Karyn B. Purvis

A Study of the Benefit of Social and Religious Support on Church Members During Times of Crisis

A majority of Americans participate in religious services and identify themselves as members of a faith community. Understanding the role that religion plays in peoples lives is essential to developing a comprehensive model of social support during times of crisis. The purpose of the current study was to identify the resources of social support that are helpful for church members during times of crisis. Although research on the impact of social support has identified several types of support—and the function of such support—to people undergoing difficult times, researchers have not looked at the impact of religious beliefs and participation in religious communities on social support to any significant extent. The current study collected questionnaire data from 23 members of one congregation who experienced a personal crisis. Analysis of the data shows that religious beliefs and the support provided by the religious community were seen as extremely helpful in times of crisis. Implications for incorporating peoples religious beliefs and participation in religious communities into future investigations of social support are discussed.

Severe punishment of children by staff in Romanian placement centers for school-aged children: Effects of child and institutional characteristics

The objective of this study was to determine whether childrens characteristics and/or institutional characteristics were predictors of severe punishments (including beatings) and/or frequency of punishments that children received from staff in Romanian institutions. The data was hierarchical with institutionalized children (N=1391) nested within 44 institutions, and the measurement of punishments by the staff and frequency of punishments had a binary distribution. Thus, multilevel logistic regression models were used to examine the effects of individual and institutional level variables on reported punishments and to account for the clustering of the children within institutions. Two general patterns of results emerged. First, regarding individual level variables, it was found that: (1) amount of time spent by children in their current institutions had a significant effect on the probability of being punished by staff and the frequency of this punishment; (2) the probability of being punished was higher for boys than for girls; and (3) having no siblings in the institution increased the odds of being punished several times. Second, regarding institutional level variables: (4) being in placement centers for school-aged children with a traditional type of institutional organization increased the odds of severe punishment compared to a familial/mixed type. The results of the present study highlight the importance of understanding the consequences of institutionalization in a broader way, where children not only experienced early severe psychosocial deprivation as documented in other studies, but also high levels of severe punishments administered by institutional staff.

Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI): A Systemic Approach to Complex Developmental Trauma

Children and youth who have experienced foster care or orphanage-rearing have often experienced complex developmental trauma, demonstrating an interactive set of psychological and behavioral issues. Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) is a therapeutic model that trains caregivers to provide effective support and treatment for at-risk children. TBRI has been applied in orphanages, courts, residential treatment facilities, group homes, foster and adoptive homes, churches, and schools. It has been used effectively with children and youth of all ages and all risk levels. This article provides the research base for TBRI and examples of how it is applied.

The Hope Connection: A Therapeutic Summer Day Camp for Adopted and At-Risk Children with Special Socio-Emotional Needs

Large numbers of North American and Western European families are adopting children with serious socio-emotional needs. Other children experience similar deficits as a result of neglect and abuse by carers. Often these children are diagnosed with psychopathology and receive drug treatments that can be ineffective and even detrimental. Karyn B Purvis, David R Cross, Ron Federici, Dana Johnson and L Brooks McKenzie report on The Hope Connection, a project designed to meet the needs of these at-risk children and their families. The core of this project is a theoretically integrated summer day camp offering activities that are attachment rich, sensory stimulating and behaviourally structured. Pre-test and post-test data indicate that summer camp had a significant impact on the childrens behaviour (n = 19), as indicated by parent-report measures of child behaviour problems and attachment. These findings are discussed with regard to possible future directions of programme implementation and evaluation.

A Spontaneous Emergence of Attachment Behavior in At‐Risk Children and a Correlation With Sensory Deficits

PROBLEM Complex developmental trauma affects large numbers of children who have suffered from abuse, neglect, and/or deprivation. The effects often manifest in problems of attachment. METHODS Researchers conducted therapeutic day camps for at-risk children to determine whether multimodal therapies could ameliorate the effects of complex developmental trauma. Two groups of adopted children (ages 3-9 and 10-14 years) with histories of trauma attended separate 3-week camps. FINDINGS Data analysis indicated a positive correlation between negative attachment behaviors and deficits in sensory processing. Increased pro-attachment behaviors were found to have a significant relationship with pre-camp deficits in sensory processing. CONCLUSIONS These results are discussed in the context of systems theory.

