Objectives: We report on the development of Trauma and Society (T&S), an innovative trauma-specific program. T&S is a mental health literacy program, a psychoeducation intervention, and a standards-aligned social studies or health elective course for adolescents in high school and cross-sector settings. Methods: We built the T&S intervention on theory, similar trauma psychoeducation interventions for other client populations, experience implementing psychoeducation in the healthcare sector, and a 3-step patient and public involvement (PPI) process. It is manualized for individual, small-group, and classroom use. The credit-bearing course format for use in schools is aligned with the national common core for social studies and for health and consistent with the Understanding by Design™ framework. Results: The prototype was evaluated by 7 adult and 14 adolescent stakeholders who provided extensive feedback. The “mock lesson” beta testing by a small group of interns (n = 16) provided detailed input on key content, leveling of homework assignments, lesson format and content, group dynamics in a virtual class setting, and feedback about the writing and layout of the student materials. Ecological momentary assessment of “distress scores” among these youth indicated a high level of safety. Peer review of the student book by one cadre of school mental health professionals (n = 14) gave strong insight into the forms of manualization needed to support implementation and acceptability for staff. Conclusions: The fully-manualized pilot version of the T&S intervention and curriculum is ready for cross-sector early-adopter demonstration projects and outcomes research.
Objectives: Individuals exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV) in childhood are at increased risk of experiencing IPV in adulthood, but this issue has been under-researched in the African context, where IPV is highly prevalent. The factors involved in the risk of intergenerational continuity of IPV victimization are still poorly understood. Our primary aim was to examine the role of mothers and daughters’ trauma-specific reflective functioning (RF) in this intergenerational continuity, in Cameroonian mother-daughter dyads. Methods: Sixty-one mother-daughter dyads completed questionnaires individually. Regressions with daughters’ IPV victimization as the dependent variable, and person-level and family-level independent variables (e.g., RF, demographic characteristics, maternal IPV victimization) were run. Results: Continuity of IPV victimization was found for 88.2% of dyads. Person-level factors associated with increased levels of IPV victimization in daughters, included daughters’ age and RF. Regarding family-level factors, mothers’ IPV victimization experiences were positively associated with daughters’ IPV victimization experiences (ß = 0.612, p < .001); mothers’ RF was not (ß = -0.034, p = .422). The complete model explained 50.5% of the variance of daughters’ IPV victimization. Conclusion: These results suggest that RF, which may underlie the risk of intergenerational continuity of IPV victimization, should be further considered in practice and research. Implications: Findings that daughters’ RF and mothers’ IPV victimization experiences are associated with daughters’ IPV victimization can inform both practitioners and policymakers of the importance of these factors in prevention and early intervention efforts to reduce IPV.
Objectives: Trauma in migration is shaped by individual, social, and structural factors. Using an intersectional lens, this scoping review examines how trauma (i.e., as defined by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration; SAMHSA, 2014) is conceptualized in literature on young West Asian women in Western contexts. Given large-scale migration form West Asia over the past two decades, understanding these definitions is key to identifying gaps and informing resilience and recovery efforts. Methods: Using Arksey and O'Malley’s (2005) five-stage framework, a scoping review was conducted. From 424 articles (post-duplicates), 112 were screened, and 15 met the inclusion criteria for final analysis. Results: Trauma in migration is mainly defined as exposure to life-threatening events like war, persecution, or refugee camp conditions. Its impact is shaped by pre-existing (e.g., age, gender) and situational (e.g., discrimination, cultural dislocation) factors. Effects are typically framed clinically (e.g., post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, and somatization). Conclusions: Trauma is often framed as isolated events, with little attention to ongoing, complex experiences. Lived experiences and broader impacts are overlooked, with a reliance on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and International Classification of Diseases (ICD) frameworks. Intersectionality and trauma specific to young West Asian migrant women is rarely addressed across all three Es of trauma: Event, Experience, and Effect. Recovery strategies lack tangible actions. Implications: Future research could explore trauma’s complex nature. Centering the lived experiences of young West Asian migrant women through intersectional and mixed-methods approaches is essential. Policies must be trauma-informed, gender- and age-responsive, and address post-migration stressors. Interventions should be co-designed with the target population, culturally grounded, and attuned to systemic and relational dimensions of trauma.
