Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch‐up (ABC) is a promising home‐visiting intervention promoting s... more Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch‐up (ABC) is a promising home‐visiting intervention promoting sensitive caregiving and secure parent–child attachment in families with young children. The goal of this study was to examine a learning collaborative approach to disseminating ABC in a community setting. Training outcomes (e.g., trainee completion, satisfaction, effectiveness of training methods) and intervention outcomes (e.g., parent behavior, parent beliefs, child socioemotional development) were examined. Eighteen practitioners participated in the ABC learning collaborative; 13 completed training. Quantitative and qualitative measures indicated that trainees were satisfied with their experience and valued the unique collaboration opportunities offered by the learning collaborative. In addition, trainees served 67 families in the community, 37 of whom completed all sessions of ABC. The study was conducted in the United States. Racial demographics of the children in the sample include...
Despite significant advances in knowledge and availability of evidence-based models for child tra... more Despite significant advances in knowledge and availability of evidence-based models for child traumatic stress, many children simply do not complete treatment. There remain notable gaps in the services research literature about treatment completion among youth, particularly those who have experienced trauma and related sequelae. This study investigated the linkages among child physical and sexual trauma, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomatology, and treatment completion utilizing a clinical sample drawn from a large database from community treatment centers across the United States specializing in childhood trauma. Results from regression analyses indicated that neither the experience of sexual nor physical trauma directly predicted successful treatment completion. The links between sexual trauma and treatment completion, however, were mediated by PTSD avoidance symptoms. Children and youth experiencing sexual trauma reported higher levels of avoidance symptoms that were,...
Advances in the science of child maltreatment research, and their subsequent impact on policy, pr... more Advances in the science of child maltreatment research, and their subsequent impact on policy, programs, and practice, are due in large part to the efforts of Dr. Penelope Trickett. This introductory chapter to the monograph provides an overview of Dr. Trickett’s work, and her innovations in the areas of theory/models, measurement, and methodology in the study of maltreatment. First, a summary of Dr. Trickett’s seminal longitudinal studies on child maltreatment is provided, including their influence on our understanding of the impact of child maltreatment on female and adolescent development. Next, an overview of the impact of her work on policy and practice is presented. Finally, an introduction to the studies in this volume is provided, setting the stage for the monograph.
The current study examined direct and indirect effects of a mother’s history of childhood physica... more The current study examined direct and indirect effects of a mother’s history of childhood physical and sexual abuse on her child’s officially reported victimization. This prospective, longitudinal study followed a community-based sample of 499 mothers and their children. Mothers (35% White/non-Latina, 34% Black/non-Latina, 23% Latina, and 7% other) were recruited and interviewed during pregnancy, and child protective services records were reviewed for the presence of the participants’ target child between birth and age 3.5. Whereas both types of maternal maltreatment history doubled the child’s risk of child protective services investigation, mothers’ sexual abuse history conferred significantly greater risk. Pathways to child victimization varied by type of maternal maltreatment history. Mothers who had been physically abused later demonstrated interpersonal aggressive response biases, which mediated the path to child victimization. In contrast, the association between maternal his...
Using propensity-matched controls, the present study examines the long-term adjustment of women r... more Using propensity-matched controls, the present study examines the long-term adjustment of women reporting childhood sexual trauma (CST) at or before the age of 14 in terms of parenting efficacy and parenting behavior. Data for these analyses were obtained from mother reports and from observational protocols from a longitudinal study of low-income, rural families. The novel use of propensity-matched controls to create a control group matched on family of origin variables provides evidence that when women with CST are compared with the matched comparison women, females who experienced CST show poorer functioning across multiple domains of parenting (sensitivity, harsh intrusiveness, boundary dissolution), but not in parenting efficacy. Follow-up moderation analyses suggest that the potential effects of trauma on parenting behaviors are not attenuated by protective factors such as higher income, higher education, or stable adult relationships. Implications for interventions with childhood sexual trauma histories and directions for future study are proposed.
