The heterogeneity of family violence and its implications for practice

Reviews on the causes of aggression in the family have emphasised the extensive overlap between all forms of partner violence and child maltreatment. However, research into family violence has often investigated child and partner maltreatment as separate entities, frequently\ud examining the violent man in order to understand the correlates and potential causes of his violent behaviour within the family. This review highlights the importance of examining intimate partner violence within the context of the family. First the violent man is considered in\ud isolation, exploring the heterogeneity of men who abuse and murder their female partner and the implications this has for future practice and research. Second, taking into account the overlap of partner and child maltreatment and the reciprocal nature of intimate partner violence, the utility of examining family violence from a more family focused perspective is considered. It is concluded that an integrated perspective will increase interagency collaboration and integrative treatment for the family

The heterogeneity of spouse abuse: A review

Recent research suggests that spouse abusers are not a homogenous group. Holtzworth-Munroe and Stuart (1994) propose three types of domestic violent men; Family Only, Generally Violent/Antisocial and Dysphoric/ Borderline Personality. This theoretical classification is compared to nine empirical research studies and two hypothetical studies, which can be found in the literature dated from 1994 onwards. The review provides support for the three-fold typology. The total averages of offenders classified by Holtzworth-Munroe and Stuarts (1994) typology across the studies were 50%, 30% and 20% respectively. However, when sample type was considered a significant difference between court referrals and volunteers was found for the men’s distribution across the three types, with court referred men being less likely to be categorised into the Family Only group. All research to date is criticised for its narrow focus on the offender and its lack of a scientific profiling approach. Other factors such as the context, triggers for violence and the behavioural actions of the victim need to be considered. A more holistic family focused typology is suggested to be more appropriate for those victims who do not want to separate from their violent spous

Farm-gate nitrogen balances on intensive dairy farms in the south west of Ireland

peer-reviewedNitrogen management and farm-gate N balances were evaluated on 21 intensive dairy farms in the south west of Ireland for each of four years (2003 to 2006). The mean annual stocking density was equivalent to 202 kg/ha (s.d. 29.6) of N excreted by livestock on the farm. The mean annual farm-gate N surplus (imports – exports) declined between 2003 and 2006 (277 to 232 kg/ha, s.e. 6.8; P < 0.001) due to a decline in annual N imports (fertilizer, feed and imported manures; 335 to 288 kg/ha, s.e. 6.9; P < 0.001). Overall annual fertilizer N use on the farms decreased during the study period (266 to 223 kg/ha, s.e. 6.5; P < 0.001) mainly due to lower inputs for the first application in spring and for the production of first-cut silage. These decreases were partly offset by applying more slurry in spring for early grazing and for first-cut silage. The introduction of white clover resulted in lower N imports on four farms. Export of N from farms was unaffected by reductions in N imports. The mean efficiency of N use tended to increase over time (0.18 in 2003 to 0.20 in 2006). The large variation in quantities of fertilizer N applied on farms with similar stocking densities suggests potential for further improvements in the efficiency of N use. In terms of fertilizer N use, complying with S.I. No. 378 of 2006 did not require major changes in the N management practiceson 19 of the farms.This project was part-funded by the European Research and Development Fund under INTERREG IIIB: Green Dairy Project N° 100 and partly by the Dairy Levy. Financial support for post-graduate students involved in this study was provided by the Teagasc Walsh Fellowship Scheme

Attachment style, psychotic phenomena and the relationship with aggression: investigation in a general population sample

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the relationship between attachment style, sub-clinical symptoms of psychosis and aggression in a general population sample. Design: Using both convenience and snowball sampling, participants in the community (n=213) completed an online questionnaire including previously validated measures of adult attachment, aggression and psychotic like events. Findings: Results suggested that there were statistically significant correlations between all study variables. Multiple linear regression demonstrated that total psychotic-like experiences and attachment scores significantly predicted variance in total aggression. Moderation approaches revealed that the relationship between psychotic-like events and aggression was stronger in individuals with more insecure attachment styles. Research limitations/implications: This generalisability of the results is compromised by the sampling methodology and the use of self-report tools. However, the significant results would support larger scale replications investigating similar variables. Originality/value: This study suggests there is a relationship between psychotic like experiences and facets of aggression in the general population. The findings suggest that attachment is a contributing factor to aggression associated with psychotic like experiences, and highlight the need for similar investigations within clinical samples. The results imply that attachment may be a useful construct for explanatory models of the relationship between adverse childhood experiences, psychotic experiences and aggression