Dear readers, I am pleased to introduce the 2024 Issue of the International Journal of Child and Adolescent Resilience (IJACR). This issue includes: three regular articles on early intervention, fostering resilience, and trauma-informed practices; one scoping review on the conceptualization of trauma in migration; and one brief report on protecting and educating children across diverse communities, while acknowledging the complexities of different populations. In particular, the regular articles explore the complexities of borderline personality disorder, paternal parenting and adolescent ill-being, and the experiences of child welfare professionals. Armour and colleagues examined adolescents regarding the associations between the features of borderline personality disorder and basic psychological need frustration. Lampropoulou studied the associations between paternal negative parenting, resilience, and adolescent ill-being. Wells and colleagues investigated child welfare supervision received by child protection professionals, in order to foster trauma-informed care and resilience in child welfare organizations. Furthermore, Karami and Collin-Vézina’s scoping review used an intersectional lens to examine how trauma is conceptualized in the literature on young West Asian women in Western contexts, in order to highlight the importance of understanding these definitions to inform resilience and recovery amid large-scale migration. Finally, the 2024 issue of IJCAR ends with a brief report by Santavicca and colleagues, regarding a rapid intervention, including training and support for school teams, in order to mitigate distress and hate that is occurring in educational environments. Thus, we invite you to read these articles to gain a deeper understanding of ongoing research on trauma and resilience. I would like to take this opportunity to extend my sincere gratitude to Dr. Martine Hébert, the former Editor-in-Chief, for her outstanding leadership and hard work for the journal over the years. I am honoured to carry forward this work as the current Editor-in-Chief. I am also deeply thankful for the members of the IJCAR team for their ongoing commitment and hard work in the editing and publishing process. In particular, I wish to thank our associate editors, Dr. Tara Black, Dr. Delphine Collin-Vézina, Dr. Isabelle Daigneault, Dr. Roxanne Guyon, Dr. Martine Hébert, and Dr. Nicole Racine; layout editor, Manon Robichaud; and managing editor and senior copyeditor, Teresa Pirro, all of whom have done an incredible job in their varying roles. We hope you enjoy reading the informative and thought-provoking current issue! A friendly reminder to start preparing your manuscripts for the upcoming issue, where submissions are welcome in English or French. Please do not hesitate to share this information with colleagues and students who may be interested. We look forward to receiving your contributions for the next issue of IJCAR. Happy reading! Dr. Rachel Langevin, Editor-in-Chief
Objectives: This study explores the associations between paternal negative parenting—specifically rejection, control/overprotection, and anxious rearing—and adolescent ill-being. Additionally, it examines whether resilience moderates these relationships, potentially buffering the negative effects of paternal negative parenting on adolescent well-being. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 331 adolescents (ages 12-16) from junior and senior high schools in Attica, Greece. Participants completed the Berne Questionnaire of Subjective Well-Being/Youth Form (BSW/Y), the Egna Minnen Betraffande Uppfostran (EMBU-C) questionnaire, and the Resilience Scale. Correlation analyses, multiple regression models, and moderation analyses were employed to examine the associations between paternal negative parenting, resilience, and adolescent ill-being. Results: Results showed that paternal rejection, though the least reported, was the strongest predictor of adolescent ill-being. Resilience was negatively associated with paternal rejection and significantly predicted well-being outcomes. A moderation analysis revealed that resilience buffered the negative association between paternal control/overprotection and adolescent ill-being, with lower resilience amplifying the adverse effects. Younger adolescents perceived their fathers as more controlling and overprotective, while girls reported higher ill-being than boys. Implications: These findings highlight the pivotal role of resilience in mitigating the adverse effects of paternal negative parenting. Intervention efforts should prioritize the reduction of paternal rejection and control/overprotection, while simultaneously fostering resilience in adolescents. Integrating resilience-building components and encouraging positive paternal involvement may enhance psychosocial outcomes and promote adaptive developmental trajectories.
Objectives: This paper presents results from a mixed methods online survey on factors related to child welfare professionals’ experiences with supervision, considered within the framework of organizational resilience. Methods: This analysis presents results from 543 child protective service (CPS) professionals in the United States. Results: About a quarter of these child welfare professionals currently held supervisory roles. Comparisons of those without supervisory roles indicate higher mean ratings on perceptions of support and care from those not currently in supervisory roles, while those currently in supervisory roles reported higher mean ratings on perceptions of potential growth and promotion. Outcomes including intention to stay in child welfare, satisfaction with position, and salary were significantly associated with positive supervision components. These professionals’ qualitative responses highlight a need for consideration of supervision approaches that reflect trauma-informed components and that foster organizational resilience. Implications: Implementation of these critical supports for child welfare professionals may have lasting impacts on the well-being of children, youth, and families.
