[Adverse Childhood Experiences in Mothers and Intergenerational Family Violence]

For children, own adverse experiences, as well as their exposure to intimate partner violence poses a severe risk for health and development. In order to answer the question of intergenerational transmission of family violence, adverse childhood experiences in mothers are considered to be a significant risk factor for the occurrence of child maltreatment and intimate partner violence in families, which, however, has been little studied in Germany. Therefore, this paper uses cross-sectional data of 5.646 mothers that was taken fromthe representative study "Kinder in Deutschland - KiD 0-3". Multiple binary-logical regression models were calculated in order to examine the influence ofmaternal adverse childhood experiences on various forms of family violence. As a result, 823 mothers (9,3 %) reported adverse childhood experiences; 157 (2,8 %) admitted that their child had already been exposed to physical harm or harsh punishment, and 168 (3,0%) reported intimate partner violence since the birth of their child, respectively 493 (8,7 %) since any past relationship. Taking demographic and socioeconomic factors into account, the occurrence of all three forms of violence becamemore likely inmothers with adverse childhood experiences: physical harm of the child (OR = 2,78, p ≤ 0,001), current intimate partner violence of themother (OR = 3,76, p ≤ 0,001), as well as her lifetime experiences in general (OR = 3,67, p ≤ 0,001). Therefore, the support and guidance of families (e.g., by early childhood interventions) should take into account the connection between negative maternal childhood experiences, as well as familial forms of violence, and, if applicable, make generous preventative offers. In case of signs for familial violence, additional protective steps should be applied.

Family risk and early attachment development: The differential role of parental sensitivity

Family risks are known to be detrimental to children's attachment development. This study investigated whether parental sensitivity plays different roles in early attachment development in the context of risk: Sensitivity was hypothesized to mediate risk effects on attachment, as well as a moderator that shapes the relation between risk and attachment. Multiple family risks, parental sensitivity (defined as responsivity and supportive presence), and children's attachment security of 197 infants and toddlers (M_age  = 15.25 months) and their caregivers were assessed in a prospective study with a cohort-sequential-design in Germany. Caregivers' sensitivity served as a mediator of risk effects on attachment as well as a moderator that buffers adverse consequences of risk. Early sensitivity might be relevant in setting the stage for attachment development supporting resilience.

Fathers, mothers and family violence: Which risk factors contribute to the occurrence of child maltreatment and exposure to intimate partner violence in early childhood? Findings in a German longitudinal in-depth study

BACKGROUND

Family violence, especially child maltreatment and intimate partner violence, in early childhood has a strong impact on negative developmental outcomes. There is evidence of child, parental, and family risk factors. Less is known about paternal than maternal risk factors.

OBJECTIVE

To identify maternal and paternal predictors of family violence and predictive constellations of risk factors.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

According to psychosocial adversity in a larger study, families were stratified into low-, medium- and high-risk groups. Both, mothers and fathers (n = 197/191), were investigated longitudinally across seven months using self-report questionnaires and ratings of the IFEEL Pictures.

METHODS

χ²-tests, logistic regression models, and prediction configural frequency analysis (P-CFA) were employed.

RESULTS

Univariate predictors (p < .05) were anxiety and stress in mothers, and insensitivity in recognizing negative child emotions in fathers. Within high-risk levels, paternal adverse childhood experiences (ACE) were a predictor (z = 2.92, p > .01), proven by P-CFA. Logistic regression models including family violence at baseline, sociodemographic variables, univariate predictors, and ACE of both parents revealed maternal anxiety (OR = 1.22, p < .05) and low paternal recognition of negative IFEEL Pictures (OR = 6.00, p < .05) as predictors. P-CFA identified socioemotional problems in children and low paternal recognition of negative child emotions as a predictive risk constellation (z = 2.58, p > .01).

CONCLUSION

Analysis of both caregivers in small population samples with oversampled at-risk families leads to a systemic perspective of family violence. The identified risk constellation is highly relevant for early childhood intervention.

Risk factors for child abuse, neglect and exposure to intimate partner violence in early childhood: Findings in a representative cross-sectional sample in Germany

BACKGROUND

The KiD 0-3 national main study is a cross-sectional study on adversity in early childhood and parental access to support services, conducted as part of a long-term policy program for early intervention services in Germany.

OBJECTIVE

To identify risk factors for child abuse, neglect and exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) and investigate if parental use of early intervention programs or contact to child welfare services was associated with reported child maltreatment.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

8063 families with infants and toddlers participated in the survey. Parents answered a written questionnaire during mandatory health checks for the child. The sampling was based on a regionally clustered model of pediatricians' practices.

METHODS

An automatic variable selection process was used to test risk factors and logistic regression models were employed for each outcome.

RESULTS

Significant risk factors (p < 0.05) for child abuse (1.91 %) were child age, IPV and parental stress. Neglect (0.83 %) was associated with couple distress, adverse childhood experiences, young maternal age, cramped housing, and migration history. IPV (2.98 %) was associated with child age, couple distress, depression/anxiety, harsh punishment, adverse childhood experiences, young maternal age, and poverty. Parents were more likely to use selective prevention programs in cases of child abuse and exposure to IPV.

