Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a public health problem that affects millions every year across the U.S., including families with young children. Children exposed to IPV can suffer consequences such as negative developmental and psychological outcomes and sometimes physical harm. Previous research has found an association between IPV victimization and risk of child maltreatment. In addition to further examining the relation between IPV and child maltreatment risk, this study tested maternal depression and parental stress as mediators and social support as a moderator in the IPV-child maltreatment risk relation. The research was conducted using data from a study of low-income, first-time mothers who were enrolled in a home visitation program. Results show that IPV physical and psychological victimization is significantly associated with child maltreatment risk, and this relation is mediated by maternal depression. These findings provide valuable information for those in the child welfare field, IPV victim advocacy, and home visitation services. A multi-system response should be employed to ensure that services for victims are comprehensive and address all areas of need. This approach is necessary in order to improve outcomes for IPV victims as well as their children.

Introduction: Child maltreatment continues to be a significant public health concern in civilian and military communities alike. Child maltreatment has profound short and long term negative effects on children and families and is tremendously costly to society. There are several correlates of child maltreatment unique to the military family: deployment of the active duty service member and living in an overseas duty locations.Rationale: The high rate of deployments within the Marine Corps military community in Japan makes these children particularly vulnerable to child maltreatment. Many forms of child maltreatment are most significant in school aged children, and nearly all maltreated children display recognizable signs and symptoms including physical, emotional, and behavioral characteristics, but also academic difficulties which can be best detected by the educator or other school personnel. Thus, the importance of improving school personnel's knowledge regarding the recognition and response of child maltreatment is especially important. Department of Defense Dependent Schools (DoDDS) teachers, school professionals, and staff with direct student contact spend a significant amount of time with military children and are in a prime position to recognize and respond to at-risk and maltreated children.Purpose/Objective: The purpose of this study was to pilot a web-based child maltreatment tutorial for DoDDS teachers, school professionals and support staff with direct student contact within the Marine Corps community in Japan. The goal was to determine whether these professionals would gain information about child maltreatment in general and specific to the military families in Japan.Methods: Thirty-three eligible school personnel within the DoDDS school district in Japan participated in the study. A pre-test /post-test design was used to determine the effectiveness of the tutorial in increasing participant knowledge of risk factors, signs and symptoms, and reporting procedures for child maltreatment.Results: Findings indicated that participants' post-test scores were significantly higher than pre-test scores (p <0.001). The majority of participants indicated that they liked the format and self-paced nature of the tutorial.Conclusions: This exploratory study demonstrated the effectiveness of a web-based tutorial to disseminate information about child maltreatment in military families.

Child maltreatment is a costly social problem that carries with it significant risk of poor outcomes across the lifespan. There is a large body of research on risk and protective factors associated with child maltreatment. However, there is a significant gap in the literature on family functioning after children are reunified with their families. The current study proposed a conceptual model of family functioning based on a socioecological perspective. Hypotheses related to the effects of parenting on well-being were tested using a series of structural equation models. Results indicated modest support for the directional effects of improved parenting on parental well-being and the importance of social support for these families. Overall, this study points to the necessity of continued interaction with families after reunification and the importance of a multi-dimensional perspective. Many mothers continued to struggle with substance use months after reunification, indicating the need for long-term interventions and continued assessment of family well-being. The current study provides data to support changes in public policy and practice which would emphasize continuing long-term service provision. In particular, these families are likely to benefit most from empirically-supported parent training and the development of social support skill-building.

This study examined the links among child maltreatment (i.e., child sexual abuse, child physical abuse, child emotional abuse, and child neglect), eating disorder symptoms, problematic use of drugs and alcohol, coping strategies, and emotion regulation in women. This study also examined coping strategies and emotion regulation as potential moderators of the links among child maltreatment, eating disorder symptoms, and problematic substance use. Maltreatment in childhood is linked with numerous adverse outcomes across the lifespan. For instance, the development of maladaptive coping styles, poor emotion regulation, substance use problems, and eating disorders all are linked to a history of child maltreatment, but how these factors interact has yet to be investigated. These constructs were examined through hierarchical multiple regressions in a sample of 383 women age 19 or older, recruited online. Results indicated that women who experienced greater overall child maltreatment engaged in more problematic drug use and more problematic alcohol use and women with child sexual abuse (CSA) engaged in greater levels of problematic drug use. Avoidance coping was associated with greater levels of problematic drug use, dieting, bulimia and food preoccupation, and overall eating disorder symptoms. Women with more severe eating disorder symptoms and who used greater expressive suppression, also engaged in more problematic alcohol use. When considered together, all forms of child maltreatment were associated with greater avoidance and problematic drug and alcohol use, CSA survivors used less avoidance and expressive suppression, and child neglect (CN) survivors used more avoidance and expressive suppression. These findings suggest that health care professionals working with women survivors of child maltreatment should be aware of increased risk of developing substance use problems as well as less effective coping and emotion regulation strategies that may be stemming from victimization experiences. In addition, it may be helpful for clinicians working with women with eating disorders or problematic substance use to focus on improving coping and emotion regulation skills. / Graduate