Improvements in Salivary Cortisol, Depression, and Representations of Family Relationships in At-Risk Adopted Children Utilizing a Short-Term Therapeutic Intervention

Abstract Adopted children with histories of abuse, neglect, or trauma are disproportionately represented among those who deteriorate into behavioral and emotional disorders. Numerous mechanisms have been identified which are believed to drive these aberrations in development such as changes in childrens trust and belief systems, changes in their stress reactivity, and changes in their brain development and brain chemistry. The current study was carried out in the context of a therapeutic summer day camp for at-risk, adopted children with histories of neglect, abuse, or trauma. Research findings document reduced levels of salivary cortisol, reductions in child depression, and healthier attachment representations as assessed through family drawings. These findings highlight reduction of fear as a crucial element in creating positive behavioral change in at-risk adopted children.

A Trust-Based Home Intervention for Special-Needs Adopted Children: A Case Study

Research on the effects of abuse, neglect, and other traumas in early childhood has consistently demonstrated severe deficits that can be prevalent across the life span. Costs associated with addressing such deficits in special-needs children can strain families and are an immense financial burden to society. Trust-Based Relational Intervention® is an intervention modality that targets the attachment system as part of a dynamic system of development. Presented is a summary of the costs of addressing the sequelae of childhood abuse and neglect, a brief overview of Trust-Based Relational Intervention, and a case study demonstrating the efficacy of this intervention with an adopted special-needs child in a home-based setting.

An Attachment Based Approach to Child Custody Evaluation: A Case Study

This child custody consultation, conducted in a rural Texas community, addressed the immediate placement needs of a 5-year-old female, Jamie. The child had been in foster care for 1 year, and her biological mother was seeking reinstatement of full custody. During supervised visitation sessions, Jamie displayed behaviors that are associated with a disorganized attachment style and/or seizure activity, while the mother exhibited behaviors indicative of an insecure attachment style and the inability to be emotionally available to her child. The Adult Attachment Inventory was administered to the mother as a measure of attachment while Jamie was tested for neurotransmitter activity at baseline and immediately after visitation. The results of these objective measures are presented and the implications for their use in child custody cases are discussed.

Decrease in behavioral problems and trauma symptoms among at-risk adopted children following trauma-informed parent training intervention

Children who have experienced early adversities are at risk for behavioral problems and trauma symptoms. Using a two-group, pre-post intervention design, the current study evaluated the effectiveness of a parent training utilizing Trust-Based Relational Intervention, a trauma-informed, attachment-based intervention, in reducing behavioral problems and trauma symptoms in at-risk adopted children. Children of parents in the treatment group (n = 48) demonstrated significant decreases in behavioral problems on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and significant decreases in trauma symptoms on the Trauma Symptoms Checklist for Young Children after intervention. Scores for children in a matched-sample control group did not change. Findings suggest that Trust-Based Relational Intervention is effective at addressing many behavioral problems and trauma symptoms in children with histories of adversities.

Decrease in Behavioral Problems and Trauma Symptoms Among At-Risk Adopted Children Following Web-Based Trauma-Informed Parent Training Intervention

Children who have experienced early adversities are at risk for behavioral problems and trauma symptoms. Using a two-group, pre–post intervention design, the authors evaluated the effectiveness of an online parent training for Trust-Based Relational Intervention, a trauma-informed, attachment-based intervention, in reducing behavioral problems and trauma symptoms in at-risk adopted children. Children of parents in the treatment group (n = 48) demonstrated significant decreases in behavioral problems and trauma symptoms after intervention. Scores for children in a matched-sample control group did not change. Findings suggest this intervention can effectively reduce behavioral problems and trauma symptoms in children with histories of adversities.