In the United States, unaccompanied refugee minors (URMs) are a diverse and extremely vulnerable group served by social workers about whom there is little research. URMs enter the United States from ...many lands without parents or kin, often having experienced war and other traumatic events. Using a risk and resilience framework, we summarize the research on URMs, illustrating the challenges and issues with a case study of a resilient Lost Boy from Sudan who became a social worker. We discuss strengths, coping strategies, and resilience, exploring the ways in which many URMs are able to effectively meet the challenge of adapting to a new country and culture, thriving despite the extreme adversity they have experienced, as well as sources of resilience within URMs that have allowed them to adapt and even thrive in a vastly different cultural environment despite exposure to multiple risks. These sources of resilience include positive outlook, use of healthy coping mechanisms and religiosity, and connectedness to prosocial organizations. We conclude with recommendations for social work research to better understand the nature of risk and resilience among URMs.
Abuse and trauma are common in the histories of prison inmates. This article presents the results of research on the trauma histories and stressful life events experienced by 2,279 male and female ...inmate parents in Arizona, with a particular focus on gender and ethnic differences across inmates. A sample of 838 incarcerated fathers and 1,441 mothers completed anonymous questionnaires regarding traumatic and stressful events experienced as children and/or adults. High rates of exposure to childhood and adult traumatic events, especially child abuse, were found for both males and females and across ethnic groups.
This report presents findings from a public opinion survey designed to measure beliefs about the causes of domestic violence (DV) based on telephone interviews with 1,200 residents across six New ...York State communities. Findings reveal substantial diversity and complexity among beliefs and interesting similarities and differences across open- and close-ended questions regarding explanations for partner abuse. Most respondents think about the causes of violence in the context of individual problems, relationships, and families, not as a problem with roots in our society or culture. Few believe that women are the cause of their own abuse, one fourth still believe that some women want to be abused, and most believe that women can end abusive relationships. Secondhand experiences with DV were associated with some beliefs about causes of abuse, and gender, age, education, and race were associated with certain beliefs in predictable ways.
Prevalence of children's exposure to intimate partner violence has been estimated at 10% to 20% each year. Many children exposed to domestic violence appear to manifest negative effects. Limited ...research suggests the possibility of long-term effects such as lowered self-esteem and depression. Factors that moderate children's responses to domestic violence include the nature of the discord, the child's age and gender, exposure to other forms of maltreatment, and the presence of factors that buffer the child, such as social support. Mediating factors that may help explain why exposure to domestic violence is harmful to children include disrupted parenting, inadequate coping responses, and development of posttraumatic stress reactions. Group and individual intervention with children who witness partner abuse should be focused around enhancing safety. Additional goals include better understanding of domestic violence and perpetrator responsibility for abuse, improved coping and problem solving, and facilitation of expression of feelings.
This study reports analyses and findings from a public opinion survey designed to explore beliefs about domestic violence (DV)—what it is, when it is against the law, and how prevalent it is. The ...project interviewed 1,200 residents from six New York communities. The analyses reveal substantial firsthand and secondhand experience with DV and strong consensus that acts of physical aggression should be labeled as DV, but substantially less certainty about the illegality of the abusive behaviors. Overall, the respondents were less inclined to define women’s aggressive behavior in pejorative or unlawful terms than men’s. Respondents believed that DV was common in their communities, and that it affected a significant minority of couples. Multivariate analyses provide little support for conventional wisdom about the impact of socioeconomic background on tolerance for or knowledge about DV, although gender, generation, and secondhand familiarity with DV incidents play a role in opinions and beliefs.
To measure adjustment of women survivors of sibling incest, 35 adult female survivors and a matched comparison group of 21 women were interviewed and completed questionnaires regarding their adult ...adjustment. Sibling incest survivors reported significantly higher anxiety, depression, hostility, and adult victimization and lower self-esteem. Beliefs about child sexual abuse mediated the relationship between sibling incest and depression and anxiety for survivors, the majority of whom believed that men cannot be trusted, it is dangerous to let others get close, and that a normal life is not possible for them because of the abuse they suffered. Other forms of child abuse were significantly associated with self-esteem and depression, but not anxiety, among survivors. Adult victimization was also associated with increased depression and anxiety in survivors.
Increasing numbers of women are found in the military, and they are now performing roles very similar to those of male service members. More returning servicewomen and veterans have been exposed to ...stressful and traumatic experiences, such as combat and difficult living circumstances, and military sexual trauma is common. These experiences have been found to be associated with adverse mental health outcomes, posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and substance abuse in particular. Comorbidity rates are also high. In addition, more veterans are returning with injuries, including traumatic brain injuries. Although more women veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom are seeking health services at Veterans Administration facilities, many are not. Thus, community-based social workers need to be familiar with the needs of this growing population to serve them effectively. Use of empirically supported assessment instruments and screening for military sexual trauma are recommended. Recommended interventions include the use of evidence-supported practices, such as cognitive—behavioral treatment, and offering assistance to enhance social support among women veterans.
Substance abuse is increasingly common in prison inmates. This article presents findings on substance abuse and service needs of male and female inmate parents in Arizona, with a particular focus on ...gender and ethnic differences across inmates. A sample of 838 incarcerated fathers and 1,441 mothers completed anonymous questionnaires regarding traumatic and stressful events experienced as children and/or adults, including addiction. Exposure to childhood and adult traumatic events, especially child abuse, was related to self-reported alcohol and drug problems for both males and females. Mothers reported significantly more postrelease service needs than fathers. Implications for practice and policy are discussed.
Intimate Partner Abuse and Mental Health Carlson, Bonnie E.; McNutt, Louise-Anne; Choi, Deborah Y. ...
Violence against women,
06/2002, Letnik:
8, Številka:
6
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Social Support and other protective factors (Education, Employment, Self-Esteem, Health, and Absence of Economic Hardship) were studied in relation to depression, anxiety, and three types of lifetime ...abuse (recent intimate partner violence and past intimate partner violence, child abuse). Asurvey of 557 women was conducted as part of a domestic violence screening intervention in primary care. Compared to nonabused women, recently abused women may receive less support from partners but reported comparable levels of support from others. Total protective factors potentially provided a buffer for abused women from developing anxiety and depression but appea less effective at severe levels of lifetime abuse.
In the past 2 decades, important insights have been gained regarding violence and trauma. Complications occur in how violence and trauma, their causes, and their effects on victims should be defined. ...Violence and abuse to women—physical, sexual, and emotional—are not rare events and are most often perpetrated by partners or acquaintances rather than strangers and occur in nonmarital as well as marital relationships, including same-sex relationships. A promising methodological innovation in the study of violence and trauma is the use of longitudinal designs. Innovations in treatments for victims such as evidence-based interventions have been slow to emerge; they include eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) and the Seeking Safety group intervention for drug-abusingwomen with traumahistories. Future research should address increased understanding of variation in individual responses to violence and trauma, matching of treatment to different types of male offenders, better understanding of how culture affects violence perpetration and victimization, and evaluation of domestic violence interventions.