The Global Perspectives on Intergenerational Child Maltreatment Outreach Event, chaired by Dr. Rachel Langevin, Associate Professor at McGill University and Director of the Resilience, Adversity, and Childhood Trauma Research Lab (ReACT Lab), was held on April 28 and 29, 2025 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. This event was a huge success, where attendees and collaborators from across the world gathered in person or virtually to exchange on the important yet complex topic of child maltreatment and its intergenerational continuity across cultures. This outreach event aimed to: (1) disseminate diverse and cutting-edge scientific knowledge to a wide audience; (2) facilitate rich and constructive interactions and conversations between international researchers and stakeholders in the Quebec child protection sector; and (3) shape a strategic agenda for ways to further research and practice in the field. Throughout the first part of the event, there were 10 presentations by members of the Global Collaboration on Traumatic Stress (GCTS) on a variety of topics. Specifically, the overarching themes of the presentations included discussions on intergenerational cycles of child maltreatment and trauma, cultural norms surrounding child maltreatment, parenting practices, intimate partner violence, psychosocial interventions, and social and educational outcomes of child maltreatment globally. The event started with a presentation that explored intergenerational (dis)continuity of child maltreatment by defining key concepts, reviewing existing epidemiological data, theories, and empirical evidence regarding intergenerational cycles of maltreatment, while also identifying gaps in research, and offering recommendations for future research, prevention, and interventions (Langevin, 2025). Expanding on this, several international researchers shared their findings, offering valuable insights into: (1) a three generational study with grandmothers, mothers, and children, regarding intergenerational cycles of intimate partner violence in Cameroon, an understudied region with high rates of intimate partner violence (Wadji et al., 2025); a systematic review on the intergenerational continuity of family violence in non-Western countries, by exploring regional differences, and identifying key risk and protective factors (Balle et al., 2025); and (3) two studies on corporal punishment and parenting practices of parents from different high-income countries, with a focus on the implications for theory, practice, research, and policy (Gonzalez, 2025). Four Student Fast Five presentations showcased doctoral students’ research on a range of topics, including exposure to trauma and early interventions (Jenkins et al., 2025), the association between maternal histories of maltreatment and mother-infant early bonding mediated by maternal dissociation (Pirro et al., 2025), youth resistance in the context of intimate partner violence (Nyirinkwaya, 2025), and the sociocultural and historical factors shaping experiences of child maltreatment (Kay et al., 2025). In addition, one presentation provided an overview of the Student Section of the GCTS, emphasizing the importance of ongoing student engagement and involvement in international trauma research. During the afternoon, in person attendees from the GCTS participated in an insightful research-practice exchange on medical investigations and practices regarding child maltreatment in Quebec at the University Hospital Ste-Justine, with a focus on intervention within a multicultural context. Dr. Étienne Archambault presented on the nature of child protection services in Quebec and Canada. This presentation also addressed the clinical management of child protection cases, the roles of various health professionals throughout the process, and the procedures involved in these investigations. Thereafter, Dr. Tinh-Nhan Luong and Dr. Sima Saleh discussed the cultural implications faced by health professionals when addressing child maltreatment cases; they presented their clinical approach to working with families from multicultural backgrounds. The presentations were followed by a dynamic discussion with the GCTS researchers, centered on three main topics: (1) Intergenerational Maltreatment and Family Dynamics; (2) Cultural Challenges in the Assessment and Treatment of Maltreatment; and (3) Research-Practice Collaboration – Bridging Data and Clinical Practice. The conversation highlighted international differences in child protection services, and explored how cultural norms shape assessment, intervention, and procedural approaches. The discussion ended with a shared reflection on the global challenges of implementing effective and culturally sensitive child protection practices, as well as emphasized the importance of continued collaboration between researchers and practitioners to improve these systems. On the second day of the event, the presentations began with an overview of the Child Trauma Network from the GCTS, highlighting international initiatives aiming at better understanding child maltreatment and its consequences across cultures (Pfaltz, 2025). Subsequent presentations explored a range of research topics, including: a cross-cultural survey examining culture-specific social norms regarding child maltreatment and their implications for survivors’ functioning (Bartoli et al., 2025); a literature review methodology on the effects of colonisation in bi-cultural Aotearoa New Zealand (Howard, 2025); the impact of complex post-traumatic stress