Patterns of adverse childhood experiences and associations with lower mental well-being among university students.

BACKGROUND: University students report high levels of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), which can lead to severe mental health problems. Understanding how ACEs impact well-being in this population is essential, yet research to date is limited. OBJECTIVE: To explore ACE patterns and their association with lower well-being in university students. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: 1023 Spanish students (71.6 % female) aged between 18 and 64 years old (M = 20.10, SD = 3.93) completed a self-report questionnaire. METHODS: This study used a cross-sectional design. The ACE International Questionnaire (ACE-IQ) and the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale were used to assess, respectively, childhood adversities and mental well-being. Latent Class Analysis and regression modeling were conducted to analyze the link between ACEs and lower mental well-being, considering the covariates of age, country of origin, sexual orientation, and mental illness. RESULTS: Four ACE classes were identified: Low ACEs (49.5 %), Dysfunctional Household (12.3 %), Household and Peer Abuse (31.0 %), and High ACEs (7.2 %). The regression analysis (F(3, 1007) = 19.2, p < .001, R2adj = 0.054) successfully predicted well-being scores based on ACE classes. When compared with the Low ACE class, all other classes exhibited lower levels of well-being. Age, sexual orientation, and mental illness were also related to lower well-being, with mental illness having the strongest negative effect (ß = -0.635, t(1015) = -6.49, p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: These findings underscore the relationship between childhood adversity and mental health, offering insights for future prevention efforts and enriching our understanding of ACEs and their impact on well-being.

Better at home or in residential care? Victimization of people with intellectual disabilities at the hands of caregivers.

BACKGROUND: People with intellectual disabilities often need assistance of some kind in their everyday life. Support needs can increase the risk of their victimization at the hands of professional and family caregivers. This paper explores the differences in caregiver victimization between participants living in residential care settings and those who are not. METHOD: A sample of 260 adults (59.2 % men) with an intellectual disability diagnosis were assessed using an adaptation of the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire comparing prevalence, sum and variety scores. RESULTS: More than half of the sample (59.2 %) experienced some form of caregiver victimization throughout their lifetime, with physical abuse, verbal abuse, and neglect being the most frequently reported forms. Participants in residential care settings experienced significantly more caregiver victimization incidents and a broader range of victimization forms than their counterparts outside residential care. Significant differences were found based on the individuals' place of residence and gender. Details are provided on the last victimization incident, the perpetrator, the psychological and physical consequences of the victimization, and the reporting rates. CONCLUSIONS: This study outlines high rates of lifetime caregiver victimization, with those who live in residential care settings at particular risk. Further research is needed to gain a deeper understanding of the nuances of caregiver victimization and to prevent abuse in caregiving contexts.

Exploring the Meanings of Posttraumatic Growth in Spanish Survivors of Clergy-Perpetrated Child Sexual Abuse: A Phenomenological Approach.

A healing and recovery perspective related to child sexual abuse (CSA) has gained attention in the past two decades, a concept that accurately refers to the process is posttraumatic growth (PTG). Scarce empirical research on PTG in clergy-perpetrated CSA survivors shows evidence of the presence of growth after the abusive experience and a tendency to create accounts of trauma as a way to heal. The general aim of the study is to explore the experiences and meanings of PTG as lived by survivors of clergy-perpetrated CSA. Seven clergy-perpetrated CSA survivors were interviewed with semi-structured in-depth interviews conducted in person. Using reflexive thematic analysis, we identified three dominant themes in the participants' stories: (a) the hindering of PTG; (b) the meanings of PTG, and (c) the internal and contextual and facilitators of PTG. The present study brings new insights into the meanings of PTG, the close relationship between damage and growth, and the mechanisms (both internal and contextual) that are involved in healing from clergy-perpetrated CSA in Spanish culture.

Longitudinal Associations Between Adolescent Dating Violence Victimization and Adverse Outcomes: A Systematic Review.

