Kids and Teens in Court (KTIC): A Model for Preparing Child Witnesses for Court.

Each year, numerous children testify in the United States in either criminal, civil, or juvenile court cases. Typically, children who testify are alleged victims of sexual or physical abuse or neglect, witnesses to violent crime, or subjects in custodial hearings in civil court. As more maltreatment cases are prosecuted and child custody is contested, an increasing number of children are being called as witnesses in court. Many of these children have already been traumatized by the experiences that led to their need to testify, and participation in the court process can have additional negative effects. This article describes the development and recent formative evaluation of a court preparation program that provides psychoeducation and utilizes components of evidence-based trauma treatment approaches, such as relaxation and in vivo exposure, to support child witnesses and reduce the risk of retraumatization. Children and adolescents participating in the program attend group sessions conducted by mental health clinicians and complete a court-related anxiety measure before and after each session. Results from 175 participants are reported. Findings indicated significant decreases in court-related anxiety with large program effects. Challenges encountered by the program and future directions are discussed.

Exploring perceptions and experiences of maternal depression in Latinas: a qualitative study.

Understanding how depression is conceptualized is key to designing effective screening and treatment procedures. Of particular concern is maternal depression in Latinas, given the high Latina birthrate. We conducted two focus groups of pregnant Latinas to elicit their perceptions of and experiences with maternal depression. Women reported familiarity with the concept of maternal depression and that their experiences with depression were linked to social support from family and friends. Women also indicated that they felt responsible for coping and recovering from depression independently. How experiences with depression interact with traditional Latino idioms of distress, needs further investigation.

Mental health symptoms of youth initiating psychiatric care at different phases of the COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: To examine differences in caregiver and youth reported mental health symptoms for youth initiating mental health treatment through phases of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic, compared with symptomology reported the prior year. STUDY DESIGN: This retrospective study analyzes group differences in mental health symptoms (Pediatric Symptom Checklist; PSC-35) based on 7874 youth seeking treatment in publicly funded mental health treatment programs during California's Stay-At-Home order (March-May, 2020) and the prolonged pandemic (May-December, 2020) phases of the COVID-19 pandemic as compared with matching groups in 2019. RESULTS: Youth entering mental health treatment services, and their caregivers, reported significantly increased internalizing, externalizing, and attention-related symptoms during the prolonged pandemic phase, but not during the acute stay-at-home phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, and with small effect sizes. Group comparison analyses did not detect a significantly larger effect for Sexual and Gender Diverse (SGD) youth who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, asexual, transgender, Two-Spirit, queer, and/or intersex, and Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC). CONCLUSIONS: A large-scale comparison of youth mental health symptoms before and during the COVID-19 pandemic suggests that mental health was disrupted for youth seeking treatment as the pandemic prolonged throughout 2020.

Child maltreatment profiles and adjustment problems in high-risk adolescents.

The purpose of this article is to identify profiles of maltreatment experiences in a sample of high-risk adolescents and to investigate the relationship between the derived profiles and psychological adjustment. Participants are 1,131 youth between the ages of 12 and 18 years involved with publicly funded mental health and social services. Information on physical, sexual, and emotional maltreatment and psychological symptoms are obtained in interviews with adolescents and their primary caregivers. Using latent profile analysis, three maltreatment profiles are identified: "sexual+physical+emotional maltreatment," "physical+emotional maltreatment," and "low maltreatment." Adolescents in the two maltreatment profiles generally have significantly higher scores on symptom scales compared with those in the "low maltreatment" profile, but scores in the two maltreatment profiles do not differ. Findings highlight the need for agencies to identify and provide appropriate intervention for youth who experience multiple types of maltreatment.

Measuring collaboration across children's behavioral health and child welfare systems.