disorder and trauma transmission in war-affected families (Bachem, 2025); posttraumatic stress symptoms and their prevention following childhood sexual abuse in Burundi (Crombach et al., 2025); and the association between child maltreatment and academic performance mediated by social anxiety and depression in Ethiopia (Mossie et al., 2025). These presentations emphasized the potential for interventions and prevention through a cross-cultural lens, with the aim of supporting the well-being of children, adolescents, and families across diverse contexts. As a whole, all the presentations throughout the 2-day event strongly aligned with the journal’s scope and underscored the importance of globally advancing research on child and adolescent resilience. Furthermore, the second part of the event included a Child Maltreatment Forum, which brought together five panelists – namely, Nelson Pimentel (Interim Director of Youth Protection - CIUSSS Ouest-de-l’Île-de-Montréal – Batshaw Youth and Family Centres), Dr. Étienne Archambault (General Pediatrician – CHU Ste-Justine Hospital), Lisa Doucet (Program Manager/Intake Services – Batshaw Youth and Family Centres), Dr. Sonia Hélie (Institutional Researcher for Youth in Difficulty), and Lesley Hill (National Director of Youth Protection and Assistant Deputy Minister) – who are key stakeholders in Quebec working in child protection. The panelists discussed the complexities of addressing child maltreatment and highlighted how cultural and societal factors influence their work in approaching child protection. Their discussion spanned various domains, including policy and systems, healthcare, direct service and community engagement, child protection research and data, and legislation and advocacy. Following the panel, small group discussions were held between the international researchers and stakeholders, including many field workers, in the Quebec child protection sector. These exchanges, aiming at fostering greater collaboration between research and practice in order to effectively address the challenges of child maltreatment prevention and intervention, focused on four key themes: (1) Innovative Approaches to Multicultural Sensitivity in Child Protection – Rethinking the System to Reduce Harm While Ensuring Safety; (2) The Role of Prevention Programs in Addressing Maltreatment Across Cultures; (3) The Cultural Norms and the Decision-Making Process in Child Protection; and (4) Research-Practice Collaboration. This forum offered a valuable opportunity for international members of the GCTS and local stakeholders to exchange knowledge, share experiences, and collaboratively explore innovative strategies and approaches to advance both practice and research in the field of child maltreatment. Thus, the event also further aligned with the journal’s mission to promote global dialogue and research on child and adolescent resilience. To conclude, this outreach event was part of Dr. Langevin’s subgroup in the GCTS, entitled “Assessing intergenerational continuity of trauma and child maltreatment across cultures” (IC-CROSS). The ongoing projects part of this subgroup can be found on the Child Trauma Network page of the GCTS website. Numerous other projects are also currently underway as part of the GCTS. To stay informed about ongoing projects and get involved, please visit the GCTS website: https://www.global-psychotrauma.net/. We encourage any interested parties (e.g., students, researchers, clinicians, advocates) to get involved in projects aligning with their interest and expertise, contributing to advancing research and practice in the field of traumatic stress.
Objectives: Since October 2023, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has particularly affected international communities and diasporas. Within Quebec, Canada, these tensions added to existing social polarization, not sparing the school environment, by creating feelings of fear, anger, powerlessness, deteriorating school climate, and hindering individuals’ and groups’ ability to empathize with one another. This article reports a rapid intervention aimed at mitigating distress and hate in the educational environment through training and supporting school teams. Methods: Five training webinars were organized for school professionals within the Quebec Ministry of Education. Pre-webinar surveys were disseminated to participants to identify if and how the conflict had impacted their school environment to inform trainings. A thematic analysis was carried out on pre-webinar survey responses, chat feedback and field notes collected throughout the webinars. Results: Having an opportunity to share and address concerns, receive reassurance, positive reinforcement, and guidance around strategies, proved to be helpful for school teams. In a context of crisis and politicized emotions, the intervention legitimized a range of emotional responses, addressed school team and community divides, and encouraged double empathy while acknowledging its limits. Finally, these activities also unveiled the potential dangers associated with silencing dissent and highlighted the value of mobilizing agency around school teams’ common mandate to educate and protect children from all communities, and in spite of the expression of divergent solidarities. Implications: In times of crisis, school team and youth engagement in empathy-based activities facilitating non-judgmental expression and awareness of the Other can appease heightened emotions and prepare for dialogue, healing, and coexistence as a way forward.