Evidence on the outcomes of adolescent dating violence (ADV) victimization mainly derives from cross-sectional studies, which have limitations in suggesting causal relationships. Furthermore, the complexity of factors and overlapping dimensions in dating violence research, such as the forms of violence experienced, may have contributed to the variability of findings across the literature. To address these gaps and provide a more comprehensive understanding of the impact of ADV, this study reviews findings from prospective cohort studies, with a focus on the type of violence experienced and the gender of the victim. A systematic search was conducted in nine electronic databases and additional relevant journals. Prospective longitudinal studies were included if dating violence victimization occurred during adolescence and chronologically preceded the outcomes. A quality assessment was conducted using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. A narrative approach was used to synthesize findings. After screening 1,838 records, 14 publications met the selection criteria and were included in this review. Our findings suggest that experiencing ADV is longitudinally associated with many adverse outcomes, including higher internalizing symptoms and externalizing behaviors, poorer well-being, increased substance use, and increased revictimization. However, the associations are not consistently reported across studies when considering the type of ADV experienced and the gender of the victim. This review highlights the limited number of longitudinal studies examining the outcomes of ADV victimization, the unbalanced approach in investigating different forms of violence, and the lack of diverse samples examining this subject. Implications for research, policy, and practice are outlined.

The role of adverse childhood experiences in suicide among sexual minority undergraduate students.

This study explores the rates and odds of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and their relationship to suicide attempts in a sample of undergraduate students (n = 924, 71.6% women), comparing lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) youth to their heterosexual counterparts. Using propensity score matching, we matched 231 sexual minority and 603 heterosexual participants at a ratio of 1:3, based on gender, age, socioeconomic status, and religious beliefs. Sexual minority participants reported a significantly higher ACE score (M = 2.70 vs. 1.85; t = 4.93; p <.001; d = .391) and higher rates of all but one type of ACEs than their heterosexual counterparts. They also reported a higher prevalence and risk of suicide attempts (33.3% vs. 11.8% respectively, odds ratio = 3.73; p < .001). In logistic regression analysis, sexual minority status, emotional abuse and neglect, bias attack, having a household member with mental health problems, bullying and cyberbullying were significantly associated with suicide attempts.

Identifying victimization clusters across people with intellectual disabilities: A latent class analysis.

BACKGROUND: Research has shown high rates of victimization among people with intellectual disabilities (ID), but victimization clusters have been barely explored. OBJECTIVE: We address the gap by examining how reported victimization experiences are grouped into different classes and identifying differences in the characteristics of the individuals in each class. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional self-report study with a sample of adults with an ID diagnosis (n = 260). We gathered data about the participants' victimization experiences and socio-demographics, and then subjected the data to latent class analysis (LCA). RESULTS: Three different classes were detected: High victimization (n = 27, 10.4 %); medium victimization, low sexual (n = 97, 37.3 %); and low victimization (n = 136, 52.3 %). The results highlight the experiences of sexual and physical victimization among the high-victimization class, in which women are overrepresented, and physical victimization among the medium-victimization class. The study also found that experiences of assault and bias attacks occur to a varying extent across all three classes. The LCA and poly-victimization methods showed substantial agreement but also differences when identifying the most victimized participants. In addition, we detected significant differences between classes in gender, type of school attended, place of residence, legal incapacity, type of support needed, secondary disability and poly-victimization status. CONCLUSION: We identified distinct underlying ingroup patterns of victimization and sociodemographic inter-class differences that contribute to a better understanding of victimization within the population in question. The results have prevention and intervention implications for caregivers and providers of services for people with ID.

