Implementing Next-Generation Sequencing Process Changes to Increase Capacity and Improve Timeliness of Molecular Biomarker Profiling for Lung Cancer Patients.

BACKGROUND: Faced with expansion of molecular tumor biomarker profiling, the molecular genetics laboratory at Kingston Health Science Centre experienced significant pressures to maintain the provincially mandated 2-week turnaround time (TAT) for lung cancer (LC) patients. We used quality improvement methodology to identify opportunities for improved efficiencies and report the impact of the initiative. METHODS: We set a target of reducing average TAT from accessioning to clinical molecular lab report for LC patients. Process measures included percentage of cases reaching TAT within target and number of cases. We developed a value stream map and used lean methodology to identify baseline inefficiencies. Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles were implemented to streamline, standardize, and automate laboratory workflows. Statistical process control (SPC) charts assessed for significance by special cause variation. RESULTS: A total of 257 LC cases were included (39 baseline January-May 2021; 218 post-expansion of testing June 2021). The average time for baseline TAT was 12.8 days, peaking at 23.4 days after expansion of testing, and improved to 13.9 days following improvement interventions, demonstrating statistical significance by special cause variation (nonrandom variation) on SPC charts. CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of standardized manual and automated laboratory processes improved timeliness of biomarker reporting despite the increasing volume of testing at our center.

Associations between 11 parental discipline behaviours and child outcomes across 60 countries.

OBJECTIVES: To test associations between 11 caregiver aggressive and non-aggressive discipline behaviours and outcomes (aggression, distraction and prosocial peer relations) of children under 5 years in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). PARTICIPANTS: Data came from the fourth (2009-2013) and fifth (2012-2017) rounds of the UNICEF Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys. Analyses were restricted to households with children under 5 years, leaving a sample of 229 465 respondents across 60 LMICs. Data were analysed using Bayesian multilevel logistic regression. RESULTS: Verbal reasoning (80%) and shouting (66%) were the most common parental discipline behaviours towards young children. Psychological and physical aggression were associated with higher child aggression and distraction. Compared with not using verbal reasoning, verbal reasoning was associated with lower odds of aggression (OR)=0.92, 95% credible interval (CI)=0.86 to 0.99) and higher odds of prosocial peer relations (OR=1.30, 95% CI=1.20 to 1.42). Taking away privileges was associated with higher odds of distraction (OR=1.09, 95% CI=1.03 to 1.15) and lower odds of prosocial peer relations (OR=0.92, 95% CI=0.87 to 0.98). Giving the child something else to do was associated with higher odds of distraction (OR=1.06, 95% CI=1.01 to 1.12). The results indicated country-level variation in the associations between parenting behaviours and child socioemotional outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Psychological and physical aggression were disadvantageous for children's socioemotional development across countries. Only verbal reasoning was associated with positive child socioemotional development. No form of psychological aggression or physical aggression benefited child socioemotional development in any country. Greater emphasis should be dedicated to reducing parental use of psychological and physical aggression across cultural contexts.

Childhood maltreatment history and trauma-specific predictors of parenting stress in new fathers.

For new fathers, parenting stress is a risk factor for impaired early parenting and child maltreatment perpetration. Predictors of parenting stress, including fathers' own experiences of trauma, could be useful intervention targets to support new fathers. We aim to examine associations between new fathers' own histories of child maltreatment, and their perinatal mental health, relationships, and parenting stress. We recruited 298 first-time fathers for a survey that measured child maltreatment history, trauma sequelae including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depressive disorder (MDD), interpersonal reactivity, substance use, anger expression, coparenting quality, and parenting stress. On the Parenting Stress Index (PSI) (from 36 to 180), bivariate analysis demonstrated that new fathers who experienced child maltreatment (n = 94) had significantly higher parenting stress (x̅ = 85.3, σ = 18.7) than those who did not (n = 204; x̅ = 76.0, σ = 16.6; P < .000). Hierarchical linear regression modeling indicated that a child maltreatment history, PTSD, and MDD were significantly associated with parenting stress. The strongest predictors of parenting stress were coparenting quality and complex trauma sequelae-interpersonal reactivity and anger expression. Interventions to reduce fathers' parenting stress by targeting known mental health and relationship sequelae of maltreatment are promising avenues to breaking intergenerational transmission of child maltreatment and psychiatric vulnerability.