A commonly emphasized component of trauma-informed care is the practice of building cross-system collaboration (CSC). While existing research on CSC states numerous benefits and barriers associated with increasing collaboration between systems, there is limited empirical understanding on how to define and measure collaboration between county systems of care. The current study presents the psychometric evaluation of scores from the Perceptions of Overarching Cross-System Collaboration-Child Welfare and Behavioral Health Systems (POCSC-CW/BH), a 6-item self-report instrument completed by system administrative leadership and direct service providers, administered within child welfare and children's behavioral health systems in 6 California counties. Psychometric analysis demonstrated good support of internal consistency, as well as the factorial, convergent, and discriminant validity of scores produced by the tool. There was also evidence for content validity. System-level analyses showed within-county child welfare, and children's behavioral health system staff reported similar perceptions of CSC in 5 of 6 counties, whereas POCSC-CW/BH scores across counties showed variability. Exploratory results revealed CSC scores varied by staff role in each system. In general, the POCSC-CW/BH is a promising instrument that adds to a limited array of practical empirically supported measurement tools for measuring CSC between child welfare and children's behavior health systems. The study limitations and implications for CSC measurement and trauma-informed practice are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Self-reported disciplinary practices among women in the child welfare system: association with domestic violence victimization.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between physical domestic violence victimization (both recent and more than a year in past measured by self-report) and self-reported disciplinary practices among female parents/caregivers in a national sample of families referred to child welfare. METHODS: Cross-sectional survey of more than 3,000 female caregivers in the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-being (NSCAW) study, a nationally representative sample of children and their families referred to child welfare agencies for investigation of abuse and neglect. Women reported physical domestic violence victimization and their disciplinary practices for their child on different versions of the Conflict Tactics Scales. RESULTS: Four hundred and forty-three women reported prior year domestic violence, 1,161 reported domestic violence but not in the past 12 months, and 2,025 reported no domestic violence exposure. Any prior domestic violence exposure was associated with higher rates of self-reported psychological aggression, physical aggression and neglectful disciplinary behaviors as compared to those with no domestic violence victimization in bivariate comparisons. After controlling for child behavior, demographic factors, and maternal characteristics, those with remote and recent domestic violence victimization employed more self-reported psychological aggression, while only caregivers with recent DV reported more physical aggression or neglectful behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: In a national child welfare sample, self-reported aggressive and neglectful parenting behaviors were common. In this sample, domestic violence victimization is associated with more self-reported aggressive and neglectful disciplinary behaviors among female caregivers. The mechanism for these associations is not clear. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Rates of aggressive and neglectful disciplinary practices are especially high among female parents/caregivers exposed to domestic violence. Child welfare agencies should plan routine and structured assessments for domestic violence among parents/caregivers and implement parenting interventions to reduce harmful disciplinary practices for those families identified.

Substance involvement among youths in child welfare: the role of common and unique risk factors.

This study examines risk factors for substance involvement for youths involved with the child welfare (CW) system. In addition to common risk factors examined in general population studies; this research examines risk factors unique to youths in the CW system, including age at entry into CW and number of out-of-home placements. Participants included 214 youths ages 13 to 18, randomly sampled from youths active to CW in San Diego County, California. Severity of substance involvement was assessed through structured diagnostic interviews determining lifetime substance use, abuse, and dependence. Hierarchical regression analyses including demographics, psychosocial variables, maltreatment history, CW placement variables, and the interaction of age at entry into CW and number of out-of-home placements revealed that both common and CW-specific risk factors were associated with the severity of youth substance involvement. Multiple-placement changes, later entry into the CW system, and multiple-placement changes at an older age are associated with higher risk for more serious substance involvement for youths in CW.

Intimate partner violence and psychological functioning in Latina women.

In this study, the researchers examined the associations among intimate partner violence and psychological functioning in 282 Latina women between 18 and 45 years. Participants were interviewed about demographic characteristics, experiences with physical, sexual, and psychological intimate partner violence, psychological symptoms, stressful life events, and childhood maltreatment. Physical violence was associated with symptoms of depression and hostility, and psychological abuse was related to depression, hostility, and somatization. Sexual violence was generally not associated with psychological functioning. The different types of intimate partner violence were not related to participants' self-esteem. Implications for interventions with Latina women are discussed.

Experiences with intimate partner violence among Latina women.

This study examined experiences with intimate partner violence in 292 Latina women classified as U.S. born, immigrant, or migrant-seasonal workers. High lifetime rates of violence were found, with 33.9% reporting physical violence, 20.9% reporting sexual coercion, and 82.5% reporting psychological aggression. Rates of violence in the preceding year were also high, with 18.5% experiencing physical violence, 14.4% experiencing sexual coercion, and 72.6% experiencing psychological aggression. Participants' marital status and partners' substance use were associated with victimization. The present findings suggest the need for screening for intimate partner violence and associated risk factors in settings that serve Latina women.

Pediatric health care providers' self-reported practices in recognizing and treating maternal depression.

Screening for maternal depression with appropriate intervention has been emphasized through pediatric guidelines, but engaging providers to implement such procedures remains challenging. This study examined self-reported practice in recognizing and treating maternal depression in 98 pediatric health care providers. Over 85% agreed that recognizing maternal depression was their responsibility, yet only half reported confidence in their ability to do so. Fewer than 10% reported asking mothers about depression or using a screening tool. Clear differences in practice, treatment, and perceived barriers by confidence level were found. Implications for practice, research, and training are discussed.

Assessment of Intimate Partner Violence by Child Welfare Services.