Objectives: Burnout is of international concern among social workers, and recently moral distress (MD) has been identified among this professional group. Little is known about how burnout and MD experiences differ between social workers serving children and families (CF) and social workers in other domains. Less is known about the potential relationship between burnout and MD across these subgroups of social workers. Methods: This brief report examines if the levels of, and associations, between MD and burnout differ between a sample of Finnish CF social workers (n = 199) compared social workers in other domains (n = 168). Results: Based on multivariate analyses of covariance and hierarchical regression analyses, we found that working with children and families did not moderate the associations between MD and burnout. However, working with children and families was associated with higher levels of exhaustion, MD frequency, and distress. MD frequency and MD distress were also both significant predictors of burnout among the sample of social workers. CF social workers had higher levels of exhaustion compared to the other social workers. Implications: MD may be an important factor influencing the wellbeing of CF social workers. Organizations employing CF social workers are encouraged to investigate potential sources of MD and set workplace policies to reduce risks. More research examining causes of, and identifying effective remedies to, MD is warranted.
Objectives: Childhood experiences of intimate partner violence (CEIPV) remain a significant public health issue affecting millions of young people (YP) globally. Although CEIPV has been researched for decades, YP’s voices are often left unheard, their stories relegated to mere research data. Their CEIPV are usually told through adult proxy accounts rather than by YP themselves. Additionally, research shows that YP have limited opportunities to influence domestic violence policies and practices. This theoretical paper proposes a new YP engagement model for CEIPV research and practice. Methods: The model is based on a review of relevant literature, including lessons from the women’s shelter movement, child rights, narrative practice, trauma and violence-informed approaches, and selected case studies. Results: The Narrative Shelter Model integrates storytelling and storylistening to create a safe space for YP with CEIPV to exercise their voice and choice, and share their stories in a non-retraumatizing way. Moreover, the model invites the storylistener(s) to connect with YP’s stories to influence decision-making. Conclusion: The Narrative Shelter Model elicits a path towards creating safe and inclusive spaces for YP with CEIPV to share their stories and be heard as agents of social change. It aims not only to promote their voices but also to empower them to become young advocates and peer supporters in responding to IPV, thereby strengthening their resilience and recovery. The use of this model within domestic violence agencies can continue to position YP as experts in their own lives and pivotal agents in shaping knowledge and effective interventions.
Objectives: Anchored in self-determination theory, this study investigates the associations between borderline personality disorder (BPD) features and basic psychological need frustration (BPNF) in adolescents. Methods: Participants (N = 270; M age = 15.3) assessed their own BPD features and BPNF through an online questionnaire. Results: Regression analyses revealed that frustrations of relatedness, autonomy, and competence were jointly and uniquely associated with more BPD features in adolescents, controlling for their gender and parents’ education. Implications: These results suggest the importance of taking BPNF into account to better understand the early signs of BPD among adolescents.
Objective: To foster resilience through reducing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in pregnant mothers with child maltreatment (CM) histories, it is important to understand factors impacting their well-being. This study explored whether CM predicted the severity of PTSD symptoms and symptom clusters during pregnancy and change in symptoms from pregnancy (Time 1; T1) to 3 months postpartum (Time 2; T2). Methods: 88 pregnant women (aged 18 to 29) completed surveys on CM exposure, adult interpersonal trauma experiences, and PTSD symptoms at T1; 58 participated at T2. Results: Stepwise regressions were conducted with the covariates age, family status, and adult interpersonal traumas. When accounting for all CM types, only neglect remained associated with overall PTSD symptoms (Ft1(1, 71) = 28.93, p < .001) and for each of the PTSD symptom clusters (ps < .01). Physical abuse remained associated with the alterations in cognition and mood cluster. No CM types were associated with changes in PTSD symptoms from T1 to T2. Implications: In future research, the implications of neglect for pregnant mothers should be explored in depth. Perinatal care should be trauma-informed, including assessing for CM histories, to foster greater resilience by reducing perinatal PTSD symptoms.