Para nuevos papás, el estrés de crianza es un factor de riesgo para la deficiente crianza temprana y para cometer maltrato infantil. Los factores de predicción del estrés de crianza, incluyendo las propias experiencias de trauma de los papás, pueden ser útiles metas de intervención para apoyar a los nuevos papás. Nos propusimos examinar las asociaciones entre las propias historias de maltrato de los nuevos papás, y su salud mental perinatal, relaciones y estrés de crianza. Reclutamos 298 papás primerizos para una encuesta que medía la historia de maltrato infantil, la secuela de trauma incluyendo el trastorno de estrés postraumático (PTSD), el trastorno depresivo serio (MDD), la reactividad interpersonal, el uso de sustancias, la expresión de ira, la calidad de la crianza compartida, así como el estrés de crianza. En el Índice de Estrés de Crianza (de 36-180), los análisis bivariantes demostraron que los nuevos papás que habían experimentado maltrato infantil (N = 94) tenían significativamente un mayor estrés de crianza (x̅ = 85.3, σ = 18.7) que aquellos que no habían tenido tal experiencia (N = 204; x̅ = 76.0, σ = 16.6; P<.000). El modelo de regresión lineal jerárquica indicó que una historia de maltrato infantil, PTSD y MDD estaban significativamente asociados con el estrés de crianza. Los más fuertes factores de predicción del estrés de crianza fueron la calidad de la crianza compartida y la compleja secuela de trauma-la reactividad interpersonal y la expresión de la ira. Las intervenciones para reducir el estrés de crianza de los papás por medio del enfoque en la salud mental conocida y las secuelas en la relación del maltrato son una vía prometedora para romper la transmisión intergeneracional del maltrato infantil y la vulnerabilidad siquiátrica.

Pour les nouveaux pères le stress de parentage est un facteur de risque pour le parentage précoce compromis et la perpétration de maltraitance de l'enfant. Les prédicteurs de stress de parentage, y compris les propres expériences de trauma des pères, pourraient être des cicles d'intervention utiles afin de soutenir les nouveaux pères. Nous nous sommes donné pour but d'examiner les liens entre le propre passé de maltraitance de l'enfant des nouveaux pères et leur santé mentale périnatale, leurs relations et le stress de parentage. Nous avons recruté 298 nouveaux pères (pères pour la première fois) pour un sondage mesurant l'histoire de la maltraitance de l'enfant, les séquelles de trauma y compris les troubles de stress post-traumatique (TSPT), les troubles dépressifs majeurs (MDD en anglais), la réactivité interpersonnelle, la toxicomanie, l'expression de colère et la qualité du co-parentage ainsi que le stress parental. Pour l'Index de Stress de Parentage (de 36-180), une analyse bivariée a montré que les nouveaux pères qui avaient fait l'expérience de maltraitance de l'enfance (N = 94) avaient un stress de parentage bien plus élevé (x̅ = 85,3, σ = 18,7) que ceux n'en ayant pas fait l'expérience (N = 204; x̅ = 76,0, σ = 16,6; P<,000). Un modèle de régression linéaire hiérarchique a indiqué qu'un passé de maltraitance de l'enfant, le TSPT et le MDD étaient fortement liés au stress de parentage. Les facteurs de prédiction les plus forts de stress de parentage étaient la qualité du co-parentage et les séquelles de trauma complexes - réactivité interpersonnelle et l'expression de la colère. Les interventions pour réduire le stress de parentage des pères en ciblant la santé mentale connue et les séquelles de maltraitance sont un chemin prometteur pour casser la transmission intergénérationnelle de la maltraitance de l'enfant et la vulnérabilité psychiatrique.

Implementing a Text Messaging Intervention to Engage Fathers in Home Visiting.