CONCLUSION

Child abuse is mainly associated with proximal risk factors and neglect with distal factors. Exposure to IPV violence is associated with child abuse as well as with an accumulation of adversities. The association between service use and child maltreatment is discussed.

Is the Brief Child Abuse Potential Inventory (BCAPI) a valid measure of child abuse potential among mothers and fathers of young children in Germany?

BACKGROUND

In order to prevent child abuse, instruments measuring child abuse potential (CAP) need to be appropriate, reliable and valid.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to confirm the 6-factor structure of the Brief Child Abuse Potential Inventory (BCAPI) in a German sample of mothers and fathers, and to examine longitudinal predictors of CAP.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

Two waves of data were collected from 197 mothers and 191 fathers of children aged 10-21 months for the "Kinder in Deutschland - KiD 0-3" in-depth study. Families were stratified based on prior self-report data for screening purposes.

METHODS

138 fathers and 147 mothers were included in the analysis (invalid: 25% mothers, 30% fathers). First, validity of reporting was examined. Second, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was employed to assess factor structure. Third, internal reliability and criterion validity were examined. Finally, multivariate poisson regressions investigated longitudinal predictors of CAP in mothers.

RESULTS

A previously established six-factor structure was confirmed for mothers but not fathers. CFA failed for fathers due to large numbers of variables with zero variance. For mothers, internal consistency and criterion validity were good. BCAPI score at follow-up was associated with baseline BCAPI score (β = 00.08), stress (β = 0.06), education (β=-0.19) and alcohol use (β = .58).

CONCLUSIONS

Findings confirm the six-factor structure of the BCAPI among German mothers. The clinical use of the BCAPI in fathers is not recommended as it might produce data that are hard to interpret. Further research with fathers is needed to establish if this is due to limitations with this dataset or with the questionnaire.

Wirksamkeit des Präventionsprojekts „Keiner fällt durchs Netz“ (KfdN) in Modellprojektstandorten im Saarland

Zusammenfassung. Ziel der Studie war es, die Wirksamkeit des Präventionsprojekts „Keiner fällt durchs Netz“ zur Unterstützung risikobelasteter Familien in Saarland zu evaluieren. Die Stichprobe von 182 Mutter-Kind-Dyaden setzte sich aus 91 risikobelasteten Dyaden, die am Präventionsprojekt teilnahmen und 91 risikobelasteten Dyaden aus Kontrollfamilien zusammen. Ergebnisse: Der erwartete bessere Entwicklungsstand der Kinder in der Treatmentgruppe nach der Intervention im Vergleich zu den Kindern aus der Kontrollgruppe konnte im Bereich der sozialen Entwicklung bestätigt werden (d = 0.53). Zudem schätzten die Mütter in der KfdN-Gruppe ihre einjährigen Kinder tendenziell als weniger temperamentsschwierig ein (d = 0.18). Interventionseffekte im Bereich mütterlicher Feinfühligkeit, Stressbelastung und depressiver Symptomatik waren nicht nachweisbar. Fazit: Die Intervention hat einen positiven Effekt auf die kindliche soziale Entwicklung und die elterliche Wahrnehmung des kindlichen Temperaments. Der ausbleibende Interventionseffekt im Bereich der mütterlichen Feinfühligkeit legt eine stärkere Berücksichtigung dieses Aspektes in der Konzeption des Projekts nahe.

Väter in den Frühen Hilfen–trotz Belastung Vertrauen in die eigenen Kompetenzen?

Obwohl Väter eine wichtige Rolle in der Entwicklung ihres Kindes spielen, wird ihre Sichtweise in der Forschung, insbesondere in belasteten Familien, oft vernachlässigt. Gerade in den Frühen Hilfen kann ein positiver Einfluss des Vaters Belastungen ausgleichen und dem Kind eine gesunde Entwicklung ermöglichen. Um aufzuklären, ob und wie die Rolle von Vätern mit ihren Einstellungen zu Vaterschaft und mit dem Kind verbrachter Zeit zusammenhängen, wurden Väter aus belasteten Familien befragt. Es zeigte sich, dass subjektiv und objektiv sozial und psychisch belastete Väter ihre Vaterschaft durchaus positiv erleben können. Zentral für das Erleben der Vaterschaft erwiesen sich Komponenten des elterlichen Stresses und eine als beeinträchtigt wahrgenommene Bindung zum Kind. Sichtweisen von Mutter und Vater bezogen auf den Vater wichen teilweise deutlich voneinander ab. Die von den Vätern mit dem Kind verbrachte Zeit wurde durch die Stressbelastung der Väter sowie eine beeinträchtigte Bindung beeinflusst.

Influence of early regulatory problems in infants on their development at 12 months: a longitudinal study in a high-risk sample

BACKGROUND

This study examined the extent to which regulatory problems in infants at 4 and 6 months influence childhood development at 12 months. The second aim of the study was to examine the influence maternal distress has on 4-month-old children's subsequent development as well as gender differences with regard to regulatory problems and development.