Dear readers, I am pleased to introduce the 2023 Issue of the International Journal of Child and Adolescent Resilience (IJCAR). This issue includes: two regular articles on trauma and maltreatment and associated impacts; three brief reports on varying aspects of hardships and resilience in different populations; and one theoretical paper about a narrative shelter model to give youth who experienced violence a voice and choice. In particular, the regular articles shed light on hardships and resilience experienced by differing populations. Bégin and colleagues examined the effects of using the internet survey method compared to a population-based telephone survey method on the profile of women with a history of child sexual abuse, in terms of socio-demographic data, victimization experiences, and mental health symptoms in adulthood. Jamison and colleagues aimed to gain insights on youth of color in the United States who have experienced violence regarding the associations between resilience and psychological health, social support, and school engagement. Furthermore, the 2023 issue of IJCAR also includes three brief reports on different topics associated to experiences of trauma, maltreatment, and resilience in various populations. Firstly, Brend et al. compared a sample of Finnish social workers serving children and families or social workers in other domains, in terms of the associations between moral distress and burnout amongst these groups. Secondly, Frederickson et al. investigated whether child maltreatment predicted the severity of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and symptom clusters for Canadian women during pregnancy, as well as changes in symptoms from pregnancy to three months postpartum. Finally, Souza et al. aimed to determine if social media in Brazil is a viable outlet for the dissemination of empirically supported information surrounding the topics of child abuse, adverse childhood events, and resilience. Finally, the issue ends with a theoretical paper by Nyirinkwaya and Jenney, regarding a shelter narrative model for research and practice on childhood experiences of intimate partner violence in young people, in order to integrate storytelling and storylistening to help youth exercise their voice and choice. Thus, we encourage you to read these various articles to obtain rich information about ongoing research in the field of resilience. I wish to also take this opportunity to sincerely thank all the members of the IJCAR team for their continuous and dedicated work in the editing and publishing process. Particularly, I wish to thank our associate editors, Dr. Tara Black, Dr. Delphine Collin-Vézina, Dr. Isabelle Daigneault, Dr. Rachel Langevin, and Dr. Nicole Racine; layout editor, Manon Robichaud; and managing editor and senior copyeditor, Teresa Pirro, all of which have done a fantastic job in their varying roles. I also want to take this opportunity to welcome Dr. Roxanne Guyon as a new associate editor. We hope you enjoy reading the current issue! This is also a friendly reminder to prepare your manuscripts for the next issue. Please submit your manuscripts in English, or in French, and feel free to forward this information to colleagues and students who may be interested. We look forward to your manuscripts and to the next issue of IJCAR. Happy reading! Martine Hébert, Editor-in-Chief
Contexte : L’enquête par Internet est aujourd'hui largement utilisée sans que l'on connaisse ses effets sur le profil des femmes victimes d’agression sexuelle dans l’enfance (ASE), comparativement à d’autres méthodes. Cette étude vise à comparer les effets de l’utilisation de la méthode d’enquête par Internet à ceux de la méthode d’enquête populationnelle téléphonique sur le profil de femmes victimes d’ASE, et ce, relativement aux données sociodémographiques, aux expériences de victimisation et aux difficultés d’adaptation à l’âge adulte. Méthode : L’étude compare deux échantillons de femmes victimes d’ASE ayant répondu au même questionnaire, soit un provenant d’une enquête populationnelle téléphonique avec un échantillonnage probabiliste (N = 199), et l’autre d’une enquête impliquant l’auto-administration du questionnaire par Internet avec un échantillonnage de convenance (N = 269). Résultats : Comparativement aux femmes de l’enquête populationnelle téléphonique, celles de l’enquête par Internet sont plus susceptibles d’être étudiantes que de travailler, d'avoir fait des études postsecondaires que d’avoir atteint un niveau d’étude primaire, de déclarer un revenu annuel supérieur à 40 000 $ que de moins de 20 000 $, de rapporter davantage de victimisations à l’enfance, de rapporter les symptômes d’un trouble dépressif et ceux d’un trouble de stress post-traumatique, et d’avoir déjà eu des idéations suicidaires. Conclusion : Les résultats montrent que les choix méthodologiques permettent d’obtenir des profils de femmes victimes d’ASE significativement distincts. Implication : Au-delà des avantages logistiques que procure l’enquête par Internet, ses effets doivent être considérés dans la planification d’une recherche et dans l’interprétation des résultats.
Objectives: For decades, scholars and sexual health professionals have urged policymakers to improve the efficacy of sex education. Although some progress has been made through the development of comprehensive sexuality education (CSE), curricula in the United States remain limited. For instance, healthy sexual encounters require mutual sexual consent, void of sexually coercive behaviours, yet CSE initiatives only recently added instruction on consent and coercion as important parts of sex education curricula. Further, little is known about what youth learn about consent and coercion through family, friends, and media. The purpose of this study, then, was to gain insight into the information young adults received during adolescence about sexual consent and coercion through formal and informal sources, and to seek their perceptions about possible curriculum improvement. Methods: This study utilized five focus groups to assess 32 college students’ perceptions about their adolescent experiences with instruction on consent and coercion in formal and informal sex education. The mean participant age was 22, and most were women, heterosexual, and Latinx. Results: The results indicated that these young adults did not learn about sexual consent and coercion while in high school, but believed that these topics should have been addressed. They also believed that formal sex education should move away from abstinence-only or abstinence-forward education, and should not be rooted in fear-mongering. Gender impacted whether and what youth learned about sexual consent from parents and peers. While mothers talked to sons about using contraceptives and also about obtaining consent, they talked to daughters about negative sex outcomes, such as a ruined reputation or early pregnancy. Fathers were less likely to talk to their children about sex, especially daughters. Young men talked to peers about whether they had sex, while young women talked to their friends about the physical experience of having sex. Implications: Implications support the implementation of sex education in high schools that facilitates not only physically safe, but also emotionally healthy relationships, as well as an urgency for a cultural shift towards the acknowledgment of intimate behaviours as normative processes among adolescents.
