Neurophysiological patterns associated with blunted emotional face processing and withdrawal tendencies in young children exposed to intimate partner violence.

Studies linking child maltreatment to abnormal neurophysiological responses to emotional stimuli and mental health impairment have not specifically explored these patterns in young children exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV). The present study examined two neurophysiological indicators, resting-state electroencephalography and an emotion event-related potential (ERP) in 21 IPV exposed and 30 nonexposed children ages 4-6 years recruited from the community and domestic violence shelters. Frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA) was assessed while at rest. FAA is often associated with avoidant/withdrawn behavior and increased risk of IPV-related mental health conditions (e.g., depression). Additionally, the late positive potential (LPP) ERP component, reflecting motivated attention, was acquired in the context of an age-appropriate affective oddball paradigm with low probability animal pictures as targets and human facial expressions (angry, happy, neutral) as distracters. Results demonstrated that IPV-exposed children, compared with nonexposed children, exhibited lower left FAA during resting state and reduced LPPs to oddball targets and affective faces relative to neutral faces in the oddball task. Together, these results suggest neural patterns associated with a blunted response to emotional stimuli and withdrawal tendencies, respectively, in young children exposed to IPV. Implications for emotional socialization in this vulnerable population are discussed.

Prevalence of Cyberbullying in Patients Presenting to the Pediatric Emergency Department.

OBJECTIVES: Mental health (MH) complaints are increasingly responsible for visits to pediatric emergency departments (PEDs). Bullying is associated with MH problems. Most adolescents use social media and many experience problems with cyberbullying (CB). This study determines prevalence of CB in MH and non-MH adolescents in a PED, describes technology use in these groups, and measures influence of CB on presentation to the PED and on thoughts/acts of self-harm. METHODS: A prospective survey was administered to a convenience sample of 149 patients aged 11 to 17 years in a PED. Data were analyzed using descriptive and comparative statistical methods. RESULTS: Cyberbullying was significantly more common in MH than in the non-MH patients (17% vs 3%, P = 0.007). More MH patients reported that bullying led to the current PED visit than that in the non-MH group (25% vs 10%, P = 0.02), and they were significantly more likely to report that CB led to self-harm (22% vs 4%, P = 0.003). Mental health participants who spent more than 3 hours on the Internet report higher levels of bullying than non-MH patients (38% vs 6%, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of bullying in MH patients presenting to a PED is significantly greater than controls, and CB caused more MH patients to have acts or thoughts of self-harm. Bullying is a risk factor for self-harm and suicide in patients with MH problems. Future studies should evaluate CB as part of suicide screening tools for emergency MH patients.