Keeping the focus on children: the challenges of safeguarding children affected by domestic abuse

Safeguarding children affected by domestic abuse is a key responsibility for all professionals working with children and families, but can be difficult to achieve in practice. Despite a policy emphasis on early intervention and child‐centred work, limited attention has been paid to how professionals in universal and additional support services address this important area of work. This paper reports findings from qualitative research undertaken in one local authority area in the north of England during 2011 which examines the challenges facing professionals in safeguarding children affected by domestic abuse. Six mixed professional focus groups were held, attended by a total of 23 participants. Discussion focused upon participants’ awareness of domestic abuse, how they assessed and met children and young peoples’ needs, and their views about service provision and safeguarding processes. Data were transcribed and thematic analysis undertaken. The themes presented in this paper – embodied recognition, someone else's job, service gaps, skills deficits, and focusing upon children and young people – illustrate the scope and limitations of professionals’ work with children and young people affected by domestic abuse. Areas for practice improvement are discussed.     

离异家庭大学生自我和谐调查

目的了解离异家庭大学生自我和谐情况,从而为离异家庭大学生自我和谐提供建议。方法采用自我和谐量表(SCCS),选取泰山学院38名离异家庭大学生为研究对象,抽取172名完整家庭大学生为参照系。结果与常模差异性检验,离异家庭大学生的"自我的灵活性"与"自我的刻板性"存在显著的差异(t=4.88,5.02;P<0.01);不同性别、不同年龄的离异家庭大学生在"自我和谐"总分及3个因子上不存在显著差异;离异家庭大学生的"自我的刻板性"和"自我的灵活性"与非离异家庭大学生存在显著的差异(t=5.23,-4.56;P<0.01)。结论离异家庭大学生自我和谐度低于正常家庭大学生,尤其在"自我的灵活性"和"自我的刻板性"上存在一定问题。     

Growing up in foster families or institutions: Attachment representation and psychological adjustment of young adults

ABSTRACT

Background: Attachment Theory has become one of the leading theories in human development. Nonetheless, empirical studies focusing on how attachment unfolds during adolescence are still scarce particularly in Spain, due to the lack of adequate measures. Objective: This study aims to validate the Important People Interview (IPI) in a shorter questionnaire version (Important People- Questionnaire; IP-Q); to analyse the changes in different affiliative bonds to multiple figures -family, peers, romantic partners – over the course of adolescence; and to identify boys’ and girls’ hierarchical ordering of their specific attachment bonds. Method: 1025 Spanish adolescents, aged 12–17 years old completed the IP-Q. Results: The results showed that the IP-Q has convergent and divergent validity. Moreover, this measure indicated that peers overtake some family members in proximity-seeking and support-seeking, but not in the overall hierarchical ordering of the attachment bond during adolescence. Conclusions: The bond with the romantic partner increases in terms of scoring on the affiliative subscales as adolescence progresses. There are significant gender differences among the hierarchy patterns of attachment for boys and girls. Developmental changes in adolescent attachment are discussed.     

Accuracy of self‐reported hypertension: Effect of age,gender, and history of alcohol dependence

Patient awareness of medical conditions may influence treatment seeking and monitoring of these conditions. Accurate awareness of hypertension reported to clinicians evaluating patients for whom clinical history is limited, such as in emergency care, can aid in diagnosis by revealing whether measured hypertension is typical or atypical. Measurement of blood pressure in a laboratory study was assessed at rest, immediately before phlebotomy, and within 10 minutes after. The resting measure was used to determine the accuracy of self‐reported hypertension in 283 adults. Parametric analyses were conducted to identify potential variables influencing accuracy of self‐reported hypertension. Sensitivity, specificity, and the kappa coefficient of agreement were calculated to determine the influence of alcohol dependence (AD), sex, age, and cigarette smoking on hypertension awareness. Self‐report was mildly sensitive, correctly identifying individuals with hypertension in approximately 37% of the cases, but was highly specific (95%) in identifying individuals without hypertension. Similar sensitivities were found in analyses separated by sex. Sensitivity was greater in those over age 55 (53%) in comparison with those <54, as well as in those who were not smoking. Comparison of those with and without a history of AD revealed that both groups show similar accuracy in reporting hypertension. Absence of hypertension can be accurately determined with self‐report data in those without hypertension. A significant proportion of those with measured hypertension report an absence of hypertension.     

Family and Staff Perspectives on Service Use for Individuals With Intellectual Disabilities in Crisis

Carers of individuals with an intellectual disability are often responsible for managing their children's psychiatric crises when they arise. The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of families using crisis and short-term transitional supports from the perspectives of families and of crisis and transitional support staff. Three focus groups were conducted. Families and staff were asked to discuss their positive experiences and challenges when accessing and utilizing crisis and transitional support services. Families and staff spoke about their positive experiences with crisis and transitional supports, the staff characteristics that enabled these positive experiences, the challenges they encountered with crisis and transitional support services as well as the general service system, and the impact that these service limitations had on families. Findings highlight the importance of understanding family needs in order to help them address crises before, during, and after they occur.