Objectives: This paper examines family victimization, well-being, and resilience among sexual and gender minority (SGM) adolescents and emerging adults aged 15 to 29 years. Methods: Self-reported data were collected online (2019-2020) from 1,971 Canadian SGM youths. We used logistic regression to estimate the odds of: (a) having experienced family victimization over the past 12 months; (b) reporting well-being across the various frequencies of family victimization; and (c) thriving (i.e., flourishing despite having experienced family victimization). Results: About 36% of participants experienced family victimization within the previous 12 months, with 13% reporting recurrent family victimization. Recurrent victimization was more prevalent among trans and nonbinary youths as compared to cisgender men, and was also more prevalent among socioeconomically disadvantaged participants. Recurrent victimization was significantly associated with higher odds of reporting internalized heterosexism, efforts to conceal gender and sexual orientation, languishing mental health, social anxiety, loneliness, and post-traumatic stress symptoms. Thriving participants were less likely to experience activity restrictions or to live with at least one parent, and more likely to score higher on authenticity scales, to report proactive norms against violence within their family, and to have food and economic security. Conclusion: Despite recent advances in SGM rights and acceptance, SGM youths still face family victimization and compromised well-being. Implications: These findings underline the importance of screening for family violence among SGM youths, particularly among trans youths and those of lower socioeconomic status. Findings also underline the importance of providing SGM youth both a safe family environment and material security.
Objectives: Social media is a common tool for disseminating information in developing countries, including Brazil. Research regarding social media’s effect on increasing awareness of and knowledge about child abuse has yet to be widely tested in those countries. This exploratory study tested whether social media is a viable outlet for disseminating empirically supported information about child abuse in Brazil. Methods: We utilized social media platforms, such as Facebook, ResearchGate, Twitter (which has subsequently rebranded as X but will be referred to herein as Twitter), Instagram, and YouTube, to disseminate a series of short videos, in cartoon format, on the scientific research surrounding child abuse, adverse childhood events, and resiliency to such experiences. Results: The results indicate that social media has a promising reach in Brazil, as the dissemination started by 10 researchers had over 30,000 views. Conclusion and Implications: Social media may be a viable format for disseminating empirically-supported information in developing countries like Brazil. Each platform, however, has its own characteristics and, as such, the target audiences, engagement, delivery, followers, impact time, and other metrics vary across platforms. Additionally, not all social media platforms provide the same outreach internationally. Future directions are discussed.
Objectives: Youth of color (YOC) are more likely to experience direct and indirect violence compared to non-Hispanic White youth. Although the negative consequences of violence exposure are well-established, less is understood about factors that may facilitate resilience. Methods: The current study utilized hierarchical linear regression modeling to examine the associations between resilience and psychological health, social support, and school engagement among YOC in the United States who have experienced violence. Participants included 75 YOC (Mage = 9.39; SD = 1.56; 84.1% Black or African American, 9.3% Biracial or Multiracial, 5.3% Hispanic, 1.3% Indigenous) who were directly or indirectly exposed to violence in the past year. They were recruited from a family justice center in the southern United States. Results: The final model was significant (F(5,74) = 21.71; p < .001) and accounted for 57% of the variance in resilience. Specifically, lower levels of direct violence exposure (β = -.18; p = .002), greater social support from friends and nonparental adults (β = .35; p < .001), and more school engagement (β = .47; p < .001) were related to higher resilience. Conclusions and Implications: Findings highlight the importance of interpersonal and school resources in facilitating resilience among YOC who have been exposed to violence. Clinicians are encouraged to connect YOC with accessible resources to foster behavioral, cognitive, and emotional involvement in school. Further, mental health care providers can assist YOC by helping them establish and maintain supportive relationships, which may enhance resilience.