El Coste Social de la Violencia Contra la Infancia y la Adolescencia / The Social Cost of Violence Against Children and Youth

El objetivo de la presente revisión es analizar, mediante las estimaciones realizadas en estudios previos, los costes de atención médica, física y mental, las pérdidas de productividad, los costes para el sistema de protección infantil y los costes para el sistema de justicia penal de la violencia contra la infancia y la adolescencia, con especial énfasis en la violencia sexual. Los estudios revisados confirman que la violencia en etapas tempranas del desarrollo se asocia con un mayor uso de los servicios de salud y de otros recursos, que suponen una importante inversión pública a tener en cuenta. Estos trabajos presentan limitaciones que derivan de los datos incompletos o poco fiables incluidos respecto a la mortalidad y la morbilidad vinculadas a la violencia contra la infancia y que suponen estimaciones variables de sus costes, que oscilan en España de 17 mil millones de euros para las experiencias adversas en la infancia, a cerca de 1.000 millones de euros para la violencia sexual. Es necesario disponer de datos fiables sobre los costes de la violencia en la infancia para tomar decisiones mejor informadas sobre la inversión económica en su prevención y tratamiento, así como concienciar sobre su escala e impacto.(AU)

The aim of this narrative review is to analyze, through the estimates made in previous studies, the costs of medical, physical, and mental care, productivity losses, costs for the child protection system, and costs for the criminal justice system of violence against children and youth, with special emphasis on sexual violence. The reviewed studies confirm that violence in early stages of development is associated with greater use of health services and other resources, which represent a significant public investment that must be taken into account. These works have limitations that derive from the incomplete or unreliable data included regarding mortality and morbidity related to violence against children and that imply variable estimates of their costs, which in Spain range from 17 billion euros for adverse childhood experiences to around €1 billion for sexual violence. Reliable data on the costs of violence against children is needed to make better-informed decisions about financial investment in its prevention and treatment, as well as to raise awareness of its scale and impact.(AU)

[Prevalence of adverse and victimization experiences in adult people with severe mental illness in Barcelona]. / Prevalencia de experiencias adversas y victimización en personas adultas con trastorno mental grave en Barcelona.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the extension of the adverse experiences, including victimization, lived in childhood and adulthood in a sample of people with severe mental illness residing in Barcelona, Spain. METHOD: Descriptive, quantitative and cross-sectional study. Adverse and victimization experiences were assessed using 26 items from the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire (ACE-IQ). Items were included obtain information regarding victimization during adulthood. Seventy-four people with severe mental illness were interviewed (median age: 42.03 years; standard deviation: 9.60). RESULTS: All participants reported at least two victimization experiences throughout their lifetime. The most frequent experiences were conventional crimes (87.8%) and victimization by caregivers (86.5%). Before age 18, half of the participants reported having experienced physical violence by their caregivers (52.7%) and almost one out of three reported to have been victim of sexual abuse (32.4%). Women were almost 13 times more likely to experience sexual victimization than men throughout their lifetime (odds ratio: 12.75; 95% confidence interval: 4.19-38.71). CONCLUSIONS: Victimization experienced by people with severe mental illness is a widespread problem that has received little attention. The results of this study are consistent with those obtained in previous investigations and underscore the need to translate this knowledge into medical practice into medical practice, considering them in order to develop treatments with a comprehensive approach to mental health.

Experiences of Bias Victimization Among People With Intellectual Disabilities.

Research has drawn attention to the stigma and high rates of victimization among people with intellectual disabilities (ID) and an overlap between bias and non-bias victimization. However, studies of bias events or hate crime involving persons with ID are scarce. Using a self-report measure, we analyze lifetime bias victimization in a sample of 260 adults diagnosed with ID (age M = 41.7, SD = 12.0; 59.2% men), of whom 92 experienced bias victimization (age M = 41.2, SD = 11.9; 54.3% men), and compare the number of different types of victimization and the poly-victimization status between bias and non-bias victims. We also examine the following features: the victim, offender(s), victim-offender relationship, and location. Results show that bias victims experience a higher number of different types of victimization than non-bias victims (M = 7.74 and 4.96, respectively; p <.001, rrb=.37, ξ=.42) and are four times more likely to be poly-victims than non-bias victims (odds ratio [OR] = 4.37; 95% CI, p <.001). Most of the victims experienced a number of bias victimization episodes (89.1%; n = 82), and more than a quarter were injured (27.2%, n = 25) as a result of the victimization. All the bias victimizations by strangers were carried out in public places, as were most of the bias victimizations by acquaintances. Schoolmates and work colleagues perpetrated attacks at school and in the workplace, respectively. More than half of the victims, 63% (n = 58), spoke of the experience with someone, but only one reported it to the authorities. The paper provides a valuable descriptive and bivariate analysis of bias victimization of people with ID. The findings will help to understand bias violence against this population, highlighting the need for targeted and effective interventions.

