During this study, the decision-making process of ‘de Jeugdbeschermingstafel’ in complex divorce was examined. ‘De Jeugdbeschermingstafel’ from the Netherlands is a multidisciplinary meeting there...Show moreDuring this study, the decision-making process of ‘de Jeugdbeschermingstafel’ in complex divorce was examined. ‘De Jeugdbeschermingstafel’ from the Netherlands is a multidisciplinary meeting there professionals from various fields and parents come together to assess and discuss the well-being and safety of a child or young person who may be at risk. At ‘de Jeugdbeschermingstafel’, an assessment is conducted to determine the necessity of conducting a counsil investigation (‘raadsonderzoek’). It was examined whether this decision-making differs between families with a high or low socioeconomic status who are going through a complex divorce. The main question of study was: ‘To what extent is a complex divorce related to a custody investigation, and is this relationship moderated by the socioeconomic status of parents?’ To investigate this question a correlational research design was used. For this study, various research requests from ‘de Jeugdbeschermingstafel’ across the Netherlands were investigated. These research requests had been anonymized, read and coded. Seventy-one requests of investigations have been utilized. The distribution between complex divorce and non-complex divorce cases, as well as between socio-economic disadvantage and no socio-economic disadvantage could be improved. It was expected that a counseling investigation would be chosen more often for families going through complex divorce than for families without complex divorces, particularly in cases of high socioeconomic status, as these divorces tend to be more prolonged. Results showed that ‘de Jeugdbeschermingstafel’ does not indicate custody investigation more often for families with complex divorces, than it does in families without complex divorces. Furthermore, this relationship is not moderated by the socioeconomic status of families. However, due to the use of a small sample, this conclusion may be challenging to generalize to the broader population.Show less
This study investigates the relationship between maternal and young child trauma symptoms following exposure to domestic violence, with a specific focus on maternal traumatic childhood experiences...Show moreThis study investigates the relationship between maternal and young child trauma symptoms following exposure to domestic violence, with a specific focus on maternal traumatic childhood experiences as a moderator. Domestic violence is a pervasive issue with far-reaching consequences for families, often resulting in psychological trauma for both mothers and their children. Despite the recognition of this phenomenon, the specific dynamics underlying the transmission of trauma within these families remain poorly understood. A sample was used of 30 mother-child dyads recruited from domestic violence shelters, with children under the age of 6, all of whom had experienced severe domestic violence. Data was collected through self-report and parent-report surveys to assess trauma symptoms in both mothers and children, with the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) and the Child and Adolescent Trauma Screen (CATS). The study employed a cross-sectional design, focusing on the immediate aftermath of domestic violence. Mothers were also asked to report on their traumatic childhood experiences in a short version of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ-SF). Results revealed a lack of significant correlation between maternal and child trauma symptoms, challenging conventional assumptions of direct transmission. While mothers reported high levels of trauma symptoms, these were not strongly associated with corresponding symptoms in their children. Additionally, the moderating effect of maternal traumatic childhood experiences was not detected, indicating a more complex relationship than previously assumed. These findings underscore the multifaceted nature of the link between maternal and child trauma symptoms. Future research should utilize longitudinal designs to track evolving dynamics and investigate additional moderators and mediators. Combining self-report measures with clinical interviews is crucial for accurate symptom assessment. This approach can deepen our understanding of trauma dynamics in families, leading to better interventions and support programs, and ultimately reducing intergenerational trauma, creating a safer society for our children.Show less
Decisions regarding child protection are complicated and have a large impact on children, parents and families. This study aims to examine whether certain family factors (family conflicts such as...Show moreDecisions regarding child protection are complicated and have a large impact on children, parents and families. This study aims to examine whether certain family factors (family conflicts such as domestic violence, SES, divorce between parents and/or the number of children in the family) cohere with the decision to start an investigation (raadsonderzoek) by the child protection services (Raad voor de Kinderbescherming). This decision regarding an investigation is a particular decision in the Netherlands which is made early in the process of child protection. When an investigation is necessary, the child protection services will further investigate if a supervision order, out-of-home placement or termination of authority is necessary. When an investigation is not necessary the families continue with voluntary youth care and the child protection services are no longer involved. To examine if certain family factors are related to the decision to start an investigation 84 documents filled in by the child protection services and other involved youth workers were analysed. This document contains information about the parents, children and family. For this research an own coding system was developed to code the documents. Family conflicts such as domestic violence, SES, divorce between parents and/or the number of children in the family were not related to the decision to start an investigation by the child protection services. For good decision-making in child protection all factors (family, child and parent factors) need to be taken in account, not only family factors.Show less