The general purpose of this study was to both evaluate the effectiveness of filial therapy and describe the filial treatment process with parents court-referred for maltreatment. In filial therapy, parents learn basic play therapy skills in a group format that they implement in weekly home play sessions. They then generalize these skills into their parenting. Three research questions guided the quantitative portion of this investigation: (1) Is filial therapy effective at reducing the child abuse potential of parents court-referred for maltreatment? (2) Is filial therapy effective at reducing parenting stress for parents court-referred for maltreatment? (3) Is filial therapy effective at strengthening the parent-child relationship for parents court-referred for maltreatment? Qualitative data about parents' experience in the filial group was also collected and addressed the following questions: (1) How does the filial therapy process affect participants? (2) How does the filial therapy process affect treatment outcome? (3) What changes, in addition to those measured quantitatively, are reported by parents. The experimental group participants (n=7) received 8 weeks of filial therapy (modified from Landreth's (1991) 10-week model) in 1-1/2 hour weekly sessions. The control group (n=5) received a local agency's standard treatment. Parents completed two instruments, the Parenting Stress Index (PSI) and the Child Abuse Potential Inventory (CAP). Analyses of covariance indicated that parents significantly reduced there parenting stress and strengthened the parent-child relationship. Although parents did not significantly reduce their child abuse potential in this study, those results were based on an incomplete analysis. Most of the pre-test CAP scores for parents in the experimental group (6 of 7) were invalid as a result of excessive "faking good responses." As a result, only post-test scores could be compared between the experimental and control groups. The qualitative data revealed that parents made important changes during the filial therapy process. / Ph. D.

In comparison to their non-maltreated peers, adult survivors of child maltreatment experience more social and emotional maladjustment; however, survivors can be resilient when they have adequate psychological and social resources to cope with abuse sequelae. Similarly, stress and health studies have shown that social support schemas are stress buffers that attenuate negatively-valenced emotional reactivity. As a result of interpersonal problems, however, some individuals might interpret current relationships more negatively and expect little support in the future. Young women (ages ranging from 18 to 23) with histories of child maltreatment were administered a harassment task while their cardiac activity, emotional states, and stress appraisals were assessed. Before the stressor, the women were randomly assigned to either of two schema priming conditions: thinking and writing about a supportive person (social support schema condition) or a casual acquaintance (control condition). In comparison to women in the control condition, women in the support condition evidenced less state anger and heart rate variability (i.e., rMSSD) reactivity in response to the laboratory stressor; however, the support schema and reactivity relationship did not vary significantly between women with high versus low interpersonal problems. The support schema and state anger reactivity relationship was fully mediated by primary stress appraisals (e.g., feeling challenged and feeling intimidated), but not secondary stress appraisal (e.g., feeling in control). These findings suggest that there are nuances in the relationship between support schema and reactivity. Clinical and research implications are discussed. / Ph. D.

Hugh Lafollette’s theoretical justification of parental licensing hinges upon consideration of the harms associated with raising children. If we understand Lafollette’s stance as one in which the moral status of children is equal to that of other human beings, we must consider what such a commitment might require of social institutions such as the family. Unlike other licensing programs, I argue that Lafollette’s parental licensing program serves as a tool by which fair equality of opportunity can be acquired for those living within a given society. I attempt to demonstrate how the normative views as to the sovereignty of parents serve to discount the moral status of children, thus limiting the protections offered against child maltreatment. I will show how Lafollette’s theoretical justifications align with concerns addressed in John Stuart Mill’s harm principle and Rawlsian views as to the importance of access to fair equality of opportunity.

