Previous studies have shown that partner violence is associated with the development of trauma symptoms in children, as children experience partner violence as a traumatic event. Additionally,...Show morePrevious studies have shown that partner violence is associated with the development of trauma symptoms in children, as children experience partner violence as a traumatic event. Additionally, previous research has shown that emotional safety can play a mediating role in this relationship. As there is increasing attention to the complexity of trauma, such as how it can vary based on factors such as frequency of events, and limited research on emotional safety as a moderator in the relationship between partner violence and trauma symptoms, this study investigated whether emotional safety plays a role in the relationship between the frequency of partner violence and trauma symptoms in children. The study included 226 mother-child pairs, with children aged 10 to 17 years. The mothers and children were referred to Veilig Thuis after a report of domestic violence. The findings of the study showed that there was no direct relationship between the frequency of partner violence and trauma symptoms in children. Additionally, no significant interaction effect was found. However, the results showed that there was an association between emotional safety and trauma symptoms in children. Therefore, emotional safety may not play a moderating but a mediating role in the relationship between the frequency of partner violence and trauma symptoms in children. Additionally, it is possible that mothers may rate the frequency of partner violence more positively than it is. Further research could focus on children's data related to partner violence, as data collected through children is considered reliable. To make well-founded statements, further research is needed to include emotional safety as a mediator and to focus on children's data related to partner violence.Show less
Research master thesis | Psychology (research) (MSc)
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Observing emotions in others’ facial expressions is an important factor guiding social interaction. Observing others’ emotions elicits physiological arousal in the observer, which is reflected in...Show moreObserving emotions in others’ facial expressions is an important factor guiding social interaction. Observing others’ emotions elicits physiological arousal in the observer, which is reflected in increased pupil diameter (i.e., pupil dilation). The current study used pupil dilation as an index of physiological arousal to explore children’s responses to emotional facial expressions. More specifically, we investigated whether maternal symptoms of depression and/or anxiety were related to offspring’s pupil responses to negative (versus positive) facial displays irrespective of the child’s symptomology. A community sample of 87 mother- (M = 42.30, SD = 5.60, range = 27-57) child (M = 10.11, SD = 1.32, range = 7.2-12.9) dyads participated in the current study. Mothers and offspring reported on their depressive and anxiety symptoms via self-report questionnaires. Children’s pupil responses to angry, fearful, sad, and happy dynamic facial displays were measured during the dynamic emotions task using eye-tracking. Results revealed that maternal depressive symptoms were not related to child pupil responses to negative (versus positive) faces. Higher levels of maternal anxiety, however, were linked to stronger child pupil responses to fearful and sad faces than to happy faces. In turn, child pupil responses to angry (versus happy) faces did not statistically differ as a function of maternal anxiety. These findings persisted after accounting for the link between child anxiety symptoms and child pupil responses. Therefore, the way typically developing children react to negative versus positive emotional faces in later childhood appears to be related to maternal levels of anxiety, but not to maternal levels of depression. This points to the importance of exploring maternal anxiety symptoms as a potential risk factor for the development of negativity biases in offspring across the general population.Show less
Little is known about perception of child maltreatment in Greece. Although maltreatment in European countries is well documented, knowledge concerning this phenomenon remains sparse in Greece. This...Show moreLittle is known about perception of child maltreatment in Greece. Although maltreatment in European countries is well documented, knowledge concerning this phenomenon remains sparse in Greece. This study examined mothers’ and teacher’s evaluation of severity of four types of maltreatment: physical abuse, physical neglect, emotional abuse and emotional neglect. It was also examined whether mothers and teachers differ in their evaluation of maltreatment and if their perceptions are influenced by demographics and previous maltreatment experience. 41 Greek mothers of children 2 to 6 years old, 20 Greek teachers and 2 professionals working in Youth Care centers in Greece distributed Maltreatment Q-sort (MQS) and filled in Children Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) and Background information Questionnaire. Within subjects contrast showed that mothers evaluated significantly more harmful physical abuse than the other types of maltreatment and physical neglect than emotional neglect and emotional abuse. Teachers also showed significant differences on subscales of MQS apart from physical neglect and emotional abuse. Mothers and teachers did not strongly differ in how they evaluated maltreatment and mothers showed higher convergence with the professionals’ view of maltreatment. Identity, number of children and maltreatment experiences are related to participants’ perception of maltreatment. Understanding perception of maltreatment is vital, as its perception has implications for reporting maltreatment and identifying intervention needs of vulnerable children. Furthermore, understanding maltreatment’s perception may help social service agencies to practice successful intervention programs. The current study is the first that directly studies the perception of four types of maltreatment and can be the basis for further research. Keywords: perception, maltreatment, Greece, mothers, teachers, MQSShow less