Each year, between 2700 and 2900 underage victims of sexual offenses are interrogated in the Netherlands. Shyness is a personality trait known to influence the memory and testimony of adult...Show moreEach year, between 2700 and 2900 underage victims of sexual offenses are interrogated in the Netherlands. Shyness is a personality trait known to influence the memory and testimony of adult witnesses. However, the influence of shyness on testimonies has not yet been thoroughly investigated in the case of underage witnesses. The aim of this study was to investigate to what extent shyness of children is related to level of detail and accuracy of their statement during interrogation and whether these variables differed based on the type of recall during the interrogation. The sample consisted of eight to eleven year old children (mean age = 9.91 years, SD = 1.221). First, the children participated in a standardized online yoga lesson. A week later, the children participated in an online interview to talk about the yoga lesson. These interviews were transcribed and coded for level of detail and accuracy. The Emotionality, Activity, and Sociability Temperament Survey for Children (EAS), filled out by one of the parents, was used to measure the children’s shyness. Both Pearson correlations and repeated measures ANOVAs showed no significant relations between shyness and the level of detail and accuracy of children’s statements during an interrogation. No differences on the relations between shyness and the level of detail and accuracy were found between free recall versus cued recall. This suggests that shyness might not be the best predictor of the level of detail and accuracy of children’s statements and that shy children may be equally good witnesses as non-shy children. However, the sample in this study was too small (n = 11) to draw a firm conclusion and a replication study with a larger sample is necessary.Show less
Experiencing child maltreatment and domestic violence can have significant short- and long-term impacts, including increased risks of mental health issues and psychopathology. Previous research has...Show moreExperiencing child maltreatment and domestic violence can have significant short- and long-term impacts, including increased risks of mental health issues and psychopathology. Previous research has shown that child maltreatment not only can affect direct victims but also the children of parents who have experienced maltreatment. This study examines the relationship between mother’s experienced child maltreatment and their children’s behavioral problems, and investigates whether this relationship is moderated by maternal psychopathology. Based on previous research, it was hypothesized that a positive relationship would exist and that this relationship would be stronger for mothers with more psychopathology. The study focuses on mothers and their children residing in Dutch women’s shelters following domestic violence by the mother’s (ex-)partner. A sample of 29 mother-child dyads was recruited with the average age of mothers being 31.6 years (SD = 6.2 years) and of children being 3.2 years (SD = 1.5 years). The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form (CTQ-SF) was used to measure mother’s experiences of child maltreatment in their childhood, with the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) children’s behavioral problems were evaluated and the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 (BSI-18) was used to assess maternal psychopathology. The results indicated no significant main effect of mother’s experienced child maltreatment on children’s behavioral problems, and no significant moderation effect of maternal psychopathology on this relationship. However, significant main effects were found for mother’s experienced child maltreatment on maternal psychopathology and for maternal psychopathology on children’s behavioral problems, suggesting a potential mediation effect. Possible explanations for not finding the expected main effect and moderation are a low statistical power due to the small sample size and resilience. Therefore, replication studies are warranted. This study enhances the understanding of the complex interplay between child maltreatment, maternal psychopathology, and children’s behavioral outcomes, emphasizing the need for systemic interventions.Show less
This study examines whether the personality traits neuroticism and agreeableness mediate the relationship between traumatic experiences of parents and parenting stress. This research was conducted...Show moreThis study examines whether the personality traits neuroticism and agreeableness mediate the relationship between traumatic experiences of parents and parenting stress. This research was conducted among families who were registered at Veilig Thuis under a notification of domestic violence. A sample of 1172 parents (862 female, 310 male) completed self-report questionnaires about trauma, personality traits and parenting stress. Trauma is directly related to parental stress. Neuroticism is a partial mediator in the relationship between traumatic experiences of parents and parenting stress. Agreeableness is not a mediator in this relationship. The findings suggest that parents with a trauma score high in neuroticism, subsequently, parents high in neuroticism experience more parental stress. This was not found for agreeableness. Directions for future research regarding personality and parental stress and the limitations of present study are discussed.Show less
