Maternal Childhood Sexual Trauma and Child Conduct Problems

This study examines multiple pathways by which maternal childhood sexual trauma may be related to the behavioral development of children. Propensity score matching procedures were used to create matched groups (total n?=?204) of mothers who retroactively did and did not self-report childhood sexual trauma in a longitudinal sample of families living in poor, rural communities. Using structural equation modeling, maternal characteristics and behaviors were examined as potential mediators of the relationship between maternal histories of childhood sexual trauma and children’s conduct problems. After controlling for numerous socio-demographic factors, analyses indicate that maternal depressive symptoms, intimate partner violence, and maternal parenting were significant mediators and highlight the lasting impact of childhood sexual trauma on victims and their children.     

Reducing recurrent care proceedings: initial evidence from new interventions

The English family justice system faces a crisis of recurrence. As many as one in four birth mothers involved in public law care proceedings in English family courts are likely to reappear in a subsequent set of proceedings within seven years. These mothers are involved in up to one-third of total care applications, as they are – by definition – linked to more than one child . Few birth mothers experiencing the removal of a child to care are offered any follow-up support, despite often facing multiple challenges including poverty, addiction, domestic violence and mental health problems. Since 2011, however, a number of new services have been established to begin to address their unmet needs. This article summarises the findings of the first academic-led evaluation of two of these initiatives. Presenting evidence from a mixed-methods evaluative study, it concludes that the new services were able to foster relationships that ‘worked’ in reducing recurrent proceedings. None of the women engaging with the services went on to experience what could be described as a ‘rapid repeat pregnancy’ within the evaluation window. Just as significantly, a number of clients reported some improvement in their psychological functioning, and the practitioners involved reported positively on their experience of delivering and managing innovative services. The article closes with a discussion of the challenges of evaluating personalised, strengths-based interventions and the possibilities of evidencing empowerment in these cases.     

Maternal Childhood Sexual Trauma,Child Directed Aggression,Parenting Behavior,and the Moderating Role of Child Sex

Using propensity-matched controls, the present study examines the associations between maternal report of child-directed aggression and observed parenting behavior across early childhood for women with and without childhood sexual trauma histories. The moderating role of child sex was also examined. The sample (N?=?204) is from a longitudinal study of rural poverty exploring the ways in which child, family, and contextual factors shape development over time. After controlling for numerous factors including child and primary caregiver covariates, findings reveal that childhood sexual trauma is related to sensitive parenting behavior and child-directed aggression. Findings further revealed that child sex moderates the relation between sexual trauma history and maternal behavior towards children. Implications for interventions for mothers with childhood sexual trauma histories and directions for future study are proposed.     

最高法院的职分:积极还是自制?

<正>1787年9月17日,为了在新宪法上签名,本·富兰克林坐在轿椅上被抬到了独立厅。签名时,年迈而坚毅的他流泪了。为北美殖民地走向统一,富兰克林付出了一生的努力,但没有成功。路途与交通方面的困难,因环境、习俗和宗教方面的差异所滋生的强烈的地方傲慢与妒忌,经济利益上的冲突以及在暂时性地推翻英国统治之后无诚意为新的中央政府让出哪怕是一丁点儿的地方独立,所有这些使得在统一的道路上每前进一步都遭到冲撞。在那潮湿、闷热的四个月里,制宪会议常常濒临解散的边缘。乔治·华盛顿后来写信给他的朋友拉法叶特(Lafayette),称最后达成协议是个奇迹。     

Objections to medico-legal autopsy--recent developments in case law

Medico-legal autopsies can be directed by coroners. However, in a number of jurisdictions family members can lodge objections with coroners against such procedures taking place. The authors analyse the objections, successful and unsuccessful, taken in Australia. Reviewing recent Victorian developments, they emphasise the public interest in autopsies which reveal medical causes of death. They identify the ongoing importance of coroners being able to exercise their statutory function to undertake death investigations effectively and to make informed recommendations to reduce the incidence of avoidable deaths.     

A New Digital Method for the Objective Comparison of Frontal Sinuses for Identification*

Abstract: Use of the frontal sinuses for identification requires an objective method of comparison to meet Daubert standards. Christensen’s application of Elliptical Fourier Analysis and Likelihood Ratios seems to be a viable solution for this problem. The proposed method draws upon this work and attempts to simplify its application. Variation between pairs of digitized sinus tracings was quantified by summing the difference between corresponding measurements taken from a fixed origin to the outer edge of the sinus outlines using Adobe Photoshop^® CS2. Same‐skull and different‐skull pairs were used to develop reference distributions from which the probability of unknown pairs coming from the same or a different individual was estimated. Error rates of 0% were achieved. Resulting correlation coefficients demonstrated inter‐rater and test–retest reliability. Further refinement of the reference distributions and more rigorous testing of error rates should make this technique applicable to casework.     

Bidirectional partner violence among homeless young adults: risk factors and outcomes

One of the most prevalent forms of violence in contemporary society is the victimization of intimate partners. Although it has been established that homeless young people experience high levels of victimization on the street, little is known about partner violence (PV) experiences among this group, especially bidirectional violence. As such, the purpose of this study is to examine the prevalence of PV and bidirectional violence and to investigate risk factors and outcomes of this form of violence using a sample of homeless young adults. Overall, 59% of the sample experienced bidirectional violence. Multivariate results reveal that sexual abuse and neglect are significant correlates of PV. In addition, being either a victim or perpetrator of PV is associated with more severe substance use and higher levels of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Finally, there is support for bidirectional violence among homeless young adults even after controlling for early histories of maltreatment.