divide and impacting the educational outcomes of marginalized youth. This article reviews the literature on the impacts of the pandemic on the educational outcomes of marginalized youth due to remote learning and the digital divide. Here, we provide an overview of the pandemic and remote schooling from an intersectional lens, discuss the impacts of the digital divide on learning for students during the pandemic, and then consider impacts on the delivery of special education supports. Additionally, we review the literature on the widening achievement gap in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. Future directions for research and practice are discussed.

Examining the efficacy of prenatal intervention in reducing IPV revictimization and improving maternal mental health: A quasirandomized controlled trial of the Pregnant Moms' Empowerment Program (PMEP).

OBJECTIVE: The present study was a quasirandomized trial of the Pregnant Moms' Empowerment Program (PMEP) that examined the effects of the program on women's intimate partner violence (IPV) revictimization, depression, posttraumatic stress, and resilience. It was hypothesized that treatment would be associated with improvements across all of the indicated dimensions and that those women completing the module on violence and mental health would have particularly strong improvements. METHOD: Women who were currently pregnant, IPV-exposed, and at least 16 years of age were recruited and assigned to either a treatment or control condition. Participants (N = 137) completed four assessments (pretest [T1], posttest [T2], 3-months postpartum [T3], and 12-months postpartum [T4]). The key outcomes assessed included IPV (Revised Conflict Tactics Scales), depressed mood (Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale), posttraumatic stress (PTSD Checklist for DSM-5), and resilience (Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale). RESULTS: Results of multilevel models examining IPV revictimization indicated that treatment was associated with significantly fewer experiences of physical assault and sexual coercion at all follow-up interviews (T2, T3, and T4) and fewer IPV-related injuries at T3 and T4. In addition, treatment exposure was associated with statistically and clinically significant improvement in depression at T2 and T4. The intervention had limited efficacy in increasing women's self-reported resilience or in reducing symptoms of posttraumatic stress. CONCLUSIONS: Together, these data suggest that PMEP is a promising evidence-based intervention for pregnant, IPV-exposed women, and that the effects-particularly for IPV and depression-are likely to be sustained over time. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Systemic Factors Associated With Prosocial Skills and Maladaptive Functioning in Youth Exposed to Intimate Partner Violence.

Children are frequently present in homes in which intimate partner violence (IPV) occurs. Following exposure to IPV, children may develop behavioral health difficulties, struggle with regulating emotions, or exhibit aggression. Despite the negative outcomes associated with witnessing IPV, many children also display resilience. Guided by Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model, this study examined person-level, process-level (microsystem), and context-level (mesosystem) factors associated with positive and negative functioning among youth exposed to IPV. Participants were 118 mothers who reported on their 6- to 14-year-old children. All mothers experienced severe physical, psychological, and/or sexual IPV in the past 6 months. Linear regression modeling was conducted separately for youth maladaptive functioning and prosocial skills. The linear regression model for maladaptive functioning was significant, F(6, 110) = 9.32, p < .001, adj R2 = 27%, with more severe IPV (ß = .18, p < .05) and more negative parenting practices (ß = .34, p < .001) associated with worse child outcomes. The model for prosocial skills was also significant, F(6, 110) = 3.34, p < .01, adj. R2 = 14%, with less negative parenting practices (ß = -.26, p < .001) and greater community connectedness (ß = .17, p < .05) linked to more prosocial skills. These findings provide critical knowledge on specific mutable factors associated with positive and negative functioning among children in the context of IPV exposure. Such factors could be incorporated into strength-based interventions following family violence.

Protective Factors Associated With Fewer Generalized Anxiety Disorder Symptoms Among Women Exposed to Intimate Partner Violence.

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) has received minimal empirical attention in the context of intimate partner violence (IPV). Furthermore, factors related to lower levels of GAD symptoms in this population have received limited focus. This study evaluated the protective role of four forms of support, spiritual, family, friend, and community, in predicting levels of generalized anxiety among women who have experienced recent IPV. Participants included 116 women who were recruited from local agencies serving IPV-exposed individuals. Participants completed measures of IPV, GAD, stressful life events, spiritual support, social support, and community support during a 1-hr interview. Findings from a hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicated that after accounting for age, income, mental health service utilization, stressful life events, and severity of IPV, lower GAD symptoms were only associated with higher spiritual support (ß = -0.20, p = .02) and community support (ß = -0.25, p = .01), not friend or family support, F(9, 114) = 5.10; p < .001; R2 = .30. These findings indicate that alternative sources of support (i.e., spiritual and community) may be more accessible for IPV-exposed women, contributing to their association with reduced GAD symptomatology. The current study highlights the potential for spiritual and community support to serve a beneficial role above and beyond standard social support proffered by friends and family on symptoms of GAD. Results reinforce the examination of a broad range of multiple supports among women experiencing IPV. This thorough examination of different support systems may provide further insight into novel resources that can be strengthened among IPV-exposed populations.

Childhood Exposure to Partner Violence as a Moderator of Current Partner Violence and Negative Parenting.

This study examined the interactive effect of mothers' exposure to caregiver intimate partner violence (IPV) during childhood and the amount of violence experienced with a current partner on negative parenting practices. Mothers (N = 119) were recruited from community sites serving individuals experiencing IPV. Findings indicated that the following childhood IPV exposure variables moderated the association between current IPV severity and negative parenting practices: total types of IPV witnessed (B = 0.01, t = 2.65, p < .01), witnessing sexual IPV (B = 0.02, t = 2.16, p < .05), and witnessing psychological IPV (B = 0.03, t = 2.79, p < .01). Results highlight the intergenerational effect of violence and the importance of addressing trauma across the family system.

