Psychopathology and resilience in relation to abuse in childhood among youth first referred to the psychiatrist

Uvod/Cilj. Zlostavljanje u detinjstvu može biti uzrok različitih psiholoških problema kod odraslih osoba. Malo se, međutim, zna o specifičnim kliničkim i porodičnim profilima, kao i karakteristikama rezilijentnosti adolescenata koji su doživeli zlostavljanje u detinjstvu. Cilj našeg rada bio je ispitivanje simptoma, porodičnog funkcionisanja i rezilijentnosti adolescenata sa iskustvom zlostavljanja u detinjstvu upućenih na psihijatrijski pregled. Metode. Uzorak se sastojao od 84 konsekutivno regrutovana mlada ispitanika (prosečne starosti 14,90 ± 3,10, u rasponu od 11 do 18 godina) upućena na prvi pregled u Kliniku za decu i omladinu Instituta za mentalno zdravlje u Beogradu, koji su na osnovu Matrice rizika za zlostavljanje i zanemarivanje dece bili podeljeni u dve grupe. Prvu grupu činili su adolescenti sa iskustvom zlostavljanja u detinjstvu (n = 38, 13 dečaka, 25 devojčica), a drugu, kontrolnu grupu, adolescenti bez iskustva zlostavljanja u detinjstvu (n = 47, 20 dečaka, 27 devojčica). U istraživanju su korišćeni sledeći upitnici: Upitnik za samoprocenu adolescenata (Youth Self-Report - YSR), Skala adolescentnih rezilijentnih stavova (Adolescent Resilience Attitudes Scale - ARAS) i Upitnik za porodicu, (Self-Report Family Inventory - SFI). Rezultati. Značajne razlike pronađene su kod adolescentkinja. Na upitniku YSR, zlostavljane adolescentkinje imale su značajno više skorove delinkventnog ponašanja i marginalno veće skorove anksioznosti/depresivnosti i socijalnih problema. Analize upitnika SFI pokazale su značajno lošije funkcionisanje kod zlostavljanih adolescentkinja u svim podskalama osim na podskali direktivnog vođstva. Na upitniku ARAS, zlostavljane adolescentkinje imale su značajno niže skorove na podskali uvida i marginalno niže skorove na podskali za inicijativu. Zaključak. Navedeni rezultati mogli bi imati praktičnu primenu pri planiranju specifičnih preventivnih strategija i tretmana koji se posebno fokusiraju na delinkventne tendencije kao i na jačanje rezilijentnosti obezbeđivanjem pozitivnog okruženja u okviru porodice, škole i zajednice.Background/Aim. Child abuse may be related to adverse psychological outcomes in adult life. However, little is known about specific clinical, family and resilience profiles of adolescents that have experienced child abuse. The aim of this study was to investigate clinical symptoms, family functioning and resilience characteristics of adolescents with the experience of abuse, first referred to psychiatrists. Methods. The study included 84 young participants (mean age 14.90 ± 3.10, ranging from 11 to 18 years) as consecutive first referrals to the Clinic for Children and Youth of the Institute of Mental Health, Belgrade, Serbia. The sample consisted of two groups, based on the Child Abuse Matrices of Risks. The first group included adolescents with the experience of abuse in childhood (n = 38, 13 males, 25 females), whereas the second, control group, comprised of non-abused adolescents (n = 47, 20 males, 27 females). The presence of abuse was evaluated by the Child Abuse Matrices of Risks. The study used the following questionnaires: Youth Self-Report (YSR), Adolescent Resilience Attitudes Scale (ARAS), and Self-Report Family Inventory (SFI). Results. Significant differences were found only among females. According to YSR, the abused girls had significantly higher scores on the Delinquent Behavior scale and marginally higher scores on Anxious/ Depressed and Social Problems scales. Analyses of the SFI showed significantly lower family functioning among the girls with the child abuse history for all scales except for the Directive Leadership. The abused girls also showed significantly lower scores on the Insight scale, and marginally lower Initiative scores at the ARAS. Conclusions. These findings may have practical application in the creation of specific preventive and treatment strategies, particularly focused on delinquent tendencies, as well as on enhancing resilience through providing positive environments within families, schools and communities

Abuse and neglect consequences in family of adolescents

Zlostavljanje i zanemarivanje dece i adolescenata predstavlja sve prisutniji fenomen u našoj populaciji. Do sada objavljeni radovi su se uglavnom bavili teorijskim proučavanjem ovog koncepta. U ovom radu proučavane su posledice zlostavljanja i zanemarivanja na grupi adolescenta (31) koji su tokom 2000-2002 godine dijagnostikovani i tretirani u okviru Odseka sa zaštitu dece od zlostavljanja i zanemarivanja pri Institutu za mentalno zdravlje. Primenjena je baterija psiholoških testova kojim je procenjivano mentalno funkcionisanje, karakteristike ličnosti kao i rezilijentnost adolescenata. Uočeno je da zlostavljani adolescenti pokazuju više anksioznosti i depresivnosti, somatske teškoće, socijalne probleme, probleme pažnje; oni imaju niže samopoštovanje, nižu rezilijentnost, a u njihovim porodicama postoji niža porodična kohezivnost i prisutan je veći broj konflikta. Rezultati ukazuju na neophodnost angažovanja stručnjaka u cilju kako pružanja stručne pomoći tako i omogućavanja zaštite od daljeg zlostavljanja i zanemarivanja.Abuse and neglect of children and adolescent are more and more present phenomenon in our population. Up to know published articles were mostly concern with theoretical analysis of these concepts. In this article we analyze the consequences of abuse and neglect in group of adolescent (31) who were during 2000-2002 diagnosed and treated within Department for child abuse and neglect protection at Institute for mental health. We apply the battery of psychological tests with whom we analyze mental functioning, the characterizes of personality functioning and resilience of adolescents. We noticed that abused adolescents have more anxiety and depression symptoms somatic complaints, social problems, and attention problems: they have lower self-esteem, lower resilience ant in their families there is lower family cohesion and more conflicts among family members. Results point on need for special attention of professionals in systematic professional help as well as in protection of further abuse and neglect