Evaluation of the acceptability of a prenatal program for women with histories of childhood trauma: The program STEP

Background: Childhood trauma would negatively affect pregnant women's mental health and would have intergenerational repercussions. However, there is a paucity of prenatal interventions specifically designed for women exposed to childhood trauma. The study aims to evaluate the acceptability of STEP, a manualized group intervention designed for pregnant women having experienced early life adversity. Methods: The acceptability of STEP was assessed in four phases. In Phase 1, six experts evaluated whether the program activities were pertinent and trauma sensitive. In Phase 2, three parents read the intervention manuals and evaluated whether they considered each session relevant, interesting, and clear. In Phase 3, the program was briefly presented by phone to 309 pregnant women from the community. Women were inquired about their interest in the program, and the reasons for their lack of interest were assessed. In Phase 4, 30 pregnant women exposed to childhood trauma participated in the program and completed anonymous satisfaction questionnaires after each session. Psychological distress was also measured before and after the program. Results: All activities were rated by independent experts as highly pertinent, adequate, and sufficiently safe to be offered to pregnant women. Parents who read through the intervention manuals also considered that the sessions were relevant, clear, and interesting. About half of the pregnant women from the community showed interest in the program. Participants reported very high levels of satisfaction and a significant decrease in psychological distress during the program. Conclusions: Our findings show a high level of convergence among various indicators of program acceptability

Use of Species Distribution Modeling in the Deep Sea

In the last two decades the use of species distribution modeling (SDM) for the study and management of marine species has increased dramatically. The availability of predictor variables on a global scale and the ease of use of SDM techniques have resulted in a proliferation of research on the topic of species distribution in the deep sea. Translation of research projects into management tools that can be used to make decisions in the face of changing climate and increasing exploitation of deep-sea resources has been less rapid but necessary. The goal of this workshop was to discuss methods and variables for modeling species distributions in deep-sea habitats and produce standards that can be used to judge SDMs that may be useful to meet management and conservation goals. During the workshop, approaches to modeling and environmental data were discussed and guidelines developed including the desire that 1) environmental variables should be chosen for ecological significance a priori; 2) the scale and accuracy of environmental data should be considered in choosing a modeling method; 3) when possible proxy variables such as depth should be avoided if causal variables are available; 4) models with statistically robust and rigorous outputs are preferred, but not always possible; and 5) model validation is important. Although general guidelines for SDMs were developed, in most cases management issues and objectives should be considered when designing a modeling project. In particular, the trade-off between model complexity and researcher’s ability to communicate input data, modeling method, results and uncertainty is an important consideration for the target audience

Impact of parental cannabis

This chapter aims to review the current knowledge about the effects of parental cannabis use on parenting behaviors and offspring development and to discuss the covering of the issue of parental cannabis use by mass media and public health organizations. Existing research has generally concluded that parental cannabis use is a significant risk factor for parenting and child development. However, there is still a paucity of empirical studies on this topic, and existing research presents important limitations, restraining our ability to conclude about the dangers of using cannabis when caring for a child. At this point, very little is known about the circumstances under which the use of cannabis is a risk factor for parenting and about the mechanisms through which parental cannabis use influences offspring development. The lack of hard facts addressing these issues allows for mass media to promote opinion-based publications that praise the parental use of cannabis

Prenatal Attachment, Parental Confidence, and Mental Health in Expecting Parents: The Role of Childhood Trauma

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/154515/1/jmwh13034_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/154515/2/jmwh13034.pd

Pathway from childhood maltreatment to perceived parental competence and intimate partner violence among expecting fathers: The role of PTSD symptoms

Abstract Men who have a history of childhood maltreatment may be at risk of experiencing significant challenges during the transition to parenthood, which might be explained by the presence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Using a nonclinical community sample of 230 expecting fathers, the aims of the current study were as follows (1) to investigate, during the prenatal period, associations between childhood maltreatment and perceived parental competence as well as between childhood maltreatment and intimate partner violence, and (2) to evaluate whether PTSD symptoms contributed to explaining these associations. A structural equation model showed that the severity of childhood maltreatment predicted more severe PTSD symptoms, which in turn predicted higher levels of intimate partner violence as well as a lower perceived parental competence. No direct associations between childhood maltreatment and both perceived parental competence and intimate partner violence were observed. Implications for interventions and future research are discussed

Protection de l’enfance et participation des familles: cadre pour la transformation des cultures organisationnelles et l’adaptation des pratiques professionnelles

Le système de protection de l’enfance dans la plupart des pays occidentaux est l’objet de profondes réformes depuis sa mise en place à la fin des années 1970 (Gilbert, Parton et Skivenes, 2011). Sans surprise, le Québec suit une trajectoire semblable qui culmine en 2021 avec un rapport fouillé de plus de 500 pages, issu des travaux de la Commission spéciale sur les droits des enfants et la protection de la jeunesse (CSDEPJ), qui décrit les multiples ratées de son dispositif. Le premier constat de cette commission porte sur les lacunes structurelles et règlementaires visant la promotion et le respect des droits des enfants et, comme on le verra plus, la participation de ces derniers aux décisions et aux actions qui affectent leur vie. Le soutien et la participation des parents sont aussi soulignés comme étant des axes à renforcer. Plusieurs autres constats découlant de cette analyse inédite du système québécois de protection de l’enfance trouvent un écho direct dans le contenu de ce chapitre . L’objectif de celui-ci est de décrire le cadre de référence d’une approche participative en protection de l’enfance. Cette approche, clairement mise de l’avant dans les recommandations de la CSDEPJ (2021), constitue le principal motif de la collaboration entre les équipes de recherche qui travaillent en partenariat étroit avec des actrices de terrain dans différents contextes nationaux (Espagne, France, Italie, Québec) que les autrices et auteurs de ce chapitre représentent. Nous tenons toutefois à souligner que ce cadre de référence n’est pas un modèle qui impliquerait la présence de normes à suivre ou d’une recette à appliquer par les organisations de services et les intervenantes. La complexité du phénomène de la maltraitance envers les enfants se prête mal à une simplification des dispositifs institutionnels mis en place pour y répondre. Dès lors, avant de faire la présentation de ce cadre de référence, le concept de participation des enfants et des parents est exploré afin de bien saisir les enjeux qui sont présents dans ce champ de l’action publique

Becoming a parent: a model of parents' post-partum experience

Perceiving oneself as parent is a key challenge during the transition to parenthood. The importance of health professionals in determining perceived efficacy in parents upon the birth of their child is few explored. The objective of this study is to analayze the relations between the first time parents' perceived efficacy and their perceptions of nurses' help-giving and critical events during post-partum period. SAMPLE AND METHOD: One hundred sixty couples participated in a correlational study by completing questionaires after the birth of their first child. RESULTS: A model of parents' postpartum experience was established where nurses' collaboration and help-giving practices contribute directly and indirectly to the parents' perception of control and perceptions of events. They contribute indirectly to parent's perceived self-efficacy. IMPLICATIONS: The help given by health professionals, especially nurses, to parents following the birth of a child makes a major positive difference in the parents' experiences