A latent profile analysis of coping responses to individuals' most traumatic event: associations with adaptive and maladaptive mental health outcomes.

Background & Objectives: This study explores how empirically-derived coping response patterns influence mental health. Design: Emerging adults, currently enrolled in college and aged 18-24 (N = 432; Mage = 19.66; SD = 1.65), completed self-report measures of trauma exposure, coping responses to self-selected most traumatic event (MTE), resilience, posttraumatic growth (PTG), depressive symptoms, and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). Methods: Eight coping subscales were included as indicators in a latent profile analysis. Then, associations between established profiles and mental health outcomes were examined, covarying for demographic and trauma-related variables. Results: Considering fit statistics, class size, profile patterns, and theory, the four-class model was deemed most appropriate: High Overall Coping (HCOPE; n = 146, 34%), Low Overall Coping (LCOPE; n = 92, 22%), High Engagement Coping (HENG; n = 115, 27%), and High Disengagement Coping (HDIS; n = 73, 17%). HENG participants endorsed above-average resilience and PTG, coupled with below-average depressive symptoms and PTSS. Compared to the sample average, HDIS participants endorsed lower resilience and PTG, coupled with higher depressive symptoms and PTSS. LCOPE participants endorsed low levels of all outcomes. HCOPE participants endorsed high levels of all outcomes. Conclusions: Findings suggest that clinicians who promote engagement coping and discourage disengagement coping among trauma-exposed individuals may engender the most desirable constellation of mental health outcomes.

Protective Factors associated with Resilience in Women Exposed to Intimate Partner Violence.

OBJECTIVE: Research on adversity is often skewed toward assessing problematic functioning; yet many women display resilience following traumatic experiences. Examining individual, relational, community, and cultural variables can provide new knowledge about protective factors associated with resilience in women exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV). Controlling for demographics and circumstances of the violence, this study evaluated predictors of resilience, including spirituality, social support, community cohesion, and ethnic identity. METHOD: The sample consisted of 112 women (Mage =32.12, SD=5.78) exposed to physical, psychological, and/or sexual intimate partner violence in the past 6 months. Approximately 70% of participants were Black. Hierarchical linear regression modeling was conducted to examine factors related to resilience. Model 1 included demographics (age, education, and socioeconomic status) and stressful life experiences. Model 2 added circumstances of the violence: IPV severity, IPV perpetration by participant, and number of violent partners. The third and final model added spirituality, social support, community cohesion, and ethnic identity. RESULTS: The final model was significant, F(11, 97)=6.63; p<.001, adj. R2 =36.5%; with greater social support (ß=.24; p=.009), more spirituality (ß=.28; p=.002), and fewer violent relationships (ß= -.25; p=.003) predicting higher resilience among women exposed to IPV. CONCLUSION: While risk factors associated with IPV are well-researched, little is known about factors related to resilient functioning, especially among minority populations. Knowledge gained from this study can advance the field of violence research by its identification of potentially mutable variables related to resilience. Such research could be applied to developing strength-based interventions for at-risk populations of violence-exposed women.

The moderating role of trauma type on the relationship between event centrality of the traumatic experience and mental health outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: Event centrality, or the extent to which traumatic events are perceived to be integral to one's life, has been found to be predictive of trauma-related symptoms, such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. Less research has been devoted to whether event centrality is related to adaptive outcomes, such as posttraumatic growth (PTG) and resiliency, and psychological well-being (PWB) has not been investigated. Given the unique circumstances of different types of traumas, the relationship between event centrality and posttrauma functioning may differ by the type of trauma experienced. METHOD: The present study investigated the direct relationships between event centrality and PTSD, depression, PTG, resiliency, and PWB, and then examined whether type of trauma (i.e., sexual victimization, death of a loved one, serious illness/injury, violence exposure) moderated the relationship between event centrality and mental health outcomes among 429 trauma-exposed college students (Mage = 19.66, SD = 1.65; 78.6% female; 49.9% White). RESULTS: Event centrality was positively related to PTSD, depression, and PTG, inversely linked with multiple indices of PWB, and unrelated to resiliency. Type of traumatic event moderated the relationship between event centrality and PTSD, as well as 4 subscales of PWB. When sexual trauma was the index event, event centrality was more strongly associated with PTSD and aspects of PWB compared to death of a loved one. CONCLUSIONS: Findings indicate the importance of trauma type when disentangling the relationships between event centrality and negative and positive outcomes and demonstrate the relevance of event centrality in understanding posttrauma functioning. (PsycINFO Database Record

The influence of childhood polyvictimization on disordered eating symptoms in emerging adulthood.

Children who endure multiple victimization experiences, or "polyvictims," are vulnerable to maladaptive outcomes. Yet, little research exists evaluating the relationship between childhood polyvictimization and disordered eating symptoms (DES) in emerging adulthood. The current study examines the relationship between childhood polyvictimization and DES in emerging adults. Data were collected from 288 participants across two universities using online self-report measures. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed a significant positive relationship between number of childhood victimization experiences and DES in young adulthood (ß=0.14; p=0.016). Female participants were more likely to demonstrate DES (ß=0.14; p=0.008). Further, high levels of emotion dysregulation during young adulthood were associated with more DES (ß=0.33; p<0.001). Findings suggest that exposure to victimization experiences in childhood increases individuals' risk for exhibiting DES in young adulthood. Results also highlight the strong relationship between individuals' emotion regulation abilities and the presence of DES. Findings align with the theory that children who have endured high levels of victimization often feel overwhelmed by their emotions and circumstances, demonstrate emotion regulation difficulties, and may rely on maladaptive coping strategies, including disordered eating, to manage adversities. Study results emphasize the importance of considering victimization history when working with emerging adults displaying disordered eating symptomatology.