Should Health Professionals Screen All Women for Domestic Violence?

Background to the debate: The US and Canadian task forces on preventive health recently declared that there is not enough evidence to recommend for or against routine universal screening of women for domestic violence. Yet some experts argue that routine enquiry is justified

Risk indicators to identify intimate partner violence in the emergency department

Background: Intimate partner violence against women is prevalent and is associated with poor health outcomes. Understanding indicators of exposure to intimate partner violence can assist health care professionals to identify and respond to abused women. This study was undertaken to determine the strength of association between selected evidence-based risk indicators and exposure to intimate partner violence. Methods: In this cross-sectional study of 768 English-speaking women aged 18–64 years who presented to 2 emergency departments in Ontario, Canada, participants answered questions about risk indicators and completed the Composite Abuse Scale to determine their exposure to intimate partner violence in the past year. Results: Intimate partner violence was significantly associated with being separated, in a common-law relationship or single (odds ratio [OR]

"It's about the relationships that we build": iPad-supported relational pedagogy (Ngā Hononga) with young children

Although iPads have gained much attention and are being increasingly adopted into educational practices, concerns exist as to the suitability and extent of their use with and by young children. This chapter reports on the findings of a qualitative study exploring iPad use in the sustaining and extending of relationships in an early childhood education and care centre in New Zealand. Guided by the notion of a relational pedagogy, espoused in Te Whāriki, the New Zealand early childhood curriculum, the research involved collaborations with two early childhood teachers and children at the centre to obtain perspectives of teachers, young children and their parents/caregivers regarding iPad adoption and use. The findings highlight the potential of using iPads to support and further develop young children’s relationships with people, places and objects within their immediate contexts, which are underpinned importantly by a clear teacher awareness, adoption of and being informed by a relational pedagogy perspective. This has implications for how teachers can be supported to use the iPad to create meaningful and relevant teaching and learning experiences for and with young children

Children\u27s and caregivers\u27 perspectives about mandatory reporting of child maltreatment: A meta-synthesis of qualitative studies

Objective To systematically synthesise qualitative research that explores children\u27s and caregivers\u27 perceptions of mandatory reporting. Design We conducted a meta-synthesis of qualitative studies. Data sources Searches were conducted in Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Criminal Justice Abstracts, Education Resources Information Center, Sociological Abstracts and Cochrane Libraries. Eligibility criteria English-language, primary, qualitative studies that investigated children\u27s or caregivers\u27 perceptions of reporting child maltreatment were included. All healthcare and social service settings implicated by mandatory reporting laws were included. Data extraction and synthesis Critical appraisal of included studies involved a modified checklist from the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP). Two independent reviewers extracted data, including direct quotations from children and caregivers (first-order constructs) and interpretations by study authors (second-order constructs). Third-order constructs (the findings of this meta-synthesis) involved synthesising second-order constructs that addressed strategies to improve the mandatory reporting processes for children or caregivers-especially when these themes addressed concerns raised by children or caregivers in relation to the reporting process. Results Over 7935 citations were retrieved and 35 articles were included in this meta-synthesis. The studies represent the views of 821 caregivers, 50 adults with histories of child maltreatment and 28 children. Findings suggest that children and caregivers fear being reported, as well as the responses to reports. Children and caregivers identified a need for improvement in communication from healthcare providers about mandatory reporting, offering preliminary insight into child-driven and caregiver-driven strategies to mitigate potential harms associated with reporting processes. Conclusion Research on strategies to mitigate potential harms linked to mandatory reporting is urgently needed, as is research that explores children\u27s experiences with this process

Identification and initial response to children\u27s exposure to intimate partner violence: A qualitative synthesis of the perspectives of children, mothers and professionals