METHODS

153 mother-child dyads enrolled in the family support research project "Nobody slips through the net" constituted the comparison group. These families faced psychosocial risks (e.g. poverty, excessive demands on the mother, and mental health disorders of the mother, measured with the risk screening instrument Heidelberger Belastungsskala - HBS) and maternal stress, determined with the Parental Stress Index (PSI-SF). The children's developmental levels and possible early regulatory problems were evaluated by means of the Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ) and a German questionnaire assessing problems of excessive crying along with sleeping and feeding difficulties (SFS).

RESULTS

A statistically significant but only low, inverse association between excessive crying, whining and sleep problems at 4 and 6 months and the social development of one-year-olds (accounting for 5% and 8% of the variance respectively) was found. Feeding problems had no effect on development. Although regulatory problems in infants were accompanied by increased maternal stress level, these did not serve as a predictor of the child's social development at 12 months. One-year-old girls reached a higher level of development in social and fine motor skills. No gender differences were found with regard to regulatory problems, nor any moderating effect of gender on the relation between regulatory problems and level of development.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results reinforce existing knowledge pertaining to the transactional association between regulatory problems in infants, maternal distress and dysfunctionality of mother-child interactions. They also provide evidence of a slight but distinct negative influence of crying and sleeping problems on children's subsequent social development. Easily accessible support services provided by family health visitors (particularly to the so-called "at-risk families") are strongly recommended to help prevent the broadening of children's early regulatory problems into other areas of behavior.

Das exzessive Schreien bei 5 Monate alten Säuglingen und prä-, peri- und postnatale Belastungen ihrer Mütter in einer Hoch-Risiko-Stichprobe

Fragestellung: Zusammenhänge zwischen persistierendem, exzessivem Schreien des Säuglings im fünften Lebensmonat und den prä- und perinatalen Belastungen sowie der postnatalen Befindlichkeit ihrer Mütter zu untersuchen. Methodik: Alle Daten wurden erhoben, als die Kinder im Durchschnitt 18.5 Wochen alt waren. Die Stichprobe von 300 Mutter-Kind-Dyaden war durch psychosoziale Risiken wie Armut, Mangel an sozialer Unterstützung, Minderjährigkeit der Mütter, Substanzmissbrauch oder psychische Störungen der Mutter belastet. Das exzessive Schreien wurde nach der Wessel-Regel erfasst, für die Erhebung von prä-, peri- und postnatalen Belastungen wurden Fragebögen vorgelegt. Ergebnisse: Multivariate Analysen zeigten ein erhöhtes Risiko für soziale Belastung in der Schwangerschaft (OR = 17.66) und für eine unerwünschte Schwangerschaft (OR = 13.77). Postnatal war das persistierende exzessive Schreien mit höheren Ausprägungen einer postpartalen depressiven Symptomatik der Mutter, mütterlicher Stressbelastung, Dysfunktionalität der Mutter-Kind-Interaktion, dem Wahrnehmen des Säuglings als «schwierig» sowie mit Schwierigkeiten bei der emotionalen Beziehungsaufnahme assoziiert. Schlussfolgerungen: Die Ergebnisse unterstreichen den Einfluss erhöhter pränataler Stressbelastung der Mütter und einer unerwünschten Schwangerschaft auf das persistierende exzessive Schreien der Säuglinge. Ein herabgesetztes Wohlbefinden der Mütter sowie ihre Schwierigkeiten bei der emotionalen Beziehungsaufnahme implizieren einen erhöhten Bedarf an Unterstützungsangeboten. Das Zusammenwirken von pränatalen und Beziehungsvariablen spielt eine Rolle für das Auftreten und die Aufrechterhaltung von frühen Regulationsproblemen.

Links between maternal postpartum depressive symptoms, maternal distress, infant gender and sensitivity in a high-risk population

BACKGROUND

Maternal postpartum depression has an impact on mother-infant interaction. Mothers with depression display less positive affect and sensitivity in interaction with their infants compared to non-depressed mothers. Depressed women also show more signs of distress and difficulties adjusting to their role as mothers than non-depressed women. In addition, depressive mothers are reported to be affectively more negative with their sons than with daughters.

METHODS

A non-clinical sample of 106 mother-infant dyads at psychosocial risk (poverty, alcohol or drug abuse, lack of social support, teenage mothers and maternal psychic disorder) was investigated with EPDS (maternal postpartum depressive symptoms), the CARE-Index (maternal sensitivity in a dyadic context) and PSI-SF (maternal distress). The baseline data were collected when the babies had reached 19 weeks of age.

RESULTS

A hierarchical regression analysis yielded a highly significant relation between the PSI-SF subscale "parental distress" and the EPDS total score, accounting for 55% of the variance in the EPDS. The other variables did not significantly predict the severity of depressive symptoms. A two-way ANOVA with "infant gender" and "maternal postpartum depressive symptoms" showed no interaction effect on maternal sensitivity.

CONCLUSIONS

Depressive symptoms and maternal sensitivity were not linked. It is likely that we could not find any relation between both variables due to different measuring methods (self-reporting and observation). Maternal distress was strongly related to maternal depressive symptoms, probably due to the generally increased burden in the sample, and contributed to 55% of the variance of postpartum depressive symptoms.