Consecuencias de la explotación de los niños y niñas mediante su uso como soldados / Consequences of the exploitation of children using them as soldiers

Consecuencias de la explotación de los niños y niñas mediante su uso como soldados. La explotación de losniños como soldados es una violación de sus derechos y una grave forma de violencia institucional que ha idoaumentando en los últimos años y ante la que la comunidad internacional debe actuar. Un primer paso es reconocera estos niños como víctimas, más allá de juzgarlos como victimarios de los crímenes más atroces. A su vez, conocerlas consecuencias que sobre el desarrollo físico, afectivo, cognitivo y social tiene esta explotación es importantepara los profesionales clínicos que, en un mundo globalizado, pueden tener que tratar a estos niños y las múltiplesmanifestaciones psicopatológicas que presentan derivadas de sus experiencias de trauma complejo. En esta revisiónnarrativa, se presenta una integración crítica de los principales efectos de la explotación como soldados en los niños,así como se apunta a aquellas líneas y programas de intervención que se están aplicando en su tratamiento.(AU)

Consequences of the exploitation of children using them as soldiers. The exploitation of children as soldiers is aviolation of their rights and a serious form of institutional violence that has been increasing in recent years and againstwhich the international community must act. A first step is to recognize these children as victims, beyond judgingthem as perpetrators of the most heinous crimes. In turn, knowing the consequences of this exploitation on physical,affective, cognitive and social development is important for clinicians who, in a globalized world, may have to treatthese children and the multiple psychopathological manifestations they present as a result of their experiences ofcomplex trauma. In this narrative review, a critical integration of the main effects of exploitation as soldiers on childrenis presented, as well as pointing to those lines and programs of intervention that are being applied in their treatment.(AU)

Conseqüències de l'explotació dels nens i nenes com a soldats. L'explotació dels nens com a soldats és unaviolació dels seus drets i una forma greu de violència institucional que ha anat augmentant els darrers anys idavant la qual la comunitat internacional ha d'actuar. Un primer pas és reconèixer aquests nens com a víctimes,més enllà de jutjar-los com a victimaris dels crims més atroços. Alhora, conèixer les conseqüències que sobre eldesenvolupament físic, afectiu, cognitiu i social té aquesta explotació és important per als professionals clínicsque, en un món globalitzat, poden haver de tractar aquests nens i les múltiples manifestacions psicopatològiquesque presenten derivades de les seves experiències de trauma complex. En aquesta revisió narrativa es presentauna integració crítica dels principals efectes de l'explotació com a soldats en els infants, així com també s'apuntenles línies i els programes d'intervenció que s'estan aplicant en el tractament.(AU)

Validation of the Violent Ideations Scale (VIS) in Spain.

Research has shown that violent ideations (VIs) may play a key role in aggression and violence. However, there is no tool to measure this construct adapted to the Spanish language so far. The current study aims to translate and evaluate the psychometric properties of the Violent Ideations Scale (VIS) in European Spanish. This study counts with a convenience sample of 752 native Spaniards or Spanish speakers residing in Spain, between 18- and 75-years old, 53% identified as female and 47% identified as male. The dimensionality, gender measurement invariance, concurrent validity and reliability of scores were assessed. Initial evidence of external validity was collected. Results confirmed the unidimensionality of the instrument. Measurement invariance held across females and males and reliabilities were high. VIS-ES scores correlated with aggressive behavior during the previous month. The VIS-ES seems suitable for use in non-clinical Spanish speaking samples.