PURPOSE: This "From the Field" article reports on the Text4Dad text messaging intervention designed to engage fathers in home visiting. We introduce implementation process components from our pilot study across three Healthy Start home visitation sites. DESCRIPTION: Three Fatherhood Community Health Workers (F-CHWs) and three fathers from one Text4Dad site were interviewed. Using content analysis, we examined the experiences of F-CHWs who implemented Text4Dad and program participants who used Text4Dad. ASSESSMENT: Results highlighted five implementation process components related to: (1) F-CHWs' use of Text4Dad and enrolling fathers; (2) F-CHWs' interactions with fathers, perceptions of Text4Dad content, and integration of Text4Dad into home visits with fathers; (3) training and technical assistance for F-CHWs; (4) father program participants' acceptability and usability of Text4Dad; and (5) fathers' barriers to interactive use of Text4Dad. CONCLUSION: The F-CHWs were able to successfully enroll fathers into Text4Dad. F-CHWs and fathers found Text4Dad content acceptable to their circumstances. Text4Dad technology was viewed as usable, with some limitations. F-CHWs experienced challenges accessing the Text4Dad platform while on home visits. Results suggested that F-CHWs did not use Text4Dad to facilitate interaction, and accordingly, fathers had a lower than anticipated response rate to texts sent by their F-CHWs. We conclude with future directions for improving the implementation of text messaging programs in community-based fatherhood programs.

Examining mechanisms linking economic insecurity to interparental conflict among couples with low income.

Objective: The current study used the family stress model to test the mechanisms by which economic insecurity contributes to mothers' and fathers' mental health and couples' relationship functioning. Background: Although low household income has been a focus of poverty research, material hardship-defined as everyday challenges related to making ends meet including difficulties paying for housing, utilities, food, or medical care-is common among American families. Methods: Participants were from the Building Strong Families project. Couples were racially diverse (43.52% Black; 28.88% Latinx; 17.29% White; 10.31% Other) and living with low income (N = 2,794). Economic insecurity included income poverty and material hardship. Bayesian mediation analysis was employed, taking advantage of the prior evidence base of the family stress model. Results: Material hardship, but not income poverty, predicted higher levels of both maternal and paternal depressive symptoms. Only paternal depressive symptoms were linked with higher levels of destructive interparental conflict (i.e., moderate verbal aggression couples use that could be harmful to the partner relationship). Mediation analysis confirmed that material hardship operated primarily through paternal depressive symptoms in its association with destructive interparental conflict. Conclusion: The economic stress of meeting the daily material needs of the family sets the stage for parental mental health problems that carry over to destructive interparental conflict, especially through paternal depressive symptoms. Implications: Family-strengthening programs may want to consider interventions to address material hardship (e.g., comprehensive needs assessments, connections to community-based resources, parents' employment training) as part of their efforts to address parental mental health and couples' destructive conflict behaviors.

Social Workers Should Stand against Physical Punishment of Children.

The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is the leading professional organization for social work that established the Code of Ethics and sets the policy agenda for the profession. Guided by the Code of Ethics and the Grand Challenges for Social Work goal to "build healthy relationships to end violence," the NASW Social Work Speaks policy compendium should reassert its statement against the physical punishment of children. This recommendation aligns with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and children's right to protection from violence; the rigorous empirical research base, which demonstrates that physical punishment has detrimental consequences to child well-being; and similar policy statements issued by allied professional organizations. The NASW policies can advocate for ending violence against children by providing guidance on disciplinary practices that are based on principles of nonviolence and that respect children's human rights. Practitioners can support caregivers through interventions that provide alternatives to physical punishment.

Applying Socio-Emotional Information Processing theory to explain child abuse risk: Emerging patterns from the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic exerted profound effects on parents, which may translate into elevated child abuse risk. Prior literature demonstrates that Social Information Processing theory is a useful framework for understanding the cognitive processes that can contribute to parental abuse risk, but the model has not adequately integrated affective processes that may coincide with such cognitions. OBJECTIVE: Given parents experienced intense emotions during the pandemic, the current study sought to examine how socio-emotional processes might account for abuse risk during the pandemic (perceived pandemic-related increases in harsh parenting, reported physical and psychological aggression, and child abuse potential). PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: Using two groups of mothers participating in online studies, the combined sample of 304 mothers reported on their abuse risk and cognitive and anger processes. RESULTS: Greater approval of physical discipline and weaker anger regulation abilities were directly or indirectly related to measures of abuse risk during the pandemic, with maternal justification to use parent-child aggression to ensure obedience consistently relating to all indicators of abuse risk during the pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: Socio-emotional processes that include anger appear particularly relevant during the heightened period of strain induced by the pandemic. By studying multiple factors simultaneously, the current findings can inform child abuse prevention efforts.

Gender Inequality in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Associations with Parental Physical Abuse and Moderation by Child Gender.

