Understanding the interconnected relationships between intimate partner violence and child maltreatment: The role of maternal material hardship.

BACKGROUND: Evidence indicates an association between intimate partner violence (IPV) and child maltreatment (CM). Although research shows mothers' IPV victimization is a risk factor for CM, the specific elements within IPV and CM are not well understood. Some studies suggest material hardship plays a role in the relationships between IPV and CM. However, the relationship between different typologies of IPV and CM considering material hardship has rarely been examined. OBJECTIVE: This study fills this gap by assessing the direct effects of IPV victimization on material hardship and CM, direct effects of material hardship on CM, and indirect effects of IPV victimization on CM via material hardship with attention to typologies of IPV and CM. METHODS: Data included responses by 3086 mothers in the Fragile Families Child Wellbeing Study. RESULTS: Structural equation modeling showed that material hardship predicted higher risk of CM regardless of the presence of IPV or what type (child physical assault: ß = 0.11, p < 0.001; child psychological aggression: ß = 0.12, p < 0.001; child neglect: ß = 0.06, p < 0.01). However, mothers who experienced controlling and emotional IPV had a higher risk of material hardship, and this increased their children's risk of CM (child physical assault: ß = 0.02, p < 0.01; child psychological aggression: ß = 0.02, p < 0.01; child neglect: ß = 0.01, p < 0.05). This was the only type of IPV associated with CM through its association with material hardship. CONCLUSIONS: The varied findings suggest that intervention efforts in families with co-occurring IPV and CM should mobilize economic support to IPV survivors with consideration of the varied effects of different types of IPV.

Aggregate-level Lead Exposure and Child Maltreatment.

The purpose of this study was to examine the possible ecological association between aggregate blood lead levels (BLL) and rates of child maltreatment. To this end, we employed an ecologic study design, analyzing results from 59,645 child BLL tests between the years 1996 and 2007, and 6,640 substantiated maltreatment investigations from 2006 to 2016 in a large Midwest city. Separate Bayesian spatial Poisson conditional autoregressive (CAR) and Bayesian spatial zero-inflated Poisson CAR models were used to predict the occurrence of maltreatment.Bivariate results showed that aggregate rates of maltreatment increased as aggregate BLL increased. Multivariate results showed that medium-exposure BLL census tracts (OR = 1.38) and high-exposure BLL tracts (OR = 1.38) had increased odds of substantiated investigations for any maltreatment compared to low BLL census tracts even after controlling for crime rates, age of the housing stock, and concentrated disadvantage. Our findings, considered with prior research, continue to reveal a confluence of deleterious outcomes in areas where exposure to lead seems elevated. In this case, child maltreatment also appears to represent a macro-level correlate of aggregate lead exposure. Yet our results preclude any causal inference, and further research on the intersection of child maltreatment with environmental toxins is needed to determine if contaminant abatement should be considered as a possible maltreatment prevention strategy.

The effects of disability status and perceived neighbourhood cohesion and safety on adverse childhood experiences among college students.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are early traumatic events that can have adverse long-term developmental effects on a person's health and well-being. Individuals with disabilities are at a greater risk of all types of ACEs. However, the impact of having a disability and neighbourhood context on ACEs is under-researched, and even less is known about whether neighbourhood cohesion and safety affect the relationship between disability status and ACEs. The purpose of this study is to examine the direct and indirect pathways between disability status, childhood neighbourhood environment and ACEs. The final study sample of this study was 2,049 college students, consisting of 494 students with disabilities and 1,555 students without disabilities from six universities in the U.S. and Canada between March 2016 and June 2017. Data analysis included Pearson correlations and structural equation modelling procedures using Stata 16 software to test a partial mediation model. Having a disability has both a direct effect and an indirect effect through the neighbourhood environment on ACEs after controlling for socio-demographic characteristics associated with neighbourhood environment or ACEs. The findings suggest that neighbourhood cohesion and safety can be a mediator between disability status and ACEs, and the potential cumulative risk and protective factors that can contribute to ACEs. To elucidate the relationship between disability status and a higher risk for ACEs fully and prevent ACEs that can negatively impact the long-term health outcomes, greater attention to environmental risk and protective factors is urgently needed.

How does neighborhood affect child maltreatment among immigrant families?