The purpose of this study was to describe policy and practice with respect to the assessment of intimate partner violence in a sample of child welfare agencies located throughout the United States and to examine the relationship of contextual characteristics and assessment practices. Telephone interviews were conducted with key informants from child welfare agencies. A snowball interviewing strategy was used to identify the best informant in each agency. Almost all of the participating agencies conducted some assessment of intimate partner violence, with most reporting that the majority of screening or assessment occurred during investigation of referrals. However, only 43.1% reported that all of the families referred to the child welfare system were assessed for intimate partner violence, and 52.8% indicated they had a written policy pertaining to screening and assessment of the problem. There was little relationship between county or agency characteristics and assessment practices. Additional research is needed to determine factors that influence assessment practices and to identify strategies to support and extend efforts to identify intimate partner violence and provide appropriate services for families in the child welfare system.

Persistence of intimate partner violence among families referred to child welfare.

The purpose of this study is to examine the longitudinal course of intimate partner violence (IPV) among female caregivers of children receiving child welfare services. Data are derived from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being, a national probability study of children investigated for child abuse and neglect in the United States. Caregivers (n = 861) are interviewed about demographic characteristics, mental health, substance use, and physical violence by a partner at the close of the investigation and at an 18-month follow-up. Polychotomous logistic regression examines the associations of severe and minor IPV controlling for caregiver and environmental characteristics. The results suggest that factors related to initial risk for IPV do not affect the continuation of IPV and that patterns of IPV differ for racial and ethnic groups.

Mental health services for Latino adolescents with psychiatric disorders.

OBJECTIVES: The major objectives of this study were to examine the prevalence of mental disorders and the use of mental health services among Latino adolescents who were receiving services in at least one of five public sectors of care in San Diego County. METHODS: Survey data were gathered for a random sample of adolescents aged 12 to 18 years (N=1,164) who were receiving public-sector care. Mental disorders were assessed with the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children, and use of mental health services was assessed with the Service Assessment for Children and Adolescents. RESULTS: Rates of disruptive disorders were significantly lower among Latino adolescents than among white adolescents. Although more than half of the Latino sample received specialty mental health services, those with psychiatric disorders were significantly underserved compared with their white counterparts. Latino adolescents with psychiatric disorders entered specialty mental health services at a later age and had made significantly fewer specialty mental health service visits in the previous year. In multivariate analyses, Latino youths were significantly less likely than white youths to use specialty mental health services independent of diagnosis, gender, age, and the service sector from which they were selected. CONCLUSIONS: Public service systems need to ensure that Latino youths are appropriately assessed for disruptive disorders and that they are provided with appropriate specialty mental health care.

Intimate partner violence among female caregivers of children reported for child maltreatment.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and correlates of intimate partner violence among female caregivers of children reported to child protective services. METHOD: Data were derived from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being, a national probability study of children investigated for child abuse and neglect in the United States. Caregivers were interviewed about demographic characteristics, mental health, substance use, and physical violence by a partner. RESULTS: The lifetime and past year prevalence of intimate partner violence was 44.8 and 29.0%, respectively. Caregiver major depression and history of prior reports of child maltreatment were strongly associated with violence against women. CONCLUSIONS: The findings highlight the need for effective screening and identification of intimate partner violence in families in which child maltreatment has occurred.

Is screening for depression in the perinatal period enough? The co-occurrence of depression, substance abuse, and intimate partner violence in culturally diverse pregnant women.

BACKGROUND: The perinatal period provides unique opportunities to identify and intervene with the co-occurrence of perinatal depression, intimate partner violence (IPV), and substance use problems. Psychosocial screening recommended for women seen in maternal child health settings tends to target single rather than multiple risk factors; there is limited research examining the co-occurrence of these issues especially in racially and ethnically diverse women across the perinatal period. These analyses explore the relationships of sociodemographic, psychosocial, and behavioral characteristics in a large, diverse sample of women. METHOD: Women receiving perinatal services at routinely scheduled visits, including the 6-week postpartum visit, were recruited from 10 community obstetric/gynecologic clinics. Data were collected on perinatal depression, IPV, maternal substance use, and sociodemographic characteristics by bilingual, bicultural research assistants. RESULTS: A total of 1868 women were screened, 1526 (82%) Latina, 1099 (58.8%) interviewed in Spanish; 20.4% (n=382) screened positive for depressive symptoms based on an Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale score of 10 or above, 20.9% reported harmful drinking, 4.3% reported drug use, 23% reported substance use problems, and 3.5% reported current or recent IPV. Women who were Black, Asian, Pacific Islander, or other race/ethnicity had greater odds for depressive symptoms relative to women who were Hispanic or Latino (odds ratio [OR]=1.81, p=0.005). Women reporting substance use problems (OR=2.37, p<0.0001) and IPV (OR=3.98, p<0.0001) had higher odds for depressive symptoms. CONCLUSION: In a predominately Latina sample, 1 in 5 mothers (20.4%) screened positive for depressive symptoms and over one third (36.7%) reported one or more psychosocial issues during the perinatal period. Screening for multiple risk factors rather than just one can help clinicians tailor interventions for the successful management of psychosocial issues.