Gender inequality perpetuates women's economic insecurity and a culture of violence. Parental distress caused by economic pressure may increase violence against children. High levels of gender inequality and interpersonal violence may contribute to higher levels of physical abuse. Using an ecological perspective, this study examines the association of country-level gender inequality and household-level parental physical abuse, and the moderating role of child gender in this association in low- and middle-income countries. We used data on over 420,000 households from the UNICEF Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys and country-level indicators from the United Nations Development Program Human Development data. We employed multilevel logistic regression to examine the association between gender inequality with the log-odds of physical abuse after accounting for country- and individual-level covariates. In order to more fully explore our results, we calculated predicted probabilities of abuse for several scenarios. The results indicated that higher levels of gender inequality were associated with higher probabilities of physical abuse. This association was stronger for female children than for male children. The probabilities of abuse by child gender were indistinguishable, although rates of physical abuse converged as gender inequality increased, at a statistically marginal level. These findings indicate that macro-level interventions that reduce gender inequality are necessary to prevent and reduce child physical abuse.

Prevalence, increase and predictors of family violence during the COVID-19 pandemic, using modern machine learning approaches.

Background: We are facing an ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is causing detrimental effects on mental health, including disturbing consequences on child maltreatment and intimate partner violence. Methods: We sought to identify predictors of child maltreatment and intimate partner violence from 380 participants (mean age 36.67 ± 10.61, 63.2% male; Time 3: June 2020) using modern machine learning analysis (random forest and SHAP values). We predicted that COVID-related factors (such as days in lockdown), parents' psychological distress during the pandemic (anxiety, depression), their personality traits, and their intimate partner relationship will be key contributors to child maltreatment. We also examined if there is an increase in family violence during the pandemic by using an additional cohort at two time points (Time 1: March 2020, N = 434; mean age 35.67 ± 9.85, 41.69% male; and Time 2: April 2020, N = 515; mean age 35.3 ± 9.5, 34.33%). Results: Feature importance analysis revealed that parents' affective empathy, psychological well-being, outdoor activities with children as well as a reduction in physical fights between partners are strong predictors of a reduced risk of child maltreatment. We also found a significant increase in physical punishment (Time 3: 66.26%) toward children, as well as in physical (Time 3: 36.24%) and verbal fights (Time 3: 41.08%) among partners between different times. Conclusion: Using modernized predictive algorithms, we present a spectrum of features that can have influential weight on prediction of child maltreatment. Increasing awareness about family violence consequences and promoting parenting programs centered around mental health are imperative.

Associations of food insecurity and material social support with parent and child mental health during COVID-19.

The rise of mental health problems during COVID-19 has been called a national crisis. Parents and caregivers reported parenting stress, anxiety, and depression, which may be exacerbated by economic insecurity. This study used longitudinal data to examine the association of food insecurity and material social support to subsequent parent and child mental health outcomes in the early weeks of COVID-19. Data were collected from a national convenience sample of U.S. parents (N = 359) at two time points: April 14, 2020 (T1) and April 30, 2020 (T2). Data were analyzed using multivariate linear and logistic regression analyses. Most of the sample were mothers (67.5%) and identified as White (69.6%). Among parents for whom services were applicable, over half (51.4%) were unable to receive free and reduced-cost school-based lunch. Food insecurity at T1 was significantly associated with higher odds of parental anxiety (OR = 1.52, p <.001) and depression (OR = 1.63, p <.001), as well as increased parenting stress (ß = 0.16, p =.008) and parental report of child anxiety (ß = 0.15, p =.014). Conversely, material social support was significantly associated with lower odds of parental anxiety (OR = 0.90, p =.014) and depression (OR = 0.85, p <.001), as well as lower levels of parenting stress (ß = -0.20, p =.001) and parental report of child anxiety (ß = -0.13, p =.028). Results suggest that household food insecurity may place parents and children at greater risk for mental health problems during COVID-19. However, access to tangible resources that offer material or financial support may be protective for both parent and child mental health. Study results suggest that policy interventions are needed to support the economic wellbeing of families during COVID-19.

The association between spanking and physical abuse of young children in 56 low- and middle-income countries.