Victimización sexual en la primera infancia: Una revisión narrativa deaspectos clínicos / Sexual victimization in early childhood: A narrative review of clinical aspects

Existe un gran desconocimiento profesional sobre la victimización sexual en la denominada primera infancia o etapa preescolar. La presente revisión pretende ofrecer un marco teórico sólido para los profesionales del ámbito victimológico sobre las experiencias de victimización sexual con muestras de niños y niñas de hasta 6 años de edad. Los temas tratados incluyen la epidemiología del problema, las características de la victimización, las consecuencias que conlleva para el niño o niña la experiencia de victimización y su intervención en la primera infancia. Los estudios revisados permiten concluir que se trata de un problema más frecuente de lo que generalmente se presupone, pero del que realmente se desconoce su magnitud, con graves consecuencias para sus víctimas y cuya intervención debe centrarse en el modelo de la terapia cognitivo-conductual centrada en el trauma ya que es sobre el que existe más evidencia empírica en este grupo de edad.(AU)

There is a significant lack of research and knowledge regarding sexual victimization in the early childhood or preschool developmental stage. The present review aims to offer a solid theoretical framework for professionals in the victimology field on the experiences of sexual victimization of boys and girls up to 6 years of age. The topics covered include the epidemiology of the problem, the characteristics of victimization, the consequences that the experience of victimization in the preschool stage implies for the victim, and intervention in early childhood. The studies included in the review allow us to conclude that sexual victimization of preschoolers is a more frequent problem than it is generally assumed, but one whose magnitude is truly unknown, with serious consequences for the victims. Intervention should concentrate on trauma focused cognitive-behavioral therapy since it has the most empirical evidence for this age group.(AU)

How the COVID-19 pandemic hit crime in Barcelona: Analysis of variation in crime trends.

Objectives: To compare the observed and forecasted crime trends in Barcelona, using crime statistics from January 2018 to March 2021. Methods: We trained (seasonal) auto-regressive integrated moving average modelling (95% confidence intervals) using daily recorded crimes from January 2018 to February 2020. These models were then used to forecast crime data from March 2020 to March 2021 across four periods (lockdown, summer, fall and winter). Crime data were organized into two categories: property (burglary, theft) and violent crimes (robbery, assault, domestic violence and sexual offenses [rape, assault or abuse]). Results: Overall, crime levels for property and violent crimes during lockdown declined sharply from the forecasted levels. Theft, burglary, assault, robbery and sexual offenses exhibited general decreases throughout the study period, with the same sharp declines during the lockdown, progressive recovery in the summer, and steady or slight reductions from fall to March 2021. Only domestic violence differed, reaching the forecasted levels for all periods and surpassing the forecast for summer 2020. Conclusions: Our findings show how the pandemic has affected mid-term crime trends. They help to place the measures applied in the last year into context and to determine the most suitable policies to reduce crime during societal change.

Experiencias de victimización electrónica en adolescentes españoles de la población general y contextos de riesgo / Experiences of electronic victimization in Spanish adolescents from the general population and risk contexts

El presente trabajo pretende mostrar las diferencias de ocurrencia de victimización electrónica en el último año, entre cuatro muestras diferentes de adolescentes españoles. Asimismo, busca estudiar si existe relación entre haber sufrido victimización electrónica y otras formas de victimización y si las cibervíctimas muestran diferencias según sexo y grupo de edad. Se entrevistaron 1.105 adolescentes de educación secundaria, 149 de salud mental infantojuvenil, 129 del sistema de protección, y 101 del sistema de justicia juvenil. Las experiencias de victimización se evaluaron mediante el “Cuestionario de victimización juvenil” (Finkelhor et al., 2005). La victimización electrónica osciló entre 8,9% en la muestra escolar, 16,8% en salud mental, 25,7% en el sistema de justicia juvenil y 27,1% en el de protección. Se encontró una relación positiva entre victimización electrónica y otras formas de victimización en centros educativos, de protección y de justicia. Por otra parte, las chicas tuvieron mayor probabilidad de sufrir victimización electrónica en las muestras de salud mental y centros escolares. En conclusión, la victimización electrónica se distribuye de manera diferencial según la procedencia de los adolescentes. (AU)