ABSTRACT In this chapter, we discuss attachment theory and research concerning the influence of e... more ABSTRACT In this chapter, we discuss attachment theory and research concerning the influence of early attachments on other relationships. We consider the influence of early attachments on several kinds of affectional bonds: those with siblings, friends, romantic partners, and children. We also consider the large body of research on the influence of early attachments on children's most important relationships that typically do not meet Bowlby's criteria for classification as affectional bonds: relationships with peers (as opposed to relationships with friends). Throughout this review, we examine not only the extent to which there are associations between early attachments and other relationships, but also what is known about the mechanisms underlying these associations. In light of the vast number of studies examining the influence of early attachments on other relationships, we intend this literature review to be representative, not exhaustive. In addition, our review highlights findings from studies that can best address the question of the influence of early attachment on other relationships: prospective, longitudinal studies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Childhood physical abuse predicts emotional/behavioral, self-regulatory, and social problems. Yet... more Childhood physical abuse predicts emotional/behavioral, self-regulatory, and social problems. Yet factors from multiple ecological levels contribute to children's adjustment. The purpose of this study was to examine the degree to which the social-emotional adjustment of physically abused children in first grade would be predicted by a set of child-, parent-, and family-level predictors in kindergarten. Drawing on a short-term longitudinal study of 92 physically abused children and their primary caregivers, the current study used linear regression to examine early childhood child (i.e., gender, IQ, child perceptions of maternal acceptance), parent (i.e., parental mental health), and family relationship (i.e., sensitive parenting, hostile parenting, family conflict) factors as predictors of first grade internalizing and externalizing symptomatology, emotion dysregulation, and negative peer interactions. We used a multi-method, multi-informant approach to measuring predictors and children's adjustment. Internalizing symptomatology was significantly predicted by child IQ, parental mental health, and family conflict. Externalizing symptomatology and emotion dysregulation were predicted by child IQ. Although a large proportion of variance in measures of adjustment was accounted for by the set of predictors, few individual variables were unique predictors of child adjustment. Variability in the predictors of adjustment for physically abused children underscores the need for individualized treatment approaches.
Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch‐up (ABC) is a promising home‐visiting intervention promoting s... more Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch‐up (ABC) is a promising home‐visiting intervention promoting sensitive caregiving and secure parent–child attachment in families with young children. The goal of this study was to examine a learning collaborative approach to disseminating ABC in a community setting. Training outcomes (e.g., trainee completion, satisfaction, effectiveness of training methods) and intervention outcomes (e.g., parent behavior, parent beliefs, child socioemotional development) were examined. Eighteen practitioners participated in the ABC learning collaborative; 13 completed training. Quantitative and qualitative measures indicated that trainees were satisfied with their experience and valued the unique collaboration opportunities offered by the learning collaborative. In addition, trainees served 67 families in the community, 37 of whom completed all sessions of ABC. The study was conducted in the United States. Racial demographics of the children in the sample include...
Despite significant advances in knowledge and availability of evidence-based models for child tra... more Despite significant advances in knowledge and availability of evidence-based models for child traumatic stress, many children simply do not complete treatment. There remain notable gaps in the services research literature about treatment completion among youth, particularly those who have experienced trauma and related sequelae. This study investigated the linkages among child physical and sexual trauma, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomatology, and treatment completion utilizing a clinical sample drawn from a large database from community treatment centers across the United States specializing in childhood trauma. Results from regression analyses indicated that neither the experience of sexual nor physical trauma directly predicted successful treatment completion. The links between sexual trauma and treatment completion, however, were mediated by PTSD avoidance symptoms. Children and youth experiencing sexual trauma reported higher levels of avoidance symptoms that were,...
Advances in the science of child maltreatment research, and their subsequent impact on policy, pr... more Advances in the science of child maltreatment research, and their subsequent impact on policy, programs, and practice, are due in large part to the efforts of Dr. Penelope Trickett. This introductory chapter to the monograph provides an overview of Dr. Trickett’s work, and her innovations in the areas of theory/models, measurement, and methodology in the study of maltreatment. First, a summary of Dr. Trickett’s seminal longitudinal studies on child maltreatment is provided, including their influence on our understanding of the impact of child maltreatment on female and adolescent development. Next, an overview of the impact of her work on policy and practice is presented. Finally, an introduction to the studies in this volume is provided, setting the stage for the monograph.
