Executive functioning in child victims of sexual abuse: A multi-informant comparative study.

BACKGROUND: Research examining the association between child sexual abuse and executive functions is limited. Yet, exposure to traumatic situations at a young age has been associated with changes in the prefrontal cortex, which hosts executive functions (Wesarg et al., 2020). These functions are crucial for social adaptation, as they make it possible to inhibit maladaptive behavior and respond flexibly to the demands of the environment. As middle childhood is a sensitive period for the development of self-regulatory abilities, exploring executive functioning in school-age children could provide potential intervention targets (Dajani & Uddin, 2015). OBJECTIVE: Using multiple informants, this study compared executive functioning of sexually abused children to that of non-sexually victimized children and examined whether the differences were moderated by sex. METHODS: The sample consisted of 225, 6-to-12 years old children with a history of child sexual abuse (CSA) and 97 children without a history of CSA. Children completed two executive functioning tasks measuring cognitive flexibility and inhibition. Parents and teachers completed questionnaires evaluating children's executive functioning. RESULTS: In comparison to non-abused children, children with a history of CSA displayed greater executive functioning difficulties as assessed by both informant-reported questionnaires and self-completed tasks. Significant interaction effects were found, such as CSA predicting lower inhibition and executive functions at school in boys but not in girls. CONCLUSION: This study is a first step in understanding the association between CSA and executive functioning and offers a clearer picture of the differential impact of sexual trauma according to children's sex.

Reproductive Coercion by Intimate Partners: Prevalence and Correlates in Canadian Individuals with the Capacity to be Pregnant.

OBJECTIVES: Despite the large body of research on violence against women, violence that specifically targets women's reproductive autonomy and control over their reproductive health, called reproductive coercion (RC), is poorly documented in Canada. The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence of RC behaviors in an adult Canadian community sample and to explore associated factors. STUDY DESIGN: A self-report online questionnaire was administered from September 2020 to April 2021 in Quebec and Ontario, Canada. Participants were recruited via social media, sexual and reproductive health clinics, community-based anti-violence organizations, and the project's partner organizations. The questionnaire contained validated RC questionnaire items and new items drawn from previous qualitative work. The sample comprised 427 participants, mostly self-identified as women (92%), aged 18 to 55 years (M = 29.01; SD = 6.64). Descriptive analyses and binary logistic regressions were conducted using SPSS 27. RESULTS: The results of this study show that 63.9% of participants reported at least one lifetime experience of RC. According to our data, contraceptive sabotage was the most common form (62.8%). Of the participants who had been pregnant, 9.8% reported control of pregnancy outcomes. Each RC category shows a different pattern of correlates. The findings also reveal that intimate partner violence (IPV) increases the likelihood of contraceptive sabotage. Moreover, the study suggests that low education level and IPV increase the risk for control of pregnancy outcomes. CONCLUSION: These findings underscore the importance of RC in the lives of many Canadian individuals with the capacity to be pregnant, and they highlight certain factors that place individuals at greater risk for RC. This knowledge can inform the development of prevention efforts and clinical interventions.

A Systematic Review of Community-Level Protective Factors in Children Exposed to Maltreatment.

Childhood maltreatment and neglect are associated with a host of negative outcomes. Yet, some children show resilience despite their exposure to these traumatic events. Several protective factors have been documented in the literature, but few studies focus on protective factors in the child's community that can promote resilience. The purpose of this review was to provide a comprehensive portrait of the impact of community protective factors on the resilience of abused and neglected children. The databases PsycNet and PubMed were used to screen the literature relying on the following inclusion criteria: (1) published in English or in French; (2) report empirical and quantitative data; (3) include a minimum sample size of 30 participants; (4) rely on a sample of maltreated children or adolescents under the age of 24; (5) examine the associations between community protective factors and indicators of psychological adaptation; and (6) include outcome measures that assessed either positive adaptation or the absence of symptomatology in participants. Of the 9,553 articles identified, 44 studies met the eligibility criteria for inclusion in this review. Although many protective factors show significant results, several methodological limitations remain to be examined to affirm that these community variables have a significant impact on the level of resilience of maltreated children. Since child maltreatment is a systemic issue, it remains important to fully understand how community protective factors operate on the resilience of these children as it can greatly inform practitioners and community institutions on how to intervene with populations at risk of maltreatment.

An Exploratory Mixed-method Descriptive Analysis of Youth Coping during the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Quebec.