A collaborative care telemedicine intervention to overcome treatment barriers for Latina women with depression during the perinatal period.

Maternal depression is highly prevalent (10-20%) during the perinatal period, with rates as high as 35% to 40% for Latinas. However, few Latinas are either identified or treated during the perinatal period. The Perinatal Mental Health (PMH) model was designed to ameliorate the barriers that prevent adequate diagnoses and intervention. The PMH is a culturally sensitive, short-term telemedicine, collaborative care intervention for addressing depression among Mexican American mothers. It attends to sociocultural and socioeconomic dimensions and is delivered by trained mental health advisors in obstetric care settings. This article describes the feasibility and acceptability of using the PMH. Participants (N = 79) were selected from a 1st-year ongoing randomized trial in community obstetric clinics. The intervention seems feasible and acceptable; low-income Latinas, identified as depressed during the perinatal period, reported having access to a range of appropriate community services and high satisfaction.

Childhood sexual abuse and adolescent substance use: a latent class analysis.

Children who have exposure to child sexual abuse (CSA) are at particular risk for developing substance abuse in adolescence, but the extent to which CSA may shape patterns of adolescent substance use remains uncertain. The aim of this paper is to characterize the variations in patterns of adolescent substance use and to examine the association between CSA and qualitatively distinct patterns of adolescent substance use. Latent class analyses identified homogenous groups of adolescents with similar patterns of substance use using a sample of 1019 adolescents (mean age: 15.9 years; range: 13-18) who were selected from five publicly funded service systems. Different patterns of latent class structures were identified in boys and girls (a 4-class solution for girls and a 3-class solution for boys). CSA was associated with an increased risk of being a heavy polysubstance user in girls, even after adjustment of age, race/ethnicity, parental substance use, sibling use, peer use, psychopathology and other forms of childhood maltreatment including physical abuse and neglect. Findings indicate that female victims of CSA who are involved with public service systems are at high risk for developing multiple-substance use in adolescence.

A model for maternal depression.

With the awareness of maternal depression as a prevalent public health issue and its important link to child physical and mental health, attention has turned to how healthcare providers can respond effectively. Intimate partner violence (IPV) and the use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs are strongly related to depression, particularly for low-income women. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends psychosocial screening of pregnant women at least once per trimester, yet screening is uncommonly done. Research suggests that a collaborative care approach improves identification, outcomes, and cost-effectiveness of care. This article presents The Perinatal Mental Health Model, a community-based model that developed screening and referral partnerships for use in community obstetric settings in order to specifically address the psychosocial needs of culturally diverse, low-income mothers.

Female caregivers' experiences with intimate partner violence and behavior problems in children investigated as victims of maltreatment.

OBJECTIVE: We examined the relationship between women's experiences with intimate partner violence and their reports of child behavior problems. METHODS: Data were from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being, a national probability study of children who were the subjects of child abuse and neglect investigations. The sample consisted of 2020 female caregivers of children between the ages of 4 and 14 years who were interviewed about demographic characteristics, child behavior problems, female caregiver mental health, parenting behaviors, experiences with intimate partner violence, and community characteristics. Information on child abuse and neglect was obtained in interviews with child protective services workers. Multiple-regression analyses were used to investigate the association between caregiver victimization and child behavior problems while controlling for the effects of child, family, and environmental characteristics. The potential moderating effects of caregiver depression and parenting practices on the relation between intimate partner violence and child behavior problems were examined also. RESULTS: Severe intimate partner violence was associated with both externalizing and internalizing behavior problems when other risk factors were controlled. Use of corporal punishment and psychological aggression were significant moderators, but maternal depression did not moderate the relation between intimate partner violence and behavior problems. CONCLUSIONS: This study adds to the evidence that maternal caregivers' experiences with intimate partner violence are related to child functioning. The findings suggest that systematic efforts are needed to ensure that mental health needs are identified and addressed appropriately in children exposed to this violence.

Use of mental health services by youths in public sectors of care.

The present paper examined the lifetime rates of mental health service use in a representative sample of youths identified as receiving services in at least one sector of care in a publicly funded service system of a large, metropolitan area. Service use was examined in relation to age, gender, mental health diagnostic status, and service sector involvement. Participants were 1706 youths ages 6-17 years who were active in at least one of the following service sectors: alcohol and drug services, child welfare, juvenile justice, mental health, and special education services for serious emotional disturbance. Structured service use and diagnostic interviews were administered to youths and their caregivers. High lifetime rates of mental health service use were found. Eighty-seven percent of the sample used at least one outpatient service, 45% used at least one inpatient service, and 71% reported use of a school-based service. Youths involved with the mental health and special education sectors had the highest rates of service use. In contrast, youths enumerated from the juvenile justice system tended to have the lowest rates of use. Additional research is needed to refine our understanding of the factors associated with the observed patterns of service use.