The current study examined direct and indirect effects of a mother’s history of childhood physica... more The current study examined direct and indirect effects of a mother’s history of childhood physical and sexual abuse on her child’s officially reported victimization. This prospective, longitudinal study followed a community-based sample of 499 mothers and their children. Mothers (35% White/non-Latina, 34% Black/non-Latina, 23% Latina, and 7% other) were recruited and interviewed during pregnancy, and child protective services records were reviewed for the presence of the participants’ target child between birth and age 3.5. Whereas both types of maternal maltreatment history doubled the child’s risk of child protective services investigation, mothers’ sexual abuse history conferred significantly greater risk. Pathways to child victimization varied by type of maternal maltreatment history. Mothers who had been physically abused later demonstrated interpersonal aggressive response biases, which mediated the path to child victimization. In contrast, the association between maternal his...
Using propensity-matched controls, the present study examines the long-term adjustment of women r... more Using propensity-matched controls, the present study examines the long-term adjustment of women reporting childhood sexual trauma (CST) at or before the age of 14 in terms of parenting efficacy and parenting behavior. Data for these analyses were obtained from mother reports and from observational protocols from a longitudinal study of low-income, rural families. The novel use of propensity-matched controls to create a control group matched on family of origin variables provides evidence that when women with CST are compared with the matched comparison women, females who experienced CST show poorer functioning across multiple domains of parenting (sensitivity, harsh intrusiveness, boundary dissolution), but not in parenting efficacy. Follow-up moderation analyses suggest that the potential effects of trauma on parenting behaviors are not attenuated by protective factors such as higher income, higher education, or stable adult relationships. Implications for interventions with childhood sexual trauma histories and directions for future study are proposed.
ABSTRACT In this chapter, we discuss attachment theory and research concerning the influence of e... more ABSTRACT In this chapter, we discuss attachment theory and research concerning the influence of early attachments on other relationships. We consider the influence of early attachments on several kinds of affectional bonds: those with siblings, friends, romantic partners, and children. We also consider the large body of research on the influence of early attachments on children's most important relationships that typically do not meet Bowlby's criteria for classification as affectional bonds: relationships with peers (as opposed to relationships with friends). Throughout this review, we examine not only the extent to which there are associations between early attachments and other relationships, but also what is known about the mechanisms underlying these associations. In light of the vast number of studies examining the influence of early attachments on other relationships, we intend this literature review to be representative, not exhaustive. In addition, our review highlights findings from studies that can best address the question of the influence of early attachment on other relationships: prospective, longitudinal studies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Childhood physical abuse predicts emotional/behavioral, self-regulatory, and social problems. Yet... more Childhood physical abuse predicts emotional/behavioral, self-regulatory, and social problems. Yet factors from multiple ecological levels contribute to children's adjustment. The purpose of this study was to examine the degree to which the social-emotional adjustment of physically abused children in first grade would be predicted by a set of child-, parent-, and family-level predictors in kindergarten. Drawing on a short-term longitudinal study of 92 physically abused children and their primary caregivers, the current study used linear regression to examine early childhood child (i.e., gender, IQ, child perceptions of maternal acceptance), parent (i.e., parental mental health), and family relationship (i.e., sensitive parenting, hostile parenting, family conflict) factors as predictors of first grade internalizing and externalizing symptomatology, emotion dysregulation, and negative peer interactions. We used a multi-method, multi-informant approach to measuring predictors and children's adjustment. Internalizing symptomatology was significantly predicted by child IQ, parental mental health, and family conflict. Externalizing symptomatology and emotion dysregulation were predicted by child IQ. Although a large proportion of variance in measures of adjustment was accounted for by the set of predictors, few individual variables were unique predictors of child adjustment. Variability in the predictors of adjustment for physically abused children underscores the need for individualized treatment approaches.
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