This study presents an exploratory mixed-method descriptive analysis of psychological distress, challenges encountered and coping strategies of youth during the first wave of COVID-19. A total of 4 914 Quebec youth, aged 14 to 25 recruited through social media completed an online survey on the impact of the pandemic on their daily life, psychological distress and post-traumatic growth. They were also invited to answer two open-ended questions regarding the difficulties they experienced and their coping strategies. Overall, 26.6% of youth showed serious psychological distress and 20.3% displayed probable PTSD symptoms related to the COVID-19. Comparative analyses revealed that youth identifying as gender and sexual minorities were more vulnerable to distress during the first wave of the pandemic. While few sociodemographic variables distinguish youth reporting post-traumatic growth from those who do not, the former group was more likely to seek and receive social support. Qualitative data highlighted difficulties that were common to many respondents including lack of social contacts, the lockdown itself, and problems related to disruptions of educational and academic activities. Youth also mentioned three main strategies they used to cope: maintaining social contacts, engaging in leisure activities and physical exercise. While many youths have encountered compelling challenges during the lockdown of the first wave of COVID-19, some report having relied on efficient coping strategies to deal with the situation. Support services should be implemented to help the youth cope with the pandemic while considering their diverse needs.

History of trauma and COVID-19-related psychological distress and PTSD.

The COVID-19 pandemic has a great impact on society as a whole. Yet the pandemic and associated mandatory lockdown in several countries may have increased the vulnerability of certain populations. The present study aimed to document the frequency of clinical level of psychological distress and COVID-19 related post-traumatic stress symptoms in youth during the first wave of the pandemic. The study more specifically explored the role of prior trauma and adverse life events as a vulnerability factor for negative outcomes. A sample of 4914 adolescents and young adults from the province of Quebec, Canada was recruited online through social networks during the first wave of COVID-19. Results revealed that 26.6% of youth displayed serious psychological distress and 20.3% probable PTSD symptoms. The number of past traumas and adversity experienced showed a dose-response relation with the prevalence of psychological distress and PTSD. After controlling for socio-demographic characteristics and COVID-19 related variables (exposure, fear, suspicion of having the infection), participants with a history of five traumas and more presented a two-fold risk of serious psychological distress and probable PTSD. Emotion dysregulation was also associated with an increased risk of symptoms while resilience was linked to a reduced risk of distress.

Disentangling the diversity of profiles of adaptation in youth during COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 outbreak has major psychosocial consequences on the global population and specialists report that youth may be significantly impacted. Adolescents and young adults, for whom social life is an important protective factor, had to face a new isolation caused by social distancing and home schooling. This study aims to explore youth's profiles of adaptation to COVID-19 pandemic in the province of Quebec, Canada, and the risk factors and strengths associated with each profile. METHODS: A sample of 4936 youth living in Quebec were recruited on social media and filled out an online survey during the lockdown of the first wave of COVID-19. They completed measures of psychological distress, positive adaptation (well-being, resilience), risk factors (alexithymia and emotional dysregulation), COVID-related worries and fear of contamination and COVID-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). RESULTS: The results of the latent class analysis showed four patterns of adjustment. The Resilient group (36.6% of the sample) showed the highest probability of a positive adaptation. The High distress class (29.5%) reported clinical distress, low to moderate symptoms of PTSD and fear of contamination and no significant well-being. The Moderate symptoms class (17.55%) showed moderate levels of distress and COVID-related symptoms, with half of the group still showing significant well-being. The Traumatized class (16.35%) reported the worst adaptation. Correlates significantly differentiated profiles. LIMITATIONS: The study relied on a convenience sample and a cross-sectional design. CONCLUSION: Disentangling the diversity of adaptation profiles may orient more adapted resources for youth in need during this unprecedented crisis.

Psychometric Properties of the Dominic Interactive in a Sample of French Canadian Sexually Abused Children.

There are few computerized questionnaires assessing mental health in children. Although the psychometric properties of the Dominic Interactive have been verified for clinical and nonclinical populations, no study has specifically targeted sexually abused children. This study aimed to explore the reliability and validity of the Dominic Interactive with a sample of sexually abused children. The sample consisted of 687 children aged from 6 to 11 recruited in specialized intervention centers in Quebec. We conducted confirmatory factor analysis to assess the factorial structure of the questionnaire and assessed the internal consistency of the subscales with Cronbach alphas and McDonalds omegas. Subscales of the Dominic Interactive showed good fit with the factorial structure and met the prescribed criteria, except for Specific Phobias and Separation Anxiety subscales that showed high interitem correlations. After accounting for intercorrelation errors, all model fit indices showed good adjustment to the factorial structure and met the fit indices criteria. The different subscales of the DI were found to be significantly correlated (r ranging from .13 to .30) with their equivalent parent-reported assessments. The results extend previous findings and suggest that the Dominic Interactive is a valid tool to quickly diagnose various behavioural problems in sexually abused children.