BACKGROUND: Nearly one third of children under five in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) experience spanking. Studies from North America suggest that spanking is associated with heightened risk of physical abuse. However, the link between spanking and physical abuse in the international context remains understudied. OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between caregivers' spanking and physical abuse of young children in LMICs, and to estimate the extent to which physical abuse might be reduced if spanking were eliminated. PARTICIPANTS: We used nationally representative data from 156,166 1- to 4-year-old children in 56 LMICs from the fourth and fifth rounds of UNICEF Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys. METHODS: A nationally weighted multilevel logistic regression model examined the association between spanking and physical abuse. We calculated predicted probabilities of physical abuse, which we present using natural frequencies. RESULTS: Spanking was associated with higher odds of physical abuse (OR = 5.74, p < .001). The predicted probability of physical abuse decreased by 14% comparing children who were spanked (22%) and who were not spanked (8%). When our estimates were translated to a hypothetical sample of 100 children using a natural frequency approach, 32 children were spanked; of those, seven experienced physical abuse. The elimination of spanking would result in four fewer children who were exposed to physical abuse. In relation to the population of abused children, estimates suggest that physical abuse could reduce by up to 33% if spanking were eliminated. CONCLUSIONS: Results support the UN Sustainable Development Goals Target 16.2 that calls for eliminating all forms of violence against children. Child welfare advocates should discourage caregivers from using spanking, in order to prevent physical abuse.

Role of maternal emotion in child maltreatment risk during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Purpose: Preliminary research early in the COVID-19 pandemic suggested children appeared to be at increased risk for child maltreatment, particularly as parents struggled with mental health and economic strains. Such strains were likely to influence parental emotions about their children, affecting their parent-child interactions to contribute to elevated maltreatment risk. To identify the potential affective elements that may contribute to such increased maltreatment risk, the current study focused on whether maternal worry about children's behavior specifically as well as maternal anger were related to increased risk for neglect or physical or psychological aggression six months into the pandemic. Method: The racially diverse sample included 193 mothers who completed an online survey during the COVID-19 pandemic in late September-early October 2020. Results: Mothers' reported increases in neglect and physical and psychological aggression during the pandemic were significantly related with established measures of maltreatment risk. Furthermore, path models indicated that maternal anger and worry about children's behavior, as well as their interaction, were significantly related to indicators of physical aggression risk and neglect during the pandemic, but only maternal anger related to increased psychological aggression during the pandemic. Conclusions: Maternal worry and anger about children's behavior may have exacerbated risk for maltreatment under the stressful conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings suggest affective reactions of both parental worry and anger focused on child behavior warrants greater empirical attention and consideration in intervention efforts both during the pandemic and potentially post-pandemic.

Patterns of caregiver aggressive and nonaggressive discipline toward young children in low- and middle-income countries: A latent class approach.

BACKGROUND: Caregivers use a variety of disciplinary methods to respond to undesired child behavior. Many caregivers use nonaggressive forms of discipline, such as verbal reasoning and redirection. Some caregivers use aggressive forms of discipline, such as spanking and yelling. However, most caregivers use a combination of aggressive and nonaggressive discipline. To date, a disproportionately small number of caregiver discipline studies are conducted in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), and few studies in low-resource contexts examine aggressive and nonaggressive behaviors simultaneously. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to elucidate caregiver patterns of 11 disciplinary behaviors used in LMICs, and examine how these patterns relate to child outcomes and household characteristics. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: Data came from the fourth and fifth rounds of UNICEF Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) distributed between 2009 and 2017 (N = 218,824 respondents across 63 countries). Focal children were 3-4 years old. METHODS: Patterns of disciplinary behaviors were estimated using a multilevel latent class analysis (LCA). Multinomial regression analyses examined associations of disciplinary patterns with caregiver-reported child outcomes and household characteristics. RESULTS: The LCA suggested caregiver discipline fell into three overall patterns: high behavioral control, moderate behavior control, and lower behavioral control. The lower behavioral control class was associated with the most advantageous child outcomes and household socio-demographic characteristics, whereas the high behavioral control class was associated with the most disadvantageous child outcomes and household characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: Efforts should be employed to reduce aggressive behaviors and promote positive parenting among caregivers in LMICs.

Technology-Facilitated Abuse Prevalence and Associations Among a Nationally Representative Sample of Young Men.

