Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-qsmjn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-17T22:05:00.692Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Effects on Social Support Networks: Exploring the Impact of Type and Severity of Abuse Experienced by Children and Adolescents

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 August 2015

Felicity A. Quirk  and
Debra J. Rickwood
Felicity A. Quirk*
Affiliation:
University of Canberra, Berry Street Take Two, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
Debra J. Rickwood*
Affiliation:
University of Canberra, Berry Street Take Two, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
*
address for correspondence: Felicity Quirk and Debra Rickwood, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, University Dr, Bruce, ACT, 2617Australia. Telephone: +61 26201 2701; Fax: +61 26012701. E-mail: contact@felicityquirk.com
address for correspondence: Felicity Quirk and Debra Rickwood, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, University Dr, Bruce, ACT, 2617Australia. Telephone: +61 26201 2701; Fax: +61 26012701. E-mail: contact@felicityquirk.com
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The importance of social networks for young people who have experienced abuse and neglect remains an underdeveloped area of research and practice. The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between abuse experienced by children and adolescents and subsequent outcomes on their social support networks. The study sample consisted of 85 clients (aged 8–15) of a service specifically for children reported to child protection due to child abuse and neglect. Abuse was measured using the Harm Consequences Assessment (HCA), which recorded the level of abuse experienced in five domains: Abandonment/No Appropriate Carer, Developmental and Medical Harm, Emotional and Psychological Harm, Physical Harm and Injury, and Sexual Harm. This also ranked abuse experienced in terms of severity: concerning, serious or extreme. Social network was measured using the Social Network Map. Analyses revealed a very high level of abuse for most young people across multiple domains. Social support was most evident in the “other family” category, and a relatively high level of perceived support was reported. There were few significant associations between levels