Child abuse and neglect (i.e., maltreatment) affect a considerable number of children and can negatively impact how children learn and behave in the classroom. Knowledge gaps, false beliefs, and limited skills with regard to child maltreatment are commonly found among teachers, despite their vital role in the lives of maltreated children. In Canada, little has been done to develop training or other supports for teachers around detecting and responding to child maltreatment. This two-study dissertation brings awareness to the training needs of Canadian-based teachers regarding child maltreatment, as well as to the feasibility of developing, implementing, and evaluating child maltreatment teacher training. Study 1 involved a multi-informant assessment of (1) teachers’ child maltreatment training needs and (2) factors that may influence teachers’ training participation and use of maltreatment-related knowledge and skills. Using surveys and focus groups, qualitative information was gathered from three informant groups in a major urban region in Ontario (i.e., 19 school social workers, 9 child welfare practitioners, and 21 foster caregivers). Study 1 findings highlighted gaps in maltreatment-related knowledge and skills among local elementary school teachers in various areas related to child maltreatment detection and intervention (e.g., trauma-sensitive classroom practices, reporting). Beyond identifying training content needs, Study 1 results also identified multi-level factors that might influence teachers’ participation in child maltreatment training, as well as their use of maltreatment-related knowledge and skills. Most commonly, factors included teacher workload issues, teacher beliefs (e.g., negative attitudes toward child welfare), school internal supports (e.g., unavailability of social workers), and school resource structures (e.g., unmet demand for assessments). Building on these results, Study 2 designed, piloted, and evaluated a child maltreatment training curriculum for teachers. The training evaluation followed Kirkpatrick’s (1994) model for evaluating training programs, wherein the first three of four levels were addressed: (1) reaction (participants’ perceptions about the training); (2) learning (change in knowledge and/or attitudes); and (3) behaviour (change in actual work practices). A quasi-experimental design was used to gather data from a sample of 45 local teachers (19 intervention and 26 wait-list comparison group participants) with total experience in education ranging from 2 to 39 years. To explore participants’ feedback on the training, quantitative and qualitative information was gathered using surveys administered during the training (n = 19). To explore preliminary training outcomes, quantitative and qualitative information was gathered using pre- and post-training questionnaires (n = 45), as well as post-training interviews (n = 13). Training feedback findings supported the usefulness and relevance of training content for local elementary school teachers. Study 2 results also suggest that relatively brief child maltreatment training has the potential to improve teachers’ attitudes, knowledge, and likelihood of responding effectively to maltreatment-related issues at school. Although replication with additional samples and more rigorous methodology are needed, these findings represent an important first step in establishing improved training for Canadian school professionals regarding child maltreatment. Collectively, dissertation results also have several research and clinical implications. Foremost, this dissertation offers recommendations for future maltreatment training development, implementation, and evaluation efforts that include teachers and other school-based professionals. Dissertation results also highlight a need for complementary efforts to explore and address the intersection of factors and systems that may influence teachers’ participation in maltreatment training and research, as well as their responses to child maltreatment at school.

Research over the past 30 years suggests that sport can provide a context in which children are subjected to several forms of maltreatment. Various countries, regions, sports and individual organisations have responded to this evidence, causing a proliferation of methods used to safeguard children from harm. However, one approach that is yet to be considered is the safety culture approach. This is despite its potential to address all of the potential risk factors of child maltreatment in sport, and its evidenced ability to tackle a wide range of safety concerns in fields as far-reaching as healthcare, aviation and energy production. Based on this, the aim of this thesis was to conceptualise safety culture in sport from a child safeguarding perspective. A total of 45 interviews and 7 focus groups were conducted with participants from five organisations which differed on the grounds of size, mission and geographical location. Data was analysed using thematic analysis. Findings suggested that safety culture in sport is influenced by the presence and nature of; safety management systems, committed leadership and stakeholder engagement. Findings also suggested that these factors have an interconnected relationship, which influences the nature and strength of the safety culture. These factors and their subsequent safety culture were also found to be influenced by a multitude of internal and external contextual factors. Therefore, the findings of this thesis are used to present the Safety Culture Model for Safeguarding Children. This is the first of its kind as both a model of safety culture in sport, and a safety culture model that specifically relates to safeguarding children. Practical implications and avenues for future research are also presented.

The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors for repeated child maltreatment in Iceland. Only cases that had never been reported to child protection services before were included in this study (N=77 total). Each case was followed for 18 months. In all cases the first reported incident was neglect. In the study, a group of cases that had only been reported once (single incident) was compared with another group of cases that had been reported two or more times (repeated incidents). Risk factors were identified and compared on different levels according to an ecological model: 1) Demographics, 2) Parental figure problems, 3) Children's characteristics, 4) Family problems, 5) Social support. In addition, the two groups were compared on parental non-cooperation and services received. In a logistic regression model, the groups differed significantly on the following factors; the mother figures in the repeated incidents group had lower education level and the mothers in that group had more personal problems than the mother figures in the repeated incidents group. In addition, the repeated incidents group experienced more family dynamic problems than the single incident group.