The Effects of Social Location and Situational Factors on Young Women's Disclosure of Intimate Partner Violence Across Relationships.

The goal of the study was to examine disclosure of physical and sexual intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization across abusive relationships within a sociodemographically diverse sample of young women. We recruited 283 participants, ages 18 to 24, from a university, a 2-year college, and community sites serving low-income young women, and assessed physical and sexual IPV victimization, and related disclosure, across each of their abusive relationships (415 total). We used multilevel modeling to examine the effects of social location and situational factors on the odds of any disclosure of abuse during first relationships and across relationships. The rate of physical IPV disclosure was 50%, vs. 29% for sexual IPV. Multilevel model results indicated setting, IPV type, high frequency sexual IPV, and fear were significantly related to any disclosure.

Who We Are Today: a National Survey of Diversity Among Psychiatry Program Directors.

OBJECTIVE: In March 2018, the American Association of Directors of Psychiatric Residency Training (AADPRT) formed the Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Committee. One of the committee's goals was to understand the AADPRT membership's composition and their perceptions of D&I. This study's objective was to identify the demographic characteristics of the AADPRT membership. METHODS: Program directors were invited by email to participate in an anonymous survey. The survey collected participants' demographic information including gender, race/ethnicity, training background, age, disability/differently abled status, job role, geographic region where their program is located, type of program, and their program's community setting. RESULTS: Two hundred fifty six of 657 AADPRT members (39%) completed the survey. Respondents were mostly White (64.5%) followed by Asian/Southeast Asian (17.6%), Hispanic/Latinx (4.3%), and Black (1.6%). Only 13.3% of the participants were international medical graduates. Women were more prevalent (61.7%) than men (37.5%), and 9.4% self-identified as members of the LGBTQ+ Community. CONCLUSIONS: This study represents the first systematic investigation into the diversity among psychiatry program directors throughout the USA and Canada. Future qualitative studies are needed to better understand the reasons behind this initial study's findings. Potential concerns requiring exploration include the possibility of the program director role serving as a "glass ceiling" for some women and a "leaky pipeline" in academia for groups underrepresented in medicine.

Evidence of the Construct Validity of the Scale of Economic Abuse.

This study investigated the construct validity of the Scale of Economic Abuse (SEA). Evidence of construct validity was assessed by examining the relationship between the SEA and an economic outcome, financial resources, as perceived by participants. A sample of 93 women with abusive partners were recruited from a domestic violence organization and interviewed 3 times over a period of 4 months. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to examine the relationship between economic abuse and financial resources over time, controlling for the effects of physical and psychological abuse. The findings indicate that baseline economic abuse was significantly related to baseline financial resources, and within-woman change in economic abuse was significantly predicted change in financial resources over time. The findings suggest that the SEA measures what it is intended to measure: an economic dimension of intimate partner abuse that has damaging economic consequences.

A 12-week comparison regarding symptom improvement in an urban university-based outpatient child psychiatry clinic.

To compare the efficacy of pharmacotherapy versus combination pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy for externalizing, conduct, and aggressive behaviors in children aged 6 through 18 years in an urban academic outpatient facility. Data from a child psychiatry outpatient population whose scores were identified as "at risk" or "clinically significant" based on a validated and standardized assessment tool were assessed at baseline and 12 weeks or more after treatment. Conduct symptoms worsened with medication management alone but improved with combination treatment (P < 0.05). Females and older youth were more likely to have therapy included in their treatment. Conduct problems that can be seen in a variety of youth disorders, such as disruptive behaviors, mood, and anxiety disorders, have a better probability of improving with treatment that includes psychotherapy versus medication management alone.

Beyond deficits: intimate partner violence, maternal parenting, and child behavior over time.

Exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) has negative consequences for children's well-being and behavior. Much of the research on parenting in the context of IPV has focused on whether and how IPV victimization may negatively shape maternal parenting, and how parenting may in turn negatively influence child behavior, resulting in a deficit model of mothering in the context of IPV. However, extant research has yet to untangle the interrelationships among the constructs and test whether the negative effects of IPV on child behavior are indeed attributable to IPV affecting mothers' parenting. The current study employed path analysis to examine the relationships among IPV, mothers' parenting practices, and their children's externalizing behaviors over three waves of data collection among a sample of 160 women with physically abusive partners. Findings indicate that women who reported higher levels of IPV also reported higher levels of behavior problems in their children at the next time point. When parenting practices were examined individually as mediators of the relationship between IPV and child behavior over time, one type of parenting was significant, such that higher IPV led to higher authoritative parenting and lower child behavior problems [corrected]. On the other hand, there was no evidence that higher levels of IPV contributed to more child behavior problems due to maternal parenting. Instead, IPV had a significant cumulative indirect effect on child behavior via the stability of both IPV and behavior over time. Implications for promoting women's and children's well-being in the context of IPV are discussed.

