Children and youth victimization: Detection and reporting from school staff members

[eng] Violence affects many children and youth, causing devastating effects. Schools are in an ideal position to prevent, detect and report potential victimization cases. Yet, studies have found several limitations to perform these tasks, like misconceptions or lack of knowledge and resources. Besides, the empirical evidence of the effect of each of these variables in the detection and reporting experience is limited. This thesis composed by three original empirical studies addresses the experience of school staff members with children and youth victimization, its detection and the reporting of potential cases, as well as their level of knowledge. The studies have been published as detailed in the “Studies” section. The sample for studies 1 and 2 was composed by 184 staff members between 22 and 64 years old (84.04% females, M = 43.40, SD = 10.37). Sample for study 3 included 453 school staff members (83.53% females) between 22 and 65 years old (M = 42.23, SD = 9.46). Participants answered a self-administered questionnaire created ad·hoc , including questions about experience with victimization (e.g., “Have you received any training regarding child victimization?”), its detection (e.g., “How many times during your career did you suspect that a minor might be being victimized?”) and its reporting (e.g., “Have you ever you report a child abuse suspicion to an external agency outside school (e.g., social services)?”). The level of knowledge was tested through statements about victimization (e.g., “Child victimization affects less than 10% of minors in Spain”) , its detection (e.g., “A minor growing up in a one-parent family is more likely to experience victimization”) and its reporting (e.g., “If a suspicions turns out not to be true, the family is entitled to sue the informant”) that participants had to classify as true, false or unknown. Descriptive statistics (i.e., frequencies, percentages, proportions, means and standard deviations), bivariate (i.e., Chi-square and Kruskal-Wallis test with their corresponding effect sizes) multivariate (i.e., logistic regression) and qualitative analysis were used to respond to each study’s aims. A small proportion of school staff has ever been trained regarding childhood and youth victimization. Over 70% has suspected that a student might be being victimized at least once. However, only around 40% of those who ever detected a potential case reported outside school. The majority of those who reported perceived the intervention that followed the report as beneficial for the child’s well-being. The decision not to report was mostly based on what happened once participants shared their concerns within the school. Other reasons not to report were thinking that their suspicions needed to be serious or certain, unclear definitions, feeling they were not entitled, lack of knowledge and fears. With each year of experience, the likelihood to detect a potential case increased by one time. The likelihood of reporting was significantly higher among school staff with accurate and concrete knowledge in reporting procedures (e.g., anonymity, need for the principal’s consent). Reporter’s gender (i.e., males were more likely to report than females) or the role they performed in school (i.e., workers who only came into contact with children specifically or sporadically reported significantly less than those who spent at least for hours a day in charge of groups of students) were also relevant. Results found complement previous research by quantifying the proportion of suspicions of potential victimization cases that go underreported from school. Findings contribute to dispel misconceptions about the efficiency of social services interventions and suggest ways in which early report can be increased. Empirical evidence of the effect of specific aspects of knowledge in reporting is provided and internal school dynamics that might prevent some concerns to reach external agencies are described.[spa] Las escuelas están en posición ideal para prevenir, detectar y notificar potenciales casos de violencia, pero los estudios reportan limitaciones como la persistencia de falsas creencias o falta de conocimiento y recursos. La presente tesis, compuesta por tres investigaciones originales, estudia la experiencia y el conocimiento de trabajadores escolares respecto de la victimización infantil y adolescente, su detección y notificación. La muestra de los estudios 1 y 2 fue de 184 trabajadores escolares de entre 22 y 64 años (84,04% mujeres, M = 43,40, DT = 10,37). En el estudio 3 se incluyeron 453 sujetos (83,53% mujeres) de entre 22 y 65 años (M = 42,23, DT = 9,46). Los participantes respondieron a un cuestionario autoadministrado creado ad·hoc, que incluía preguntas sobre victimización, detección y notificación. Se evaluó el nivel de conocimiento con frases que debían clasificarse como ciertas, falsas o desconocidas. Se obtuvieron estadísticos descriptivos, se hicieron análisis bivariados, multivariante y cualitativos para responder a los objetivos de cada estudio. Una minoría se ha formado en victimización. Más del 70% ha sospechado que alguno de sus estudiantes podría estar siendo victimizado/a. De ellos, sólo el 40% notificó alguna vez por fuera de la escuela. La mayoría de quienes habían notificado consideraron que la posterior intervención fue beneficiosa para el menor. La decisión de no notificar se tomó mayormente luego de compartir la sospecha con otros miembros del equipo. Con cada año de experiencia, la probabilidad de detectar al menos un potencial caso de victimización se incrementa una vez. La probabilidad de notificar es significativa más alta entre los participantes que tienen conocimiento concreto del procedimiento. El género o el cargo también resultaron relevantes. Esta tesis complementa trabajos anteriores cuantificando la proporción potenciales casos de victimización que no se notifican a autoridades exteriores desde la escuela. Los resultados contribuyen a desmitificar opiniones adversas sobre la eficiencia de los servicios sociales y sugieren maneras de aumentar la notificación temprana