PURPOSE: We undertook a study to determine the prevalence and associations of technology-facilitated abuse (TFA)-insults, harassment, coercion, or threats carried out using digital tools such as smartphones and computers-among a US nationally representative sample of young men. METHODS: Analyses were based on 1,079 men aged 18 to 35 years who completed questionnaires during August and September of 2014 and reported ever having been in a romantic relationship. We used validated measures to assess demographics, health service use, mental health and substance use, and TFA delivered to and received from partners in the past year. We calculated survey-weighted descriptive statistics and conducted multinomial logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Overall, 4.1% of men reported delivering TFA only, 8.0% receiving TFA only, and 25.6% both delivering and receiving TFA. Men were more likely to report only delivering TFA if they identified as Hispanic (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.72; 95% CI, 1.13 to 6.57), used marijuana (AOR = 1.31; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.68), and used prescription opioids for nonmedical reasons (AOR 2.86; 95% CI, 1.48 to 5.54). Men were more likely to report only receiving TFA if they identified as Hispanic (AOR = 2.55; 95% CI, 1.01 to 6.43) and used prescription opioids for nonmedical reasons (AOR = 2.43; 95% CI, 1.34 to 4.39), whereas a primary care connection appeared protective (AOR = 0.43; 95% CI, 0.22 to 0.86). Men were more likely to report both delivering and receiving TFA if they identified as non-Hispanic Black (AOR = 2.83; 95% CI, 1.44 to 5.58), owned a smartphone (AOR = 1.80; 95% CI, 1.05 to 3.09), had ever had mental health care visits (AOR = 1.86; 95% CI, 1.16 to 2.98), misused alcohol (AOR = 1.10; 95% CI, 1.04 to 1.17), and used prescription opioids for nonmedical reasons (AOR = 1.79; 95% CI, 1.04 to 3.08). CONCLUSIONS: We found that TFA was prevalent among young men, with 1 in 25 reporting delivery only, 1 in 12 reporting receipt only, and 1 in 4 reporting both. Primary care physicians can consider assessing TFA among male patients and developing interventions to mitigate this behavior.VISUAL ABSTRACT.

Parental Relationship Status as a Moderator of the Associations Between Mothers' and Fathers' Conflict Behaviors and Early Child Behavior Problems.

This study examines interparental conflict and associations with child behavior problems among a large, diverse sample of families with low income (N = 2,691) using path model analyses of mothers' and fathers' reports of constructive interparental conflict, destructive interparental conflict, and intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization at 15 months and child emotional insecurity and child behavior problems at 36 months. Multigroup models examined whether parental relationship status (i.e., married, cohabiting, and churning) moderated these associations. Fathers' perceptions of interparental conflict behaviors showed few direct associations with child outcomes, whereas mothers' perceptions of interparental conflict showed more robust associations with child outcomes. Specifically, mother-reported destructive conflict was associated with higher levels of child emotional insecurity and child behavior problems across parental relationship status subgroups. Mother-reported constructive conflict had a small negative association with child behavior problems in cohabiting families. Child emotional insecurity mediated the association of maternal destructive conflict on child behavior problems. Although churning families experienced higher levels of moderate and severe interparental conflict, associations linking destructive conflict to child behavior problems were consistent across parental relationship subgroups. There were few direct effects of father-reported constructive and destructive conflict on child well-being. However, the results supported the notion that fathers play an influential role in the family system via maternal reports of IPV victimization. Results of this study suggest that the mechanisms underlying emotional security theory, in which child emotional insecurity mediates the associations between maternal destructive conflict and child behavior problems, apply to a large and racially diverse sample of socioeconomically disadvantaged children.

Assessing Mothers' Automatic Affective and Discipline Reactions to Child Behavior in Relation to Child Abuse Risk: A Dual-Processing Investigation.

Given the scope and adverse clinical consequences of child abuse, assessment of salient etiological factors can lend critical insights needed for abuse prevention. Increasingly, dual-processing models have been applied to aggression, which postulate that parallel automatic and conscious processes can evoke aggressive behavior, implicating both affective and cognitive elements in both routes. Using two samples of mothers (n = 110 and n = 195), the current investigation considered evidence of the reliability and convergent, concurrent, and construct validity of the new Automatic Parent Emotion Analog Response task relevant to parent-child aggression, contrasted with a self-reported conscious processing measure. Findings provide evidence that affective reactions of both anger and worry relate to child abuse risk and inclination to respond aggressively, and demonstrate how mothers' automatic reactions relate to both perceived child misbehavior and child dangerous behavior. Current results lend psychometric support for automatic processing in parent-child aggression consistent with other dual-processing theories of aggression.

