Angela Moreland Begle

Longitudinal pathways of victimization, substance use, and delinquency: findings from the National Survey of Adolescents.

Using a nationally representative sample of 3614 adolescents, age 12 to 17 years, this study examines longitudinal associations among interpersonal victimization (i.e., sexual abuse, physical abuse and/or assault, and witnessed community and domestic violence) and high risk behavior (i.e., alcohol use, drug use, and delinquent behavior). A bidirectional relationship was hypothesized between high risk behavior and victimization for the full sample. Descriptive results indicated that a high correlation between types of high risk behavior, with over 50% of adolescents having engaged in at least one type of high risk behavior by Wave 2 in the study. Results suggested strong links between victimization and high risk behaviors, whereas sequential order of the constructs across time was dependent on gender and type of victimization. Specifically, hypotheses concerning victimization and high risk behavior were fully supported with boys, but different patterns emerged in the data for girls.

Exposure to interpersonal violence and risk for PTSD, depression, delinquency, and binge drinking among adolescents: Data from the NSA-R

Interpersonal violence (IPV) is associated with a range of subsequent negative outcomes; however, research has yet to test whether IPV operates as a specific risk factor for separate psychopathology outcomes, such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, depressive symptoms, delinquent acts, or binge drinking. To address this, cumulative exposure to IPV and non-IPV-related traumatic events, PTSD symptoms, depressive symptoms, delinquent acts, and binge drinking were measured 3 times over approximately 3 years among a nationally representative sample of adolescents aged 12-17 (N = 3,614 at Wave 1). Results demonstrated that cumulative IPV exposure predicted subsequent PTSD, depression, delinquency, and binge drinking (βs = .07, .12, .10, and .09, respectively; all ps < .01) when all cross-relationships (e.g., the effect of delinquency on future binge drinking) were in the model. Exposure to non-IPV traumatic events generally did not confer vulnerability to subsequent psychopathology outcomes. Overall, findings from this study advance the literature in this area by exploring consequences for adolescents following cumulative IPV exposure.

Predicting child abuse potential: An empirical investigation of two theoretical frameworks

This study investigated two theoretical risk models predicting child maltreatment potential: (a) Belskys (1993) developmental-ecological model and (b) the cumulative risk model in a sample of 610 caregivers (49% African American, 46% European American; 53% single) with a child between 3 and 6 years old. Results extend the literature by using a widely accepted and valid risk instrument rather than occurrence rates (e.g., reports to child protective services, observations). Results indicated Belskys developmental-ecological model, in which risk markers were organized into three separate conceptual domains, provided a poor fit to the data. In contrast, the cumulative risk model, which included the accumulation of risk markers, was significant in predicting child abuse potential.

Prevalence and Correlates of Poor Self-Rated Health in the United States: The National Elder Mistreatment Study

OBJECTIVES Despite its subjective nature, self-report of health status is strongly correlated with long-term physical morbidity and mortality. Among the most reliable predictors of self-reported poor health is older age. In younger adult populations, the second reliable predictor of reported poor health is the experience of domestic and other interpersonal violence. However, very little research exits on the connection between elder mistreatment and self-reports of poor health. The aim of this study was to examine the level of, and correlates for, poor self-rated health in a community sample of older adults with particular emphasis on elder mistreatment history, demographics, and social dependency variables. DESIGN Random digit dialing telephone survey methodology. SETTING A national representative phone survey of noninstitutionalized U.S. household population. PARTICIPANTS Five thousand seven hundred seventy-seven U.S. adults, aged 60 years and older. MEASUREMENTS Individuals participated in a structured interview assessing elder mistreatment history, demographics, and social dependency variables. RESULTS Poor self-rated health was endorsed by 22.3% of the sample. Final multivariable logistic regression models showed that poor self-rated health was associated with unemployment, marital status, low income, low social support, use of social services, needing help in activities of daily living, and being bothered by emotional problems. Secondary analyses revealed a mediational role of emotional symptoms in the association between physical maltreatment and poor health. CONCLUSIONS Results suggest that poor health is common among older adults. This study also identified correlates of poor health that may be useful in identification of those in need of intervention.

The Impact of Crime Victimization on Quality of Life

The authors review the extant literature examining the functional impact of crime victimization on indices of quality of life. They present findings within a conceptual framework comprised of role functioning, life satisfaction, and well-being, and social-material conditions, including crime-related medical, mental health, and employer costs, and health care utilization. The review indicates that crime victimization impacts multiple domains, including parenting skills, impaired occupational functioning, higher rates of unemployment, and problematic intimate relationships. However, data on relationships between crime victimization and overall life satisfaction were mixed, suggesting the need for further investigation. The authors conclude with a brief discussion of directions for future research.