Dear readers, I am pleased to introduce the 2022 Issue of the International Journal of Child and Adolescent Resilience (IJCAR). This issue includes: six regular articles on varying aspects of hardships and resilience in different populations; three scoping review papers on trauma and maltreatment; two clinical interventions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic; and one brief report on implementing trauma informed care. In particular, the six regular articles shed light on hardships experienced by differing populations and their resilience. Firstly, Blais et al. examined experiences of family victimization of sexual and gender minority adolescents and emerging adults, and the factors promoting well-being and resilience. Secondly, Drawson and colleagues implemented a measurement tool that was used to assess the well-being of First Nations children. Thirdly, Langevin and colleagues investigated the role of family relationships and psychological distress in relation to four child maltreatment subtypes, as well as child abuse potential in young mothers in their prospective longitudinal study. Fourthly, Mueller et al. aimed to examine children and adolescents’ emotional and mental experiences after enduring a sport-related concussion, with intentions to help athletes during their recovery. Fifthly, Romano and Stenason emphasized two in-service training programs to help provide support to resource parents for their work as caregivers. Finally, Summers and Van Camp aimed to gain insight into young adults’ experiences during adolescence with education on sexual consent and coercion, with intentions to obtain their perceptions and provide possible curriculum improvement. Furthermore, the 2022 issue of IJCAR also includes three scoping review papers that examined trauma and maltreatment. This section focused on bridging gaps in the literature related to: identifying theoretical or conceptual frameworks which have been utilized when explaining victim-to-victim cycles of maltreatment (Marshall et al.); exploring youth with adverse childhood experiences (Wei et al.); and determining the relationship between self-compassion and psychological distress, and how this differs across child maltreatment types (Wong et al.). The current issue further denotes the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic with two clinical intervention studies. Berthelot and colleagues evaluated the acceptability of the STEP-COVID program, which is an online synchronous prenatal intervention to support wellness, mentalization, and resilience during the pandemic. Santavicca and colleagues emphasized an intervention focused on mitigating COVID-19 vaccine tension in schools, while also proposing prevention and interventions for conflicts surrounding COVID-19 vaccination. Finally, the issue ends with a brief report by Huartson et al., regarding the implementation of a pilot trauma-informed care initiative with intentions to foster resilience in a maternity care clinic, which focused on determining barriers and facilitators for family physicians, when questioning patients about their adverse childhood experiences. Thus, we encourage you to read these various articles to obtain rich information about ongoing research in the field of resilience. I wish to also take this opportunity to sincerely thank all the members of the IJCAR team for their continuous and dedicated work in the editing and publishing process. Particularly, I wish to thank our associate editors, Dr. Tara Black, Dr. Delphine Collin-Vézina, Dr. Isabelle Daigneault, and Dr. Rachel Langevin; managing editor, Catherine Moreau; layout editor, Manon Robichaud; and senior copyeditors, Andréanne Fortin and Teresa Pirro, all of which have done a terrific job in their varying roles. I also want to take this opportunity to welcome Dr. Nicole Racine as a new associate editor. We hope you enjoy reading the current issue! This is also a friendly reminder to prepare your manuscripts for the next issue. Please submit your manuscripts in English, or in French, and feel free to forward this information to colleagues and students who may be interested. We look forward to your manuscripts and to the next issue of IJCAR. Happy reading! Martine Hébert, Editor-in-Chief
Objectives: To explore the barriers and facilitators from the perspective of family physicians on the implementation of a pilot trauma-informed care (TIC) initiative to promote resilience, with particular emphasis on asking about adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), in a maternity care clinic.Methods: Using an exploratory qualitative design, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with family physicians who were practicing in a maternity clinic in a large Canadian city. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were reviewed by three coders and themes were extracted using thematic analysis.Results: The analysis of 10 interviews yielded six thematic domains. Three domains pertained to perceived barriers to obtaining an ACEs history including: (1) concern about time management, (2) initial lack of physician comfort with TIC, and (3) cultural limitations of using the ACEs questionnaire. Three themes pertained to perceived facilitators of obtaining an ACEs history including: (1) the importance of a physician champion, (2) a supportive and flexible clinic environment, and (3) improved patient-physician relationships.Implications: In the context of a broader TIC initiative within a maternity care setting, asking patients about ACEs was generally perceived positively by physicians. Ensuring a supportive clinic environment and adequate staff training may be critical factors that contribute to successful implementation. Future research focused on diverse physician experiences in different settings are needed.