Objectives: To synthesise evidence on the acceptable identification and initial response to children\u27s exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) from the perspectives of providers and recipients of healthcare and social services. Design: We conducted a thematic synthesis of qualitative research, appraised the included studies with the modified Critical Appraisal Skills Programme checklist and undertook a sensitivity analysis of the studies scored above 15. Data sources: We searched eight electronic databases, checked references and citations and contacted authors of the included studies. Eligibility criteria: We included qualitative studies with children, parents and providers of healthcare or social services about their experiences of identification or initial responses to children\u27s exposure to IPV. Papers that have not been peer-reviewed were excluded as well as non-English papers. Results: Searches identified 2039 records; 11 studies met inclusion criteria. Integrated perspectives of 42 children, 212 mothers and 251 professionals showed that sufficient training and support for professionals, good patient-professional relationship and supportive environment for patient/clients need to be in place before enquiry/disclosure of children\u27s exposure to IPV should occur. Providers and recipients of care favour a phased enquiry about IPV initiated by healthcare professionals, which focuses on \u27safety at home\u27 and is integrated into the context of the consultation or visit. Participants agreed that an acceptable initial response prioritises child safety and includes emotional support, education about IPV and signposting to IPV services. Participants had conflicting perspectives on what constitutes acceptable engagement with children and management of safety. Sensitivity analysis produced similar results. Conclusions: Healthcare and social service professionals should receive sufficient training and ongoing individual and system-level support to provide acceptable identification of and initial response to children\u27s exposure to IPV. Ideal identification and responses should use a phased approach to enquiry and the WHO Listen, Inquire about needs and concerns, Validate, Enhance safety and Support principles integrated into a trauma-informed and violence-informed model of care

Mandated reporters\u27 experiences with reporting child maltreatment: A meta-synthesis of qualitative studies

Objective To systematically search for research about the effectiveness of mandatory reporting of child maltreatment and to synthesise qualitative research that explores mandated reporters\u27 (MRS) experiences with reporting. Design As no studies assessing the effectiveness of mandatory reporting were retrieved from our systematic search, we conducted a meta-synthesis of retrieved qualitative research. Searches in Medline (Ovid), Embase, PsycINFO, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Sociological Abstracts, Education Resources Information Center, Criminal Justice Abstracts and Cochrane Library yielded over 6000 citations, which were deduplicated and then screened by two independent reviewers. English-language, primary qualitative studies that investigated MRS\u27 experiences with reporting of child maltreatment were included. Critical appraisal involved a modified checklist from the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme and qualitative meta-synthesis was used to combine results from the primary studies. Setting All healthcare and social-service settings implicated by mandatory reporting laws were included. Included studies crossed nine high-income countries (USA, Australia, Sweden, Taiwan, Canada, Norway, Finland, Israel and Cyprus) and three middle-income countries (South Africa, Brazil and El Salvador). Participants: The studies represent the views of 1088 MRS. Outcomes Factors that influence MRS\u27 decision to report and MRS\u27 views towards and experiences with mandatory reporting of child maltreatment. Results Forty-four articles reporting 42 studies were included. Findings indicate that MRS struggle to identify and respond to less overt forms of child maltreatment. While some articles (14%) described positive experiences MRS had with the reporting process, negative experiences were reported in 73% of articles and included accounts of harm to therapeutic relationships and child death following removal from their family of origin. Conclusions The findings of this meta-synthesis suggest that there are many potentially harmful experiences associated with mandatory reporting and that research on the effectiveness of this process is urgently needed

Development of a brief measure of intimate partner violence experiences: The Composite Abuse Scale (Revised)-Short Form (CAS\u3csub\u3eR\u3c/sub\u3e-SF)

Objectives: Approaches to measuring intimate partner violence (IPV) in populations often privilege physical violence, with poor assessment of other experiences. This has led to underestimating the scope and impact of IPV. The aim of this study was to develop a brief, reliable and valid self-report measure of IPV that adequately captures its complexity. Design: Mixed-methods instrument development and psychometric testing to evolve a brief version of the Composite Abuse Scale (CAS) using secondary data analysis and expert feedback. Setting: Data from 5 Canadian IPV studies; feedback from international IPV experts. Participants: 31 international IPV experts including academic researchers, service providers and policy actors rated CAS items via an online survey. Pooled data from 6278 adult Canadian women were used for scale development. Primary/secondary outcome measures: Scale reliability and validity; robustness of subscales assessing different IPV experiences. Results: A 15-item version of the CAS has been developed (Composite Abuse Scale (Revised)-Short Form, CASR-SF), including 12 items developed from the original CAS and 3 items suggested through expert consultation and the evolving literature. Items cover 3 abuse domains: physical, sexual and psychological, with questions asked to assess lifetime, recent and current exposure, and abuse frequency. Factor loadings for the final 3-factor solution ranged from 0.81 to 0.91 for the 6 psychological abuse items, 0.63 to 0.92 for the 4 physical abuse items, and 0.85 and 0.93 for the 2 sexual abuse items. Moderate correlations were observed between the CASR-SF and measures of depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and coercive control. Internal consistency of the CASR-SF was 0.942. These reliability and validity estimates were comparable to those obtained for the original 30-item CAS. Conclusions: The CASR-SF is brief self-report measure of IPV experiences among women that has demonstrated initial reliability and validity and is suitable for use in population studies or other studies. Additional validation of the 15-item scale with diverse samples is required