The present work aims to show the differences in the prevalence of electronic victimization in the last year, between four different samples of Spanish adolescents. Likewise, it seeks to study whether there is a relationship between having suffered electronic victimization and other forms of victimization and whether cyber-victims show differences according to sex and age group. 1,105 adolescents from secondary education centers, 149 from child and adolescent mental health centers, 129 from the protection system, and 101 from the juvenile justice system were interviewed. Victimization experiences were assessed using the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire (Finkelhor et al., 2005). Electronic victimization ranged from 8.9% in the school sample, 16.8% in mental health, 25.7% in the juvenile justice system and 27.1% in the protection system. A positive relationship was found between electronic victimization and other forms of victimization in educational, protection and justice centers. Besides, girls were more likely to experience electronic victimization in the mental health and school samples. In conclusion, electronic victimization is distributed differentially according to the adolescents’ provenance group. (AU)

Prevalencia de experiencias adversas y victimización en personas adultas con trastorno mental grave en Barcelona / Prevalence of adverse and victimization experiences in adult people with severe mental illness in Barcelona

Objetivo: Conocer la extensión y las características de las experiencias adversas y de victimización en una muestra de personas adultas con un trastorno mental grave residentes en la ciudad de Barcelona. Método: Estudio descriptivo, cuantitativo y transversal. Las experiencias adversas y de victimización se evaluaron a partir de 26 ítems del Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire (ACE-IQ), el cual se amplió para incluir experiencias acontecidas en la edad adulta. Se entrevistó a 74 personas con trastorno mental grave (edad media: 42,03 años; desviación estándar: 9,60). Resultados: Todas las personas entrevistadas reportaron haber vivido como mínimo dos victimizaciones a lo largo de su vida. Las más frecuentes fueron los delitos comunes (87,8%) y la victimización por parte de los cuidadores principales (86,5%). Las mujeres presentaban casi 13 veces más probabilidades de sufrir victimización sexual que los hombres a lo largo de la vida (odds ratio: 12,75; intervalo de confianza del 95%: 4,19-38,71). Antes de los 18 años destaca la alta prevalencia de violencia física por parte de los cuidadores principales (52,7%) y el abuso sexual infantil (32,4%). Conclusiones: La victimización sufrida por las personas con un trastorno mental grave es un problema extendido que ha recibido muy poca atención. Los resultados de este estudio son coherentes con los obtenidos en investigaciones previas y ponen de manifiesto la necesidad de trasladar estos conocimientos a la práctica médica, teniéndolos en cuenta para desarrollar tratamientos con un abordaje integral de la salud mental.(AU)

Objective: To describe the extension of the adverse experiences, including victimization, lived in childhood and adulthood in a sample of people with severe mental illness residing in Barcelona, Spain. Method: Descriptive, quantitative and cross-sectional study. Adverse and victimization experiences were assessed using 26 items from the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire (ACE-IQ). Items were included obtain information regarding victimization during adulthood. Seventy-four people with severe mental illness were interviewed (median age: 42.03 years; standard deviation: 9.60). Results: All participants reported at least two victimization experiences throughout their lifetime. The most frequent experiences were conventional crimes (87.8%) and victimization by caregivers (86.5%). Before age 18, half of the participants reported having experienced physical violence by their caregivers (52.7%) and almost one out of three reported to have been victim of sexual abuse (32.4%). Women were almost 13 times more likely to experience sexual victimization than men throughout their lifetime (odds ratio: 12.75; 95% confidence interval: 4.19–38.71). Conclusions: Victimization experienced by people with severe mental illness is a widespread problem that has received little attention. The results of this study are consistent with those obtained in previous investigations and underscore the need to translate this knowledge into medical practice into medical practice, considering them in order to develop treatments with a comprehensive approach to mental health.(AU)

