Intergenerational maltreatment in parent-child dyads from Burundi, Africa: Associations among parental depression and connectedness, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and aggression in children.

Studies investigating the associations between histories of childhood maltreatment (CM) in parent-child dyads have primarily involved samples from high-income countries; however, CM rates are higher in low- and middle-income countries. The present study aimed to examine the (a) association between maltreatment in parents and maltreatment of their children through risk (i.e., parent depression) and protective (i.e., parent-child connectedness) factors and (b) associations between CM in children with aggression through posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and peer/sibling victimization. Participants were 227 parent-child dyads from Burundi, Africa, a low-income country. Parents were 18 years of age or older, and children were 12-18 years (M = 14.76, SD = 1.88, 57.7% female). Among parents, 20.7%-69.5% of participants reported a history of physical and emotional abuse and neglect; among children, the rates of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse ranged from 14.5% to 89.4%. A history of CM in parents was associated with CM in children, B = 0.19, p < .01, and CM in parents was indirectly associated with CM in children through parent-child connectedness, ß = .04, 95% CI [.01, .10], and parental depression, ß = .08, 95% CI [.03, .15]. In children, maltreatment was positively associated with peer/sibling victimization, and CM was associated with aggression, ß = .07, 95% CI [.04, 0.11], through PTSS but not via peer/sibling victimization. Continued efforts to improve CM-related preventive strategies and the accessibility of prevention services are needed to reduce CM in low-income countries such as Burundi.

A public health approach to address the mental health burden of youth in situations of political violence and humanitarian emergencies.

This paper describes how socio-ecological theory and a syndemic health systems and public health approach may help address the plight of youth in situations of political violence and humanitarian emergencies. We describe the treatment gap caused by discrepancies in epidemiological prevalence rates, individual and family needs, and available human and material resources. We propose four strategies to develop a participatory public health approach for these youth, based on principles of equity, feasibility, and a balance between prevention and treatment. The first strategy uses ecological and transgenerational resilience as a theoretical framework to facilitate a systems approach to the plight of youth and families. This theoretical base helps to engage health care professionals in a multisectoral analysis and a collaborative public health strategy. The second strategy is to translate pre-program assessment into mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) priorities. Defining priorities helps to develop programs and policies that align with preventive and curative interventions in multiple tiers of the public health system. The third is a realistic budgetary framework as a condition for the development of sustainable institutional capacity including a monitoring system. The fourth strategy is to direct research to address the knowledge gap about effective practices for youth mental health in humanitarian settings.

Assessing the factor structure of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, and cumulative effect of abuse and neglect on mental health among adolescents in conflict-affected Burundi.

The present study aimed to examine the factor structure of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ; Bernstein & Fink, 1998), highlight rates of abuse and neglect among Burundian adolescents, compare these rates with those found in high-income nations, and examine the cumulative effect of multiple types of abuse and neglect on depression and PTSD symptoms. Participants were 231 adolescents and youth (M=14.9, SD=1.99, 58.4% female) from five provinces of Burundi, a country in Central Africa affected by war and political violence. Translation and back-translation of the CTQ was carried out to obtain an adaptation of CTQ in Kirundi, the native language of Burundi. With the exception of one item on 'molestation' in the factor of sexual abuse, the five-factor structure of CTQ was obtained comprising latent factors, namely emotional, physical, and sexual abuse, and emotional and physical neglect. The rate of abuse and neglect ranged from 14.7-93.5% with more than 37% reporting 4 or more types of abuse and neglect experiences. Emotional abuse and neglect, and physical neglect were 2-3 times higher among Burundian adolescents when compared with studies from high-income countries using the CTQ. A cumulative effect of multiple types of abuse and neglect was found, such that, those with 4 or more types of maltreatment were higher on symptoms of depression and posttraumatic stress. Findings highlight the need for culturally sensitive, standardized, and validated measures and norms for gauging childhood maltreatment in Burundi and related need for preventative interventions on childhood maltreatment.