Mandated reporters' experiences with reporting child maltreatment: a meta-synthesis of qualitative studies.

OBJECTIVE: To systematically search for research about the effectiveness of mandatory reporting of child maltreatment and to synthesise qualitative research that explores mandated reporters' (MRs) experiences with reporting. DESIGN: As no studies assessing the effectiveness of mandatory reporting were retrieved from our systematic search, we conducted a meta-synthesis of retrieved qualitative research. Searches in Medline (Ovid), Embase, PsycINFO, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Sociological Abstracts, Education Resources Information Center, Criminal Justice Abstracts and Cochrane Library yielded over 6000 citations, which were deduplicated and then screened by two independent reviewers. English-language, primary qualitative studies that investigated MRs' experiences with reporting of child maltreatment were included. Critical appraisal involved a modified checklist from the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme and qualitative meta-synthesis was used to combine results from the primary studies. SETTING: All healthcare and social-service settings implicated by mandatory reporting laws were included. Included studies crossed nine high-income countries (USA, Australia, Sweden, Taiwan, Canada, Norway, Finland, Israel and Cyprus) and three middle-income countries (South Africa, Brazil and El Salvador). PARTICIPANTS: The studies represent the views of 1088 MRs. OUTCOMES: Factors that influence MRs' decision to report and MRs' views towards and experiences with mandatory reporting of child maltreatment. RESULTS: Forty-four articles reporting 42 studies were included. Findings indicate that MRs struggle to identify and respond to less overt forms of child maltreatment. While some articles (14%) described positive experiences MRs had with the reporting process, negative experiences were reported in 73% of articles and included accounts of harm to therapeutic relationships and child death following removal from their family of origin. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this meta-synthesis suggest that there are many potentially harmful experiences associated with mandatory reporting and that research on the effectiveness of this process is urgently needed

iPads and opportunities for teaching and learning for young children

This research involved a collaboration with two early childhood education (ECE) teachers at an education and care centre in Hamilton, New Zealand, to gain insight into the perspectives of the teachers, a number of the young children in their care, and the parents/ caregivers of four children concerning iPad adoption and use. Interviews with the two teachers, young children and their parents, observations of teacher interactions with children using iPads, and copies of children’s work produced as part of the teaching and learning process using iPads provided evidence on the use of iPads. iPad use on its own was never the main focus rather it was integrated with and part of teachers’ daily practice and context

Priorities for research in child maltreatment, intimate partner violence and resilience to violence exposures: results of an international Delphi consensus development process

Background Intimate partner violence (IPV) and child maltreatment (CM) are major global public health problems. The Preventing Violence Across the Lifespan (PreVAiL) Research Network, an international group of over 60 researchers and national and international knowledge-user partners in CM and IPV, sought to identify evidence-based research priorities in IPV and CM, with a focus on resilience, using a modified Delphi consensus development process. Methods Review of existing empirical evidence, PreVAiL documents and team discussion identified a starting list of 20 priorities in the following categories: resilience to violence exposure (RES), CM, and IPV, as well as priorities that cross-cut the content areas (CC), and others specific to research methodologies (RM) in violence research. PreVAiL members (N = 47) completed two online survey rounds, and one round of discussions via three teleconference calls to rate, rank and refine research priorities. Results Research priorities were: to examine key elements of promising or successful programmes in RES/CM/IPV to build intervention pilot work; CC: to integrate violence questions into national and international surveys, and RM: to investigate methods for collecting and collating datasets to link data and to conduct pooled, meta and sub-group analyses to identify promising interventions for particular groups. Conclusions These evidence-based research priorities, developed by an international team of violence, gender and mental health researchers and knowledge-user partners, are of relevance for prevention and resilience-oriented research in the areas of IPV and CM