Longitudinal Analysis of Short-term Changes in Relationship Conflict During COVID-19: A Risk and Resilience Perspective.

This study uses a risk and resilience framework to examine short-term self-reported changes in relationship conflict early in the COVID-19 pandemic (March and April 2020). Longitudinal data from U.S. adults in a romantic relationship (N = 291) were collected via three waves of an online survey. Participants self-reported anxiety, depression, increased alcohol use, and dyadic coping since the pandemic. Relationship conflict variables included whether the participant reported that they and their partner "had disagreements related to the Coronavirus," "had more disagreements than usual," "had more verbal fights than usual," and "had more physical fights than usual" in the past two weeks. Analyses controlled for sociodemographic characteristics as well as days spent in lockdown and employment change due to COVID-19. Results indicated that couples' disagreement and verbal fighting scores increased from Time 1 to Time 2, but disagreements related to COVID-19 and physical fighting did not. Couples with higher levels of dyadic coping reported fewer fights and disagreements on average. However, dyadic coping did not buffer participants from increases in relationship conflict. Increased alcohol use since the pandemic was positively associated with disagreements related to COVID-19, disagreement scores, and verbal fighting scores. More days spent in lockdown was associated with increases in disagreements related to COVID-19. The conditions created by COVID-19 may contribute to worsening relationship conflict, even among couples who start with high levels of dyadic coping. Depression and alcohol use may contribute to poorer relationship quality during the pandemic. There is need for enhanced intervention and mental health supports to mitigate the potential effects of the pandemic on couples' relationship functioning.

Parental Social Isolation and Child Maltreatment Risk during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

On March 11, 2020, COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization. The social isolation and economic stress resulting from pandemic have the potential to exacerbate child abuse and neglect. This study examines the association of parents' perceived social isolation and recent employment loss to risk for child maltreatment (neglect, verbal aggression, and physical punishment) in the early weeks of the pandemic. Participants (N = 283) were adults living in the U.S. who were parents of at least one child 0-12 years of age. Participants completed an online survey approximately 2 weeks after the World Health Organization declared that COVID-19 was a pandemic. The survey asked about recent changes (i.e., in the past 2 weeks) to employment status, parenting behaviors, use of discipline, use of spanking, and depressive symptoms. Nearly 20% of parents had hit or spanked their child in the past two weeks alone. Parents' perceived social isolation and recent employment loss were associated with self-report of physical and emotional neglect and verbal aggression against the child, even after controlling for parental depressive symptoms, income, and sociodemographic factors. Parents' perceived social isolation was associated with parental report of changes in discipline, specifically, using discipline and spanking more often in the past 2 weeks. Associations were robust to analyses that included two variables that assessed days spent social distancing and days spent in "lockdown." Study results point to the need for mental health supports to parents and children to ameliorate the strain created by COVID-19.

Material Hardship in Families With Low Income: Positive Effects of Coparenting on Fathers' and Mothers' Parenting and Children's Prosocial Behaviors.

Families with low income experience high levels of economic insecurity, but less is known about how mothers and fathers in such families successfully navigate coparenting and parenting in the context of material hardship. The current study utilized a risk and resilience framework to investigate the underlying family processes linking material hardship and children's prosocial behaviors in a sample of socioeconomically disadvantaged mother-father families with preschoolers from the Building Strong Families project (N = 452). Coparenting alliance and mothers' and fathers' responsive parenting were examined as mediators. Results of structural equation modeling showed that coparenting alliance was associated with higher levels of both mothers' and fathers' responsive parenting. Subsequently, both parents' responsive parenting were associated with higher levels of children's prosocial behaviors. Material hardship was not associated with coparenting alliance and either parent's responsive parenting. Tests of indirect effects confirmed that the effects of coparenting alliance on children's prosocial behaviors were mediated through both mothers' and fathers' responsive parenting. Overall, these results suggest that when mothers and fathers have a strong coparenting alliance, they are likely to withstand the negative effects of material hardship and thus engage in positive parenting behaviors that benefit their children's prosocial development. Family strengthening interventions, including responsible fatherhood programs, would do well to integrate a strong focus on enhancing a positive coparenting alliance between mothers and fathers.