Ideación y conducta suicida en adolescentes españoles durante la pandemia COVID-19: Un estudio exploratorio / Suicidal ideation and behaviour in Spanish adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic: An exploratory study

Introducción: La pandemia derivada del SARS-CoV-2 y susmedidas de contención, principalmente el distanciamientofísico y el aislamiento, están teniendo consecuenciasperjudiciales para la salud mental de la poblacióninfantojuvenil en todo el mundo.Objetivo. El objetivo fue identificar aquellas variablessociodemográficas, de victimización y de resiliencia asociadascon la conducta suicida en adolescentes españoles desde elinicio de la pandemia.Metodología. La muestra la configuran 163 adolescentes,de 14 a 17 años (M = 15,81; DT = 1,03). Los participantescompletaron la escala DetectaWeb-Distress, el JuvenileVictimization Questionnaire y el Adolescent ResilienceQuestionnaire para la evaluación de la tendencia al suicidio,la victimización y la resiliencia, respectivamente.Resultados. Un 20,8% del total de participantes expresaronhaber pensado en quitarse la vida desde el inicio delconfinamiento. Otro 22,6% expresó haber pensado en algúnmétodo para hacerlo. Por último, un 7,4% expresó haberintentado quitarse la vida. Las víctimas de victimizaciónpsicológica tuvieron cinco veces más posibilidades depresentar conducta suicida y, por el contrario, recibir apoyodel entorno confirió resistencia ante el suicidio.Conclusiones. Este estudio ofrece evidencia preliminar deque la pandemia COVID-19 puede estar contribuyendo ala conducta suicida en adolescentes españoles. Si bien aúnes pronto para reconocer con seguridad la profunda huella de la pandemia en diferentes ámbitos y, en particular, enlas muertes autoprovocadas, es incuestionable que la crisisde salud ha revelado la urgente necesidad de diseñar eimplementar planes de prevención del suicidio. (AU)

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic and its relatedcontainment measures, mainly physical distancingand isolation, are having detrimental consequences onthe mental health of the juvenile infant populationworldwide. Objective. The objective was to identify thosesociodemographic variables, victimization and resilienceassociated with suicidal behavior in Spanish adolescentssince the beginning of the pandemic.Method. The sample was comprised by 163 adolescents, aged14 to 17 years (M = 15.81; SD = 1.03). Participants completedThe DetectaWeb-Distress scale, the Juvenile VictimizationQuestionnaire, and the Adolescent Resilience Questionnairefor assessment of suicidality, victimization and resilience,respectively.Results. 20.8% of the total participants expressed havingthought about taking their own lives since the beginningof the confinement. Another 22.6% expressed havingthought of some form or method to kill themselves. Finally,7.4% expressed having tried to kill themselves. Victims ofpsychological abuse were five times more likely to presentsuicidal behavior and, on the contrary, to receive supportfrom the environment confirmed resistance to suicide Conclusions. This study offers preliminary evidence thatthe COVID-19 pandemic may be contributing to suicidalbehaviors in Spanish adolescents. Although it is still tooearly to safely recognize the deep footprint of the pandemicin different areas and, in particular, in self-caused death, it isunquestionable that the health crisis has revealed the urgentneed to design and implement suicide prevention plans. (AU)

Early Childhood Predictors of Teen Dating Violence Involvement at Age 17.

