Exploring adverse parent-child relationships from the perspective of convicted child murderers: A South African qualitative study

Programs to Prevent Violence Against Children in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review

Violence against children-which includes maltreatment (including physical, sexual, psychological and emotional violence, and neglect), bullying (including cyberbullying), youth violence (including physical assault with or without weapons), intimate partner violence (including exposure to domestic violence and direct involvement in teen dating violence), and sexual violence-continues to present itself as a significant public health crisis in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) leading to numerous short- and long-term deleterious outcomes. As such, the prevention of violence against children in SSA is a critical public health priority. In this systematic literature review, we identified 45 articles that reported on results from 22 programs that seek to reduce violence against children in SSA. Results suggested that programs that focus on (1) economic strengthening, (2) teachers schools, (3) entire families, (4) caregivers only, and (5) children only are generally effective in reducing violence against children by promoting focused action on the mechanisms of change (e.g., parenting skills, enhanced parent-child relationships, resistance skills for children). To date, no research in SSA has examined the impact of policy interventions on childhood victimization or community-level interventions to change norms and values that support violence against children. Future research is needed to examine the impacts of comprehensive efforts to prevent violence against children in SSA as well as factors that predict uptake and sustainability of such prevention efforts in SSA.

Enablers and barriers to effective parenting within the first 1000 days: an exploratory study of South African parents and primary caregivers in low socio-economic communities

Background

The first 1000 days is the period between conception and a child’s second birthday. Globally, research on parenting is in an advanced stage, but parenting research focusing specifically on parenting in this developmental phase is limited in South Africa. Therefore, this study explores the enablers and barriers to effective parenting within the first 1000 days through the lens of parents and caregivers in low socio-economic communities.

Methods

This study was conducted in communities in South Africa considered low socio-economic communities in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. An exploratory qualitative research design explored the enablers and barriers to effective parenting within the first 1000 days of life. Thirty participants were purposively selected and interviewed in this study. A semi-structured interview schedule was used for all interviews. The data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis.

Results

Two main categories emerged (effective parenting enablers and effective parenting barriers) during the data analysis. The main enablers of effective parenting within the first 1000 days of life include a support system, healthy behaviours/environment, unemployment/job opportunities, religion, information/knowledge, and professional assistance. On the other hand, the main barriers to effective parenting were low socio-economic circumstances, environmental circumstances, lack of partner’s support, the negative impact of technology, and lack of access to services.

Conclusion

Enablers that need to be promoted for effective parenting range from support systems to professional assistance for parents. Also, barriers that need to be removed for effective parenting range from low socio-economic circumstances to a lack of partner’s support for parents. This is because effective parenting is vital in improving developmental outcomes for children within the first 1000 days of life. Therefore, there is a need to develop policies and interventions to promote effective parenting within the first 1000 days in the communities.

Perspectives of nurturance within the parent-child relationship in resource-constrained families

BACKGROUND

Nurturing parents raise children in an engaged, flexible, emotionally expressive and supportive manner, which is associated with positive outcomes for children. While parenting research within the South African context is increasing, there is a lack of focus on nurturance within the parent-child relationship. Thus, this study sought to explore how parents nurture their children in resource-constrained environments in South Africa.

METHOD

A qualitative approach with an exploratory research design was used. Participants were purposively recruited via non-governmental institutions and key informants in the communities. A sample of 77 semi-structured interviews was conducted with participants from two rural areas, Calvinia and Lamberts Bay, in South Africa.

RESULTS

A thematic analysis of the data revealed two themes. The first theme is nurturance approaches, which encapsulate how parents nurture their children physically and emotionally. The second theme focuses on factors contributing to nurturance within the parent-child relationship with regard to parenting practices and external factors.

CONCLUSION

Although parents are nurturing children physically and emotionally, parenting capacity needs to be improved in the South African context.

Personality structure and attachment models of women who kill their children. A systematic review on maternal filicide

BACKGROUND

A mother's ability to attune with her child is crucial in structuring one's attachment style and personality. Both dimensions shape mother-child interactions, and they are therefore likely to impact on the risk of filicide. Numerous risk factors for filicide have been identified, but personality and attachment look relatively understudied.

OBJECTIVE

We focused on filicide mothers' personality and states of mind regarding attachment to shed new light on this phenomenon, for the purpose of an improved and earlier identification of at-risk maternities.

METHODS

A systematic review of five electronic databases was performed. All studies on filicide, infanticide or neonaticide were included in the search, regardless of the study design or the socio-demographic characteristics of the offenders.