Can This Provider Be Trusted? A Review of the Role of Trustworthiness in the Provision of Community-Based Services for Intimate Partner Violence Survivors.

While there is a growing literature on intimate partner violence (IPV) survivors and service providers, it is limited by its largely atheoretical and descriptive nature, and its emphasis on individual-level survivors' help-seeking. We seek to broaden our understanding by shifting the focus onto organizations and service systems and introducing the concept of these providers' trustworthiness toward survivors. Provider trustworthiness in delivering services includes benevolence (locally available and caring), fairness (accessible to all and non-discriminatory), and competence (acceptable and effective in meeting survivors' needs). Guided by this conceptualization, we conducted an integrative review drawing on four databases: PsycINFO, PubMed, Web of Science, and Westlaw. We identified studies for inclusion that were published between January 2005 and March 2022, and we examined the trustworthiness of community-based providers serving adult IPV survivors in the United States, including domestic violence services, health and mental health care, the legal system, and economic support services (N = 114). Major findings include (1) many survivors live in communities with no shelter beds, mental health care, or affordable housing; (2) many services are inaccessible because they lack, for example, bilingual staff, sliding fees, or telehealth options; (3) too many providers are harmful or discriminatory toward survivors, especially those who are, for example, sexual or gender minorities, immigrants or non-English-speaking, poor, or Native, Black, or Latinx; (4) many providers appear to be incompetent, lack evidence-based training, and are ineffective in meeting survivors' needs. We call on researchers, advocates, and providers to examine provider trustworthiness, and we offer an introduction to measuring it.

An Exploratory Study of Financial Health as an Antecedent of Economic Abuse Among Women Seeking Help for Intimate Partner Violence.

Economic abuse is a common component of intimate partner violence (IPV). This study explored whether IPV victim and perpetrator financial health at relationship outset are associated with two types of economic abuse-restriction and exploitation-during the relationship. With a sample of 315 women seeking services for male-perpetrated IPV, the study showed increased use of economic restriction when perpetrators were advantaged in terms of assets or disadvantaged in terms of debt. There was increased use of economic exploitation when victims were advantaged in terms of assets or credit and when perpetrators were disadvantaged in terms of assets, debt, or credit. Implications for research and intervention are discussed.

A model of sexually and physically victimized women's process of attaining effective formal help over time: the role of social location, context, and intervention.

As empirical evidence has demonstrated the pervasiveness of sexual assault and intimate partner violence in the lives of women, and the links to poor mental health outcomes, attention has turned to examining how women seek and access formal help. We present a conceptual model that addresses prior limitations and makes three key contributions: It foregrounds the influence of social location and multiple contextual factors; emphasizes the importance of the attainment of effective formal help that meets women's needs and leads to positive mental health outcomes; and highlights the role of interventions in facilitating help attainment. We conclude with research and practice implications.

The Frequency, Nature, and Effects of Coerced Debt Among a National Sample of Women Seeking Help for Intimate Partner Violence.

This study examines the frequency, nature, and effects of coerced debt, defined as non-consensual, credit-related transactions that occur in intimate relationships where one partner uses coercive control to dominate the other. The sample includes 1,823 women who called the National Domestic Violence Hotline. Results suggest that coerced debt, from both coercive and fraudulent transactions, is a common problem and is significantly related to control over financial information, credit damage, and financial dependence on the abuser. This study supports the need for policy reform and victim services aimed at addressing coerced debt, thereby mitigating a potentially significant economic barrier to safety.

Why do rape survivors volunteer for face-to-face interviews? A meta-study of victims' reasons for and concerns about research participation.

There is growing interest in understanding how different research methods are perceived by victims of violence and what survivors will reveal to researchers (termed meta-research or meta-studies). The purpose of this project was to conduct a qualitative meta-study on why rape survivors chose to participate in community-based, face-to-face interviews. Participants mentioned four primary reasons for why they decided to participate in this study: (a) to help other survivors, (b) to help themselves, (c) to support research on rape/sexual assault, and (d) to receive financial compensation. Implications for designing research recruitment protocols are discussed.