DEVELOPMENT OF SMART APPLICATIONS FOR COASTAL EROSION AND LANDSLIDE RISK REDUCTION

Purpose: Cloud computing has opened new opportunities in disastrous natural early warning. The scientific community has recognized the significance of the geo-analytic approach in complex decision-making processes for critical situations due to natural events such as coastal erosion and landslides. The paper describes the progress in the development of ITC dissemination systems for the population to promote the preparedness toward the coastal risk. Methodology: To achieve these goals an information system based on an Open Source Cloud Computing platform following a PaaS (Platform as a Service) and SaaS (Software as a Service) approaches has been used. Main Findings: The southern coast of Sicily (Italy) and the islands of the archipelagos of Malta are highly exposed to risks coming from the sea. Such coasts are subjected to fast erosion due to natural and anthropic causes which involve the failure of cliffs, the triggering of localized erosions, and the possibility of flooding. Implications/Applications: The research effort aims to build an interconnected framework through the implementation of smart technology, which involves surveillance, early warning, and reduction of coastal threats, with a specific goal to educate citizens regarding flood hazards, coastal waters, and degradation, cliff collapses and safety steps. Novelty/Originality of this study: The study expresses a different perspective on cloud computing to prevent the effects of disastrous natural events and to provide indications of areas susceptible to risk

How can school help victims of violence? Evaluation of online training for European schools' staff from a multidisciplinary approach

The interventions used to prevent or treat violence against children, particularly sexual abuse, tend to only consider the target audience as their main source of data. We tested the effect of an online training for school staff members in Europe through three studies. In Study I, we interviewed 5 adult women (Mage = 49.2, SD = 5.81) who were victims of sexual abuse during childhood to assess what school could have done during that time to protect them. Through Study II, we collected data on 66 school staff members to assess feasibility (based on quantitative indicators) and to explore the changes they would make to their everyday practice due to the training course (using qualitative analysis). In Study III, we used network analysis to assess to what extent the actions described by school staff in Study II met the needs expressed by the victims in Study I. Findings of Study I revealed new proposals from the victims’ perspective, such as working with the perpetrators. Study II showed the feasibility of training and identified five types of action that school staff members will include in their everyday working dynamics due to the training: detection (e.g., Greater attention to relationships with peers), reporting (e.g., Now I know that suspecting a case of child abuse is enough to report), everyday practices (e.g., Introducing a calming space), changes at school level (e.g., Propose the training course to the school management team) or practices that could belong to more than one category (e.g., Greater awareness of the activities undertaken by the school). Study III provided evidence that some of these changes (e.g., reporting without looking for proof) were in line with some of the victims’ expectations (e.g., listen to the children). We also identified gaps that need to be further developed

Estructura factorial del Inventario de Crecimiento Post-traumático en una muestra española de víctimas adultas de violencia interpersonal durante la infancia