The distal relationship between risk factors in childhood and subsequent dating violence in late adolescence has not often been explored using longitudinal data. This study aims to shed light on the problem of dating violence by examining children's backgrounds at age 7 and the link to the future involvement in dating violence at age 17 using the first and seventh waves of the Zurich Project on the Social Development from Childhood to Adulthood (z-proso, n = 644). The sample consists of 644 multiethnic adolescents (57.14% female, M = 17.47, SD = 0.37), mainly Swiss-born (90%), though more than half of their parents (60%) were born in another country. A latent class analysis was applied to identify three different profiles (a) zero (or minimal) involvement in teen dating violence, (b) perpetrators/victims of controlling behaviors, and (c) perpetrators/victims of controlling behaviors and of physical violence. Participants who were corporally punished and/or victims of bullying at age 7 were significantly more likely to belong to the controlling and physical violence profile than children in the non-violent class. These results suggest a certain chronicity of the effects of violent experiences in early childhood on the patterns of romantic relationships at 17 years old.

How can school help victims of violence? Evaluation of online training for European schools' staff from a multidisciplinary approach.

The interventions used to prevent or treat violence against children, particularly sexual abuse, tend to only consider the target audience as their main source of data. We tested the effect of an online training for school staff members in Europe through three studies. In Study I, we interviewed 5 adult women (Mage = 49.2, SD = 5.81) who were victims of sexual abuse during childhood to assess what school could have done during that time to protect them. Through Study II, we collected data on 66 school staff members to assess feasibility (based on quantitative indicators) and to explore the changes they would make to their everyday practice due to the training course (using qualitative analysis). In Study III, we used network analysis to assess to what extent the actions described by school staff in Study II met the needs expressed by the victims in Study I. Findings of Study I revealed new proposals from the victims' perspective, such as working with the perpetrators. Study II showed the feasibility of training and identified five types of action that school staff members will include in their everyday working dynamics due to the training: detection (e.g., Greater attention to relationships with peers), reporting (e.g., Now I know that suspecting a case of child abuse is enough to report), everyday practices (e.g., Introducing a calming space), changes at school level (e.g., Propose the training course to the school management team) or practices that could belong to more than one category (e.g., Greater awareness of the activities undertaken by the school). Study III provided evidence that some of these changes (e.g., reporting without looking for proof) were in line with some of the victims' expectations (e.g., listen to the children). We also identified gaps that need to be further developed.

The Spanish Posttraumatic Growth Inventory - Short Form in Adult Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse.

BACKGROUND: Child sexual abuse (CSA) survivors can experience psychological changes and growth as a consequence of their victimization experience, known as posttraumatic growth (PTG). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the dimensionality, reliability and validity of the Spanish version of the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory - Short Form (PTGI-SF) (Tedeschi & Calhoun, 1996) in a sample of 104 adult survivors of CSA. METHOD: Different models of PTGI-SF validated in different languages and samples were tested using Confirmatory Factor Analysis. RESULTS: The results showed that the original five-factor model exhibited the best goodness of fit. Internal consistency was adequate for the general scale, and acceptable for the five different factors. Furthermore, positive correlations were found between the PTGI-SF total score and psychosocial and mental health problems, as well as gender differences, with women tending to report more PTG than men. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the Spanish PTGI-SF is a brief, reliable, valid self-report measure for assessing PTG experienced by CSA survivors.

An Exploratory Study on Mental Health, Social Problems and Spiritual Damage in Victims of Child Sexual Abuse by Catholic Clergy and Other Perpetrators.

The Catholic Church has faced a large number of complaints against its representatives for sexual crimes that involved children and adolescents as victims. The objective of this study was to characterize the dynamics of this type of event, its characteristics, and its effects in terms of mental health and social consequences, as well as the spiritual damage generated. The sample comprised 182 victims from Spain and Chile, divided into three mutually exclusive groups (n = 40 committed by a representative of the Catholic Church; n = 85 by a family member; n = 57 by a perpetrator outside the family and the Church). The results show that victims of child sexual abuse (CSA) by a representative of the Catholic Church and other perpetrators are similar in many respects (e.g., religiosity, characteristics of the abuse, and mental health and social problems), but that the effects on religiosity are more serious for victims of the clergy, affecting their belief in God. Finally, the extreme decline in belief in God, due to CSA, is an important predictor for most mental health and social problems. Our results show the need to include the Catholic identity, faith and spirituality in the therapeutic context.