Training interviewers for research on sexual violence: a qualitative study of rape survivors' recommendations for interview practice.

Face-to-face interviewing is a common data collection technique in violence against women research. To guide the development of interviewer training programs, the authors conducted an empirical study on adult rape survivors' recommendations for interview practice. They asked survivors what interviewers should know about rape and how they should interact with participants. Data from 92 survivors revealed that interviewer training needs to emphasize diversity so that researchers are capable of working effectively with individuals with different life circumstances. The survivors also emphasized that interviewers need to show warmth and compassion and allow them to exercise choice and control during the interview process.

Development of the scale of economic abuse.

Economic abuse is part of the pattern of behaviors used by batterers to maintain power and control over their partners. However, no measure of economic abuse exists. This study describes the development of the Scale of Economic Abuse, which was designed to fill this gap. Interviews were conducted with 103 survivors of domestic abuse, each of whom responded to measures of economic, physical, and psychological abuse as well as economic hardship. Results provide evidence for the reliability and validity of the scale. This study is an important first step toward understanding the extent and impact of economic abuse experienced by survivors.

Crystal structure of 9-amino-N-[2-(4-morpholinyl)ethyl]-4-acridinecarboxamide bound to d(CGTACG)2: implications for structure-activity relationships of acridinecarboxamide topoisomerase poisons.

The structure of the complex formed between d(CGTACG)2 and 9-amino-N-[2-(4-morpholinyl)ethyl]-4-acridinecarboxamide, an inactive derivative of the antitumour agents N-[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]acridine-4-carboxamide (DACA) and 9-amino-DACA, has been solved to a resolution of 1.8 A using X-ray crystallography. The complex crystallises in the space group P6(4 )and the final structure has an overall R factor of 21.9%. A drug molecule intercalates between each of the CpG dinucleotide steps with its side chain lying in the major groove, and its protonated morpholino nitrogen partially occupying positions close to the N7 and O6 atoms of guanine G2. The morpholino group is disordered, the major conformer adopting a twisted boat conformation that makes van der Waals contact with the O4 oxygen of thymine T3. A water molecule forms bridging hydrogen bonds between the 4-carboxamide NH and the phosphate group of guanine G2. Sugar rings are found in alternating C3'-exo/C2'-endo conformations except for cytosine C1 which is C3'-endo. Intercalation perturbs helix winding throughout the hexanucleotide compared with B-DNA, steps 1 and 2 being unwound by 10 and 8 degrees, respectively, while the central TpA step is overwound by 11 degrees. An additional drug molecule lies at the end of each DNA helix linking it to the next duplex to form a continuously stacked structure. The protonated morpholino nitrogen of this 'end-stacked' drug hydrogen bonds to the N7 atom of guanine G6, and its conformationally disordered morpholino ring forms a C-H...O hydrogen bond with the guanine O6 oxygen. In both drug molecules the 4-carboxamide group is internally hydrogen bonded to the protonated N10 atom of the acridine ring. We discuss our findings with respect to the potential role played by the interaction of the drug side chain and the topoisomerase II protein in the poisoning of topoisomerase activity by the acridinecarboxamides.

The Effects of Cumulative Violence Clusters on Young Mothers' School Participation: Examining Attention and Behavior Problems as Mediators.

Using a cluster analysis approach with a sample of 205 young mothers recruited from community sites in an urban Midwestern setting, we examined the effects of cumulative violence exposure (community violence exposure, witnessing intimate partner violence, physical abuse by a caregiver, and sexual victimization, all with onset prior to age 13) on school participation, as mediated by attention and behavior problems in school. We identified five clusters of cumulative exposure, and found that the HiAll cluster (high levels of exposure to all four types) consistently fared the worst, with significantly higher attention and behavior problems, and lower school participation, in comparison with the LoAll cluster (low levels of exposure to all types). Behavior problems were a significant mediator of the effects of cumulative violence exposure on school participation, but attention problems were not.

Structural characterisation of bisintercalation in higher-order DNA at a junction-like quadruplex.