RESULTS

Twelve original articles were found to be eligible for the systematic review. The data were categorized in personality and attachment related, and then by study design. Only two studies performed comparisons with control groups, and only three reported data about psychodiagnostic/neuropsychiatric tests or questionnaires. Personality diagnoses were strongly heterogeneous (mostly pertaining to cluster B and C), and not supported by statistically significant evidence. Attachment was examined by only one study, which showed that the most frequent states of mind regarding attachment were unresolved/unclassifiable (U/CC).

CONCLUSIONS

Despite their pivotal importance in determining relational patterns in an individual, both personality and attachment are almost unacknowledged across the literature about maternal filicide. It is thus advisable to further focus on them, carrying out structured and validated assessments, to better define the causes of this dramatic event.

Exploring adversities among parents convicted of killing their children

Experiencing adversities has been associated with the use of violence but this has not been explored with filicide offenders in South Africa. Individual, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 22 parents/stepparents/caregivers convicted of child homicide in South Africa, resulting in 49 in-depth interviews. Data were analyzed by means of grounded theory. Using an ecological framework, this study alludes to the widespread and cumulative nature of violence and trauma experiences within multiple domains of the participants' lives. The study highlighted the absence of support in the aftermath of experiencing trauma, possibly resulting in these parents lacking resources to mitigate the sequelae of adverse experiences. This study calls for trauma related, mental health components to be integrated into violence interventions and for these to address the impact of trauma at the individual, family, and societal levels, to prevent the transition from victim to offender.

Violence typologies and sociodemographic correlates in South African adolescents: a three-wave cross-sectional study

Background

Violence victimisation and violence perpetration may co-occur in adolescents. Understanding the sociodemographic correlates of the independent and joint profiles of victimisation and perpetration may inform preventive interventions. This study examined the associations of sociodemographic factors with four violence typologies, namely, 1) non-involvement in both victimisation and perpetration, 2) victims only, 3) perpetrators only, and 4) victim-perpetrators. Trends in the prevalence of the four violence typologies over the three survey years were also examined.

Methods

We used data from the three nationally representative South African Youth Risk Behaviour Surveys conducted in 2002, 2008, and 2011 and included a multi-ethnic sample of adolescents (n = 30,007; boy: 46.9%, girls: 53.1%; M age = 16 years, SD = .06).

Results

The sample consisted of 8030 (30.8%) adolescents who had non-involvement in both victimisation and perpetration, 8217 were victims only (29.8%), 2504 were perpetrators only (9.0%), and 7776 were victim-perpetrators (24.6%). Logistic regression analyses showed that being a girl increased the odds of non-involvement (OR: 1.47, 99% CI: 1.36–1.58) and being victims only (OR: 1.90, 99% CI: 1.76–2.05). Being a boy increased the odds of being perpetrators only (OR: 0.42, 99% CI: 0.37–0.47) and victim-perpetrators (OR: 0.51, 99% CI: 0.47–0.55). Adolescents who did not have an absent mother had higher odds of non-involvement (OR: 0.78, 99% CI: 0.62–0.97). Lower monthly allowance increased the odds of victimisation only (OR: 0.99, 99% CI: 0.97–1.00), whereas higher monthly allowance increased the odds of perpetration only (OR: 1.05, 99% CI: 1.03–1.08). Trend analysis showed that between 2002 to 2011, there was an increase in the prevalence of non-involvement in adolescents (p < .001), a decrease in the prevalence of victims only (p < .05) and victim-perpetrators (p < .001), and no changes in the prevalence of perpetrators only (p > .05).

Conclusions

Sociodemographic factors are uniquely associated with different violence typologies suggesting the need for tailored interventions to target adolescents with differed risks to violence victimisation and perpetration. Strengthening family relations, particularly between mother and child, may protect adolescents from the experiences of victimisation and perpetration.

Exploring the Intersection Between Violence Against Women and Children from the Perspective of Parents Convicted of Child Homicide

Violence against women and violence against children are distinct research fields. Quantitative studies have demonstrated their intersection, but qualitative data provides an opportunity for a comprehensive understanding of this interface. Interviews with 22 parents/caregivers convicted of child homicide provided an opportunity to explore the context of violent experiences in their lives including their use of violence and their experiences of it in their intimate and parenting relationships. Using a feminist framework, we found that patriarchal family structures, gender and power dynamics contribute to the use of violence. Revenge child homicide was common with distinct gendered differences. This study calls for closer collaboration between the two fields to assist in developing prevention interventions to address and eradicate both forms of violence.