The prevalence of childhood victimization experienced outside of the family: findings from an English prevalence study

There has been little research carried out in the United Kingdom (UK) aimed at providing a holistic exploration of the victim experiences of young people within the school and community environments (extrafamilial victimization). This study therefore examined the prevalence of 24 different types of extrafamilial victimization experienced by a sample of 730 young people, aged 13–16 years (mean 13.8 years), from one county in the UK. The findings show that the vast majority of young people experienced some form of extrafamilial victimization over their lifetime (84.1%) and past year (67.2%). Looking at individual categories of victimization experienced over the lifetime, 7 out of 10 young people witnessed or experienced indirect victimization, 1 in 3 experienced property victimization, more than 1 in 4 physical victimization, almost 1 in 2 experienced bullying, 1 in 28 dating violence and 1 in 7 experienced sexual victimization. The findings also suggest that victimization is not an isolated event; participants experienced an average 2.8 different types of victimization across their lifetime. These research findings are compared to those from national victimization surveys in the USA and UK to compile a picture of the victimization prevalence rates across studies. The findings highlight the importance of adopting a holistic approach to the exploration of extrafamilial victimization in future research, assessment of victim experiences, and prevention of extrafamilial victimization

The relationship between childhood adversity and violence to others among individuals with psychosis: a review and meta-analysis

Background: There is a growing body of literature identifying a relationship between experiences of child abuse and symptoms of psychosis in adults. However, the impact of this relationship on risk of violence has not been systematically explored. Aims: This meta-analysis aimed to consider the influence of childhood abuse on the risk of violence amongst individuals with psychosis. Method: Five bibliographic databases and two grey literature resources were systematically searched to identify quantitative research which measured risk of violence and experiences of childhood maltreatment in individuals with psychosis. Risk of bias for each study was assessed under pre-defined criteria. Logged odds ratios were synthesised quantitatively in a meta-analysis. Results: A total of 6298 studies were identified, 11 of which were included in the final analysis (N = 2215), all studies were of a cross-sectional or case-control design. Individuals with psychotic illnesses who reported historical child maltreatment were at approximately twice the risk of perpetrating violence than patients who reported no early abuse (OR = 2.46 (95% CI = 1.91 – 3.16). There was no statistical heterogeneity between main effects (τ = 0.00; Χ² = 8.87, df = 10, p = 0.54, I² = 0%). Discussion: Risk assessments and interventions may benefit from considering the unique contribution of trauma to violence in this population. Future research considering the interaction between childhood experiences and other risk factors for violence in this population, including specific symptoms of psychosis, would inform the current findings. Findings are limited by the lack of longitudinal research in this area, and there was some evidence of publication bias

Effect of nutrient deprivation on the susceptibility of Galleria mellonella larvae to infection

Larvae of Galleria mellonella are widely used to study the virulence of microbial pathogens and for assessing the potency of antimicrobial agents. This work examined the effect of nutritional deprivation on the ability of larvae to withstand infection in order to establish standardized conditions for the treatment of larvae for in vivo testing. Larvae deprived of food for seven days demonstrated an increased susceptibility to infection by the yeast Candida albicans. These larvae displayed a lower density of hemocytes compared with controls but hemocytes from starved and control larvae demonstrated the same ability to kill yeast cells. Hemolymph from starved larvae demonstrated reduced expression of a range of antimicrobial peptides (e.g., lipocalin) and immune proteins (e.g., apolipophorin and arylphorin). Deprivation of G. mellonella larvae of food leads to a reduction in the cellular and immune responses and an increased susceptibility to infection. Researchers utilizing these larvae should ensure adequate food is provided to larvae in order to allow valid comparisons to be made between results from different laboratories