We report the single-crystal X-ray structure for the complex of the bisacridine bis-(9-aminooctyl(2-(dimethylaminoethyl)acridine-4-carboxamide)) with the oligonucleotide d(CGTACG)(2) to a resolution of 2.4A. Solution studies with closed circular DNA show this compound to be a bisintercalating threading agent, but so far we have no crystallographic or NMR structural data conforming to the model of contiguous intercalation within the same duplex. Here, with the hexameric duplex d(CGTACG), the DNA is observed to undergo a terminal cytosine base exchange to yield an unusual guanine quadruplex intercalation site through which the bisacridine threads its octamethylene linker to fuse two DNA duplexes. The 4-carboxamide side-chains form anchoring hydrogen-bonding interactions with guanine O6 atoms on each side of the quadruplex. This higher-order DNA structure provides insight into an unexpected property of bisintercalating threading agents, and suggests the idea of targeting such compounds specifically at four-way DNA junctions.

Emergency weight estimation in Pacific Island and Maori children who are large-for-age.

OBJECTIVE: Methods to estimate weights of children requiring resuscitation appeared to underestimate the weight of Pacific Island and Maori children. This study sought to quantify differences between real and estimated weights, study links with ethnicity and derive a new estimation method for large-for-age children. METHOD: Data were collected prospectively for 3 months. Weights were estimated by formulae described by Shann, Leffler, the Advanced Paediatric Life Support (APLS) formula, the Oakley resuscitation chart and the Broselow tape. RESULTS: Of the 909 children included, 46% were of Pacific Island and 25% were of Maori origin. Differences between actual and estimated weights were significantly greater (P<0.05) for the Pacific Island group using all methods of estimation. Maori differences were significantly greater than European differences using Oakley and Broselow methods (P<0.05). The Broselow tape was the method most likely to underestimate weight in Pacific Island and Maori children. A new formula was derived from non-linear regression analysis, leading to a new chart. CONCLUSION: Current emergency methods underestimate weight in Pacific Island and Maori children. We recommend a new chart for these children.

Crystal structures of acridines complexed with nucleic acids.

Acridines have been used as chemotherapeutic agents against bacteria, protozoa and fungi, and they now find important use as anticancer drugs. There is a paucity of crystal structures of acridine-DNA complexes above the dinucleotide level, but recent structures of acridinecarboxamide topoisomerase II poisons complexed to hexanucleotides have allowed a molecular rationalization of their structure-activity relationships for cytotoxicity and for their kinetics of DNA binding.

Kinetic studies of the binding of acridinecarboxamide topoisomerase poisons to DNA: implications for mode of binding of ligands with uncharged chromophores.

We have used stopped-flow spectrophotometry and the sodium dodecyl sulfate sequestration technique to study the kinetics of dissociation of DNA complexes of the mixed topoisomerase I/II poison N-[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]acridine-4-carboxamide (termed DACA) and a range of related linear tricyclic carboxamides with neutral chromophores. Complexes of DACA and related acridine and phenazinecarboxamides bearing an N,N-dimethylaminoethyl side chain dissociate from calf thymus DNA by a kinetic pathway involving four discernible steps in a manner similar to complexes of N-[(2-dimethylamino)ethyl]-9-aminoacridine-4-carboxamide (termed 9-amino-DACA). We infer from these findings that the side chains of DACA, its phenazine homologue, and 9-amino-DACA make comparable interactions with the DNA base pairs. In the case of 9-amino-DACA, a selective topoisomerase II poison, these are known, by crystallographic analysis, to involve hydrogen-bonding interactions between the protonated dimethylammonium group of the side chain and the O6/N7 atoms of guanine and to include a bridging water molecule hydrogen bonded to the carboxamide group and a phosphate oxygen. By contrast, we find that other linear tricyclic carboxamides with neutral chromophores which lack a peri nitrogen atom and are biologically inactive dissociate from DNA by a different mechanism in which it appears their side chains fail to interact with guanine. We conclude that the ability of the carboxamide group to lie preferentially in the plane of the chromophore, so facilitating the dimethylammonium-guanine hydrogen bond and ensuring maintenance of the water-bridged carboxamide-phosphate interaction, is a critical requirement for antitumor activity among ligands of the linear tricyclic carboxamide class. However, unlike the situation for 9-amino-DACA, for ligands with uncharged chromophores containing peri nitrogen atoms such as DACA, this outcome is possible with the 4-carboxamide group rotated cis or trans with respect to the ring nitrogen. This difference may have relevance to the ability of DACA to be a dual poison of both topoisomerases I and II.