BACKGROUND: Child maltreatment in immigrant families is understudied, although research suggests that they are at higher risk of child abuse and neglect. While the limited studies on the etiology of child maltreatment among immigrant families have mainly focused on children and their caregivers, this study breaks new ground by examining the neighborhood as an environmental context for child maltreatment among immigrant families. METHODS: Following social disorganization theory, this study explores the mechanisms by which neighborhood structural characteristics and social processes affect the maltreatment of children in immigrant families, using the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (N = 372). RESULTS: Structural equation modeling revealed that negative neighborhood structural characteristics were positively associated with higher physical assault (ß = 0.42, p < .001), higher psychological aggression (ß = 0.29, p < .001), and higher neglect (ß = 0.19, p < .001) among immigrant families. Conversely, positive neighborhood social processes were associated with lower physical assault (ß = -0.37, p < .001) and lower psychological aggression (ß = -0.31, p < .001) among immigrant families. In addition, neighborhood social processes mediated the relationship between neighborhood structural characteristics and child physical assault (ß = -0.09, p < .001) among immigrant families. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study highlighted the positive role of neighborhood social processes in reducing child physical assault among immigrant families, even in neighborhoods with negative structural characteristics.

Racial/Ethnic Differences in Health Behaviors and Its Roles on Depressive Symptoms among Young Female Adults.

This study explores the role of health behaviors on depressive symptoms across young adult females and differences in the relationship across race/ethnicity. The data come from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 Child and Young Adult. Seven hundred and seven non-Hispanic White females, 592 African American females, and 349 Hispanic females were selected. Multiple linear regression and logistic regression analyses were conducted. African American and Hispanic females were more likely to eat fast food than non-Hispanic Whites. African Americans reported that they ate fruit less frequently in comparison with non-Hispanic Whites. Fruit intake was related to lower levels of depressive symptoms. Hispanics moderated the association between fruit intake and depressive symptoms. Females should be encouraged to eat more fruit during young adulthood in order to diminish the likelihood of depressive symptoms. In addition, strategies for promoting healthy behaviors should consider the varied effects of race/ethnicity on depressive symptoms among young female adults.

Gender Differences in the Relationship Between the Nature of Intimate Partner Violence and the Survivor's Help-Seeking.

This study used the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey to examine how gender interacts with the nature of intimate partner violence (IPV) in the survivor's help-seeking. A total of 3,878 IPV survivors (869 male and 3,009 female) were included in the study sample. Dependent variables were help-seeking and the use of formal and informal sources. Independent variables included gender, race, income, and the patterns of victimization and consequences of victimization. The results showed that survivors' characteristics and the patterns of victimization and consequences affect help-seeking, and that gender moderates the relationship between consequences and the use of formal help.

Educational Attainment and Health Behaviors Among Young Adult Men: Racial/Ethnic Disparities.

Although promoting health behaviors are important for sustaining physical and mental health, little is known about young adult men's health behaviors or how they vary across race and ethnicity. This study examines the impact of educational attainment on health behaviors across young adult men, and differences in the association across race/ethnicity. This study used data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 Children and Young Adults. The final sample consists of 3,115 non-Hispanic White males, 1,617 African American males, and 1,144 Hispanic males. The average age of the participants was about 27 years old. Multiple linear regression and logistic regression analyses were conducted. Educational attainment was associated with both food intake and preventive health care visits. Those who received a higher education were less likely to eat fast food than those who did not (ß = -.37, p < .001) and were more likely to eat fruits and vegetables (ß = .77, OR = 2.15, p < .01; ß = 6.44, OR = 1.91, p < .10). Higher education was also positively associated with routine eye exams and health check-ups (ß = .50, OR = 1.64, p < .01); ß = 1.84, OR = 6.29, p < .01). This study identified interaction effects between educational attainment and African Americans for predicting fast food intake (ß = .57, p < .05). Education is one way to improve health behaviors and to lessen racial/ethnic disparities in health behaviors. Specifically, promoting health behaviors in education should target African American men to improve their perception toward the importance of healthy food intake.

Foster Care Alumni Achievement in Higher Education: the Role of Trauma.

Foster care alumni lag behind the general population in post-secondary academic achievement. This cross-sectional study uses a random sample of forty-six foster care alumni from a Midwestern public university to explore the relationship between exposure to trauma and post-secondary academic achievement (14.5% response rate; age range 17-24). While no significant relationship was found between trauma exposure and GPA or failing classes, participants who experienced increased exposure to trauma were more likely to have withdrawn from a class because it was too difficult or the semester was too overwhelming. More research is needed to further understand these findings.