Elder Mistreatment and Emotional Symptoms Among Older Adults in a Largely Rural Population: The South Carolina Elder Mistreatment Study

Although two recent major studies provide some insight into the prevalence and correlates of elder mistreatment, the relationship between elder mistreatment and mental health remains unclear. This study begins to address this issue by examining the relationship between elder mistreatment (i.e., a recent history of emotional and physical abuse) and negative emotional symptoms (e.g., anxiety and depression) among 902 older adults aged 60 and above residing in South Carolina. Results demonstrate that emotional, but not physical, abuse is significantly correlated with higher levels of emotional symptoms. This relationship is sustained when controlling for established demographic and social/dependency risk factors. These data suggest that mistreated older adults also suffer from greater emotional symptoms and highlight the need for more research in this area.

Child and Parental Outcomes Following Involvement in a Preventive Intervention: Efficacy of the PACE Program

This study evaluated whether engagement (i.e., attendance and quality of participation) in the Parenting our Children to Excellence (PACE) program predicted positive child and parent outcomes. PACE in an 8-week preventive intervention aimed at parents of preschool children. The study investigated the relation of engagement to outcomes in an ethnically diverse sample of 610 parents and among a subset of those parents at high risk for child maltreatment. Overall results demonstrated that engagement in PACE significantly improved child and parent outcomes at post-assessment and/or one-year follow-up assessment. Results for the high-risk subsample were even stronger as engagement significantly improved almost all of the child and parent outcomes at post-assessment, which continued to significantly improve in the year following program completion. Findings provide support for the efficacy of PACE in improving child and parent outcomes in an ethnically diverse community population and among parents considered at risk for child maltreatment.

Effects of Monetary Incentives on Engagement in the PACE Parenting Program

This study evaluated parental engagement in an 8-week parenting program offered through daycare centers that were randomly assigned to a monetary incentive or nonincentive condition. Of an initial sample of 1,050 parents who rated their intent to enroll in the program, 610 went on to enroll—319 in the incentive and 291 in the nonincentive condition. Results showed that intent to enroll predicted enrollment irrespective of condition. Further, parents did not enroll in greater numbers, attend more sessions, or participate more actively in the incentive condition. Incentives encouraged some parents, often younger and socioeconomically disadvantaged, to enroll but had no effect on their attendance. Of importance, these results could not be accounted for by between-condition differences in child and family or in daycare characteristics.

Child and parental outcomes of a group parenting intervention for Latino families: A pilot study of the CANNE program

Criando a Nuestros Niños hacia el Éxito (CANNE) is the Spanish adaptation of Parenting Our Children to Excellence (PACE). A pilot study conducted with 124 parents of preschoolers (mostly recent Mexican immigrants) provides preliminary evidence for the community acceptability and efficacy of CANNE. Eighty-eight of the 124 parents who enrolled in the program attended one or more of the 8 sessions (17% attended 1 session, 11% attended 2-4 sessions, and 72% attended 5 or more sessions), participated actively in sessions, and expressed high degrees of program satisfaction. Over time, parents improved on measures of harsh-inconsistent discipline, and children improved on social competence and social-communication skills. When high-versus-low attenders were compared, high attenders (parents who attended 4 sessions or more) reported greater increases than low attenders in their appropriate-positive parenting practices and clear expectations, and in their childrens social competence and communication skills, and they reported greater decreases in their harsh-inconsistent discipline and in their childrens aggressiveness and hyperactivity. Some of these changes were evident by the end of the program, whereas others became apparent (or stronger) over a 3-month follow-up period. These encouraging results point to the need for an efficacy study that assesses how well CANNE can help larger numbers of Latino parents in the important task of bringing up their young children in the United States.

Examining the Moderating Role of Family Cohesion on the Relationship Between Witnessed Community Violence and Delinquency in a National Sample of Adolescents

Witnessed community violence has been linked to a number of internalizing and externalizing problems in adolescents. Guided by Cicchetti and Lynch’s (1993) ecological-transactional model, this study aimed to examine the impact that family-level factors had on negative outcomes associated with witnessed community violence. Using a nationally representative sample, we explored the moderational role of family cohesion in the relationship between witnessing community violence and delinquent behavior while taking demographic variables into account. Results from the investigation suggested that low levels of family cohesion were predictive of delinquency after controlling for race, gender, past delinquency, and direct trauma. In addition, the findings suggested that family cohesion moderated the impact of witnessed community violence on future delinquent behavior. Future directions for research and implications for practice were also discussed.