Child maltreatment is an age-old, common problem with a variety of short-term and long-term consequences. Child maltreatment can even have an impact on future generations, resulting in the...Show moreChild maltreatment is an age-old, common problem with a variety of short-term and long-term consequences. Child maltreatment can even have an impact on future generations, resulting in the intergenerational transmission of child maltreatment. Despite the gravity of the consequences there remains few to no effective interventions to disrupt the vicious cycle of child maltreatment. To develop effective interventions, it is crucial to conduct research on specific factors that may contribute to the intergenerational transmission. Therefore, this study aims to explore the mediating role of emotion recognition in the intergenerational transmission of child maltreatment. This investigation takes into account the differences between abuse and neglect and considers the influence of gender. A total of 237 participants (96 men, 141 women) from 63 families were assessed for their experiences of perpetrating and experiencing abuse and neglect through self-report measures. Moreover, they performed an emotion recognition task, which involved the gradual presentation of photos displaying various emotional expressions, ranging from neutral to intense. Findings from this investigation confirm the intergenerational transmission of both abuse and neglect, with abuse exhibiting a stronger transmission compared to neglect. Unexpectedly, emotion recognition did not serve as a mediating factor in the relationship between experienced and perpetrated child abuse and neglect. However, emotion recognition did reveal a significant association with perpetrated neglect. Additionally, the control variable of gender was found to be linked to perpetrated neglect. These outcomes underscore the significance of distinguishing between abuse and neglect, as well as considering gender differences in the context of intergenerational transmission of child maltreatment. Future research focusing on a exploration of all aspects of emotion processing may provide greater insight into the underlying mechanisms of the intergenerational transmission of child maltreatment.Show less
It is estimated that between 89.160 and 127.190 children in the Netherlands experience maltreatment every year, which can cause long term effects such as medical problems, trauma, depression and...Show moreIt is estimated that between 89.160 and 127.190 children in the Netherlands experience maltreatment every year, which can cause long term effects such as medical problems, trauma, depression and anxiety. Research has shown that social support is a protective factor for experiencing behavior problems in maltreated individuals. This study examined whether social support moderates the relationship between maltreatment and anxiety by questioning 39 Dutch adolescents between 12 and 17 years old. During lab visits the participants filled out an informed consent and multiple questionnaires like the Parent-Child Conflict Tactics Scales (CTS-PC) and the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), the Social Support Scales for Children and Adolescents SSSC/SSSA and the Youth Self Report (YSR). A PROCESS-analysis was conducted to determine whether social support moderated the relationship between experienced maltreatment and anxiety. The relationship between child maltreatment and anxiety was found to be non-significant. Results also showed a non-significant negative relationship between social support and anxiety. Furthermore, social support did not moderate the relationship between experienced maltreatment and anxiety. These results may be partially explained by the small sample and the limited number of maltreated children in the sample. Furthermore, the group that experienced anxiety was also lower than expected due to a restriction of range. These results are not as expected, as other research has shown the buffering role of social support in relation to maltreatment and anxiety. Due to previous research and the limitations of this study it is important to implement social support for people who experience anxiety in society. Examples like reading books and school curricula are discussed. Upcoming research should be conducted with a larger and representative sample and ways to diminish social desirability should be taken into consideration.Show less
Among 11-28% of children (0-6 years) in the Netherlands experience psychosocial problems, such as aggressive behavior and anxiety symptoms. These behavioral problems in childhood are a predictor...Show moreAmong 11-28% of children (0-6 years) in the Netherlands experience psychosocial problems, such as aggressive behavior and anxiety symptoms. These behavioral problems in childhood are a predictor for several problems in later adolescence and adulthood. Studies that examine the underlying mechanisms that play a role in the development of problem behavior can contribute to the development of adequate and effective (preventive) interventions, so that early intervention can be applied. The current study examined the role of physical discipline, ethnicity and attachment in the development of problem behavior in children aged 0-7 years in family residential clinics. The sample consisted of 50 parent-child dyads (Mage children = 3,28 years) recruited in four Dutch family residential clinics. The families had been referred to these clinics for an evaluation of their parenting capacities in the context of a decision regarding out-of-home placement or reunification with their child(ren). The pre-test consisted of a two-hour appointment in a lab setting at the clinic. During this appointment a number of questionnaires and tasks were administered to parent and child. In addition, the family’s therapist filled out a short questionnaire about the family. Physical discipline was observed during a “don’t touch” and “clean up” task and then scored on a 5-point Likert-scale. The preschool Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) was used to assess child’s behavioral problems. Child’s attachment was measured using the Infant Coding System (ICS) and the MacArthur Preschool Attachment Classification System (PACS). The results showed that physical discipline is not related to child’s problem behavior and that ethnicity does not moderate this association. In addition, the results showed that child’s attachment does not play a mediating role in the association between physical discipline and child’s problem behavior. Future research will benefit from the use of multi-informant measures and should include more ethnicities.Show less
