Trauma from Physical and Emotional Sibling Violence as a Potential Risk Factor for Elder Abuse.

Older adults who are the victims of previous physical and emotional sibling violence may be more vulnerable to acts of elder abuse. Research establishes that elder abuse is traumatic, as is sibling violence. However, little is known regarding the likelihood of victims of sibling violence becoming victims of elder abuse. To date, no research has identified the trauma associated with sibling violence to be a risk factor for experiencing elder abuse. This conceptual article describes the potential influence of trauma due to sibling violence on later vulnerability to elder abuse. The paper presents definitions of sibling violence, elder abuse, etiology, and risk factors as well as descriptions of trauma associated with elder abuse and sibling violence. The impact of the trauma of sibling abuse as a potential risk factor for elder abuse is discussed. Finally, practical implications and directions for future research in this area are presented.

Understanding the Behavioral Health Risk Factors that African American and Latinx Women Experience within a National Context.

In an effort to address social determinants of health and to reduce barriers to care, there have been increased attempts to understand and mitigate public health concerns in ethnic minority communities. As knowledge increases regarding the impact of health disparities on ethnic minority communities, social workers practice knowledge must expand to include intersectional approaches and methods that are inclusive of mechanisms that address inconsistencies in access to health care. Using the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), this study examined behavioral health and psychosocial risk factors that African American and Latinx women (n = 7008) experienced and identified how these factors are associated with self-reported overall health. Results indicated that overall health and wellbeing is linked to psychosocial risk factors, such as depression, substance use, and even age for African American and Latinx women.

South Asians and the Role of Bystanders in Domestic Violence Prevention: Results from a Pilot Study.

PURPOSE: Domestic violence manifests in unique ways in South Asian immigrant communities. Given the need to uphold family honor, formal help-seeking remains minimal within this community. Individuals experiencing victimization rely on friends and family members as informal sources of support. These friends and family members may also be bystanders who witness victimization. Therefore, the goal of this study was to examine differences in participant responses to an online interactive bystander intervention developed for South Asians. METHODS: To get community response to the intervention, B.R.A.K.E. The Cycle, a Qualtrics link with all the intervention scenarios was posted on 21 sub-Reddit pages. Screeners to ensure that participants were of South Asian origin, 18 or older and currently residing in the United States (US) were added. True to the study purpose, to examine differences across gender and generational position, we conducted descriptive analysis and chi-square tests. RESULTS: There were differences in scenarios by gender and immigration position. Some of the main findings point to the need to report domestic violence, seek help (formal or informal) as well as surprisingly some responses justified the use of force by a male partner. We discuss these in-depth by scenarios. DISCUSSION: This is the first study to examine differences in bystander preference and response to using an intervention that was developed specifically for the South Asian community. Social workers can utilize this intervention to create dialogue around domestic violence prevention and the role of bystander within the South Asian and potentially other immigrant communities.

Physical and Emotional Sibling Violence in Childhood and Attachment in Close Relationships in Adulthood.

Despite the consequences of physical and emotional sibling violence, which can last into adulthood, research examining this form of family violence is minimal compared to child abuse, interpartner violence, and elder abuse. One area that has received scarce attention is the connection between physical and emotional sibling violence and attachment in close relationships in adulthood. This research study examines the association between physical and emotional sibling violence and adulthood attachment in a sample of 2,458 individuals who completed a survey on the sub-Reddit platform "/r/SampleSize: Where your opinions actually matter!" Participants completed items on demographics, frequency of physical and emotional behaviors experienced with a sibling in childhood, and adult attachment. Results found physical and emotional sibling violence in childhood to be associated with attachment in close relationships in adulthood. Frequency of physical and emotional sibling violence in childhood was also associated with comfortability with intimacy and closeness, comfortability of depending and relying on others, and concerns of abandonment and rejection by others in adulthood. The findings underscore the need to not only include physical and emotional sibling violence in future research on attachment but also to examine the connection between these phenomena in diverse samples (ethnicity, sexual orientation). Also highlighted is the need for practitioners to assess sibling relationships when working with children, families, and adults experiencing attachment issues throughout the life course.

Child welfare workers satisfaction and wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic: Perspectives of agency staff in Ohio.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the lives of children and families, created additional stressors, and increased risks for maltreatment. The pandemic has changed the way child welfare agencies operate, requiring changes to policies and practice. Minimal research has considered the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on child welfare workers wellbeing and job satisfaction. OBJECTIVE: This mixed-methods research study seeks to understand CPS staff satisfaction, variables impacting satisfaction, and challenges that increased since the pandemic began for child welfare workers in Ohio. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: A sample of staff members (n = 267) from 50 CPS agencies across Ohio participated in the study. METHODS: This mixed-methods study used logistic regression, chi square analyses, and thematic analysis to analyze the data from a survey sent to child welfare agencies in Ohio. RESULTS: Caring for minor children, primary role at work, and years in child welfare were significantly associated with job satisfaction. Those working in foster care/placement, adoption/permanency, family support/visitation, kinship were 7.57 times more likely than those doing intake/investigation work to be satisfied with their job (p = .007). Thematic analysis of staff issues that increased during the pandemic resulted in six themes: Stress and Anxiety, Feeling Overwhelmed, Burnout, All, Motivation, and Isolation and Disconnection. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic has created additional stressors for child welfare staff. Practice implications are discussed to help increase job satisfaction, staff wellbeing, and mitigate turnover.

Parenting in the Context of Intimate Partner Violence: Understanding Mothers' Perceptions.

Despite existing research, which has focused on the impacts of intimate partner violence (IPV) on mothers and their children, there is a paucity of research specifically examining mothers' perceptions of parenting in the context of IPV. This qualitative study explored parenting capacity and meaning making among a purposive sample of 16 female survivors of IPV who experienced IPV during both childhood and adulthood and had at least one school-aged child. Participants completed semi-structured in-person interviews during which they were asked a series of questions about their experiences with IPV and their parenting practices. Analysis revealed that parenting capacity could be categorized by two capacities: relational and operational. Based on these descriptive accounts of the experiences of parenting in contexts of IPV, a preliminary model suggesting a Dual-Part Model of Parenting (relational and operational capacity) is presented to aid in understanding the complexity and nuance of how parenting capacity may be impacted by IPV exposure throughout the lifespan. Strengths-based approaches to supporting survivors in parenting are explored, and future implications for strengths-based approaches to clinical practice with IPV survivors as well as improved research practices and social policies that emphasize an intersectionality approach are discussed.

Physical and Emotional Sibling Violence in the Time of COVID -19.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted families in a variety of ways with much being written on the potential impact of sheltering in place and quarantining on intimate partner violence and parent-to-child abuse. One area that has received scant attention is that of physical and emotional sibling violence. While physical and emotional sibling violence is a predominant form of family violence, discussion of violence between siblings in the time of COVID-19 has not received the attention it warrants. This article examines the potential for family stress to place siblings at risk for engaging in physical and emotional sibling violence and how this is exacerbated in the time of COVID-19. Also discussed is the the connection between physical and emotional sibling violence and other forms of family violence including intimate partner violence and parent-to-child abuse and neglect which underwrites the need to place physical and emotional sibling violence on the radar of practitioners, policy makers, and researchers. Finally, implications for practice, policy, and research on physical and emotional sibling violence in the context of COVID-19 are discussed.