Research interest in trauma as a possible cause of growth has increased in recent decades. The Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) is widely used to measure growth after traumatic events. The present study aimed at validating the Spanish version of the PTGI in a sample of 243 young adults (age range from 18 to 35 years old, M = 21 years, SD = 2.5) who experienced interpersonal victimization during their childhood and/or adolescence. Preliminary analyses showed acceptable reliability for the PTGI subscales (Cronbach's α ranging from .61 to .89). Exploratory factor analysis revealed a four-factor structure that included «new perception of life», «relating to others», «personal strength», and «spiritual change». All types of victimization correlated significantly with PTGI scores. These findings provide support for the factorial validity of the PTGI and the use of the PTGI in future research examining posttraumatic growth among Spanish victims of interpersonal violence in childhood

La escuela frente a la victimización infantil. Un panorama de las notificaciones de casos de riesgo a instituciones externas

En este texto se presentan y comentan datos de las notificaciones de sospechas de maltrato infantil desde la escuela. Finalmente, se exponen algunas estrategias para incentivar la actuación del personal escolar en términos de protección de la infancia y adolescenci

Early childhood predictors of teen dating violence involvement at age 17

The distal relationship between risk factors in childhood and subsequent dating violence in late adolescence has not often been explored using longitudinal data. This study aims to shed light on the problem of dating violence by examining children’s backgrounds at age 7 and the link to the future involvement in dating violence at age 17 using the first and seventh waves of the Zurich Project on the Social Development from Childhood to Adulthood (z-proso, n = 644). The sample consists of 644 multiethnic adolescents (57.14% female, M= 17.47, SD = 0.37), mainly Swiss-born (90%), though more than half of their parents (60%) were born in another country. A latent class analysis was applied to identify three different profiles (a) zero (or minimal) involvement in teen dating violence, (b) perpetrators/victims of controlling behaviors, and (c) perpetrators/victims of controlling behaviors and of physical violence. Participants who were corporally punished and/or victims of bullying at age 7 were significantly more likely to belong to the controlling and physical violence profile than children in the non-violent class. These results suggest a certain chronicity of the effects of violent experiences in early childhood on the patterns of romantic relationships at 17 years old

Cancer and Pregnancy: becoming parents after an oncological diagnosis in women

The issue of cancer and pregnancy will be increasingly topical giving the rising trend of women diagnosed with cancer during childbearing period. Although oncological progress has allowed women who receive cancer diagnosis before or during pregnancy to satisfy their desire for maternity and to carry on gestation, there is still few awareness. In this chapter we present our research project and results carry out to date. The aim is to better understand challenges of women who experience pregnancy after or during cancer compared with non-oncological sample. We focus on the impact of cancer in the construction of prenatal attachment and related psychological aspects. We study resilience considered as a protective factor in the construction of mother-fetus relationship. Then, we present the results of a qualitative study conducted in order to have a deeper understanding of the psychological dynamics that help women with cancer diagnosis to develop their maternal identity. We explore the topic of breastfeeding in women with cancer history, investigating how the feeding method is related to mother’s mood states. Finally, we present the results about the cortisol concentration measurement during pregnancy. Our results show how it is very important to give women with oncological diagnosis the adequate support during puerperium

Qüestionari sobre coneixement i experiència en victimització infantil i adolescent, la seva detecció i notificació per a personal escolar

Grup de Recerca en Victimització Infantil i Adolescent (GReVIA)Podeu consultar la versió en castellà a: http://hdl.handle.net/2445/117927En aquest document es presenta l’instrument que s’ha fet servir en el marc de la recerca “La detecció i notificació de la victimització infantil i adolescent a les escoles de Barcelona” duta a terme pel Grup de Recerca en Victimització Infantil i Adolescent (GReVIA) de la Universitat de Barcelona al llarg de l’any 2016

Cuestionario sobre conocimiento y experiencia en victimización infantil y adolescente, su detección y notificación para personal escolar

Grup de Recerca en Victimització Infantil i Adolescent (GReVIA)En este documento se presenta el instrumento utilizado en el marco de la investigación “La detección y notificación de la victimización infantil y adolescente en las escuelas de Barcelona” llevada a cabo por el Grup de Recerca en Victimització Infantil i Adolescent (GReVIA) de la Universidad de Barcelona a lo largo del año 2016.Podeu consultar la versió en català a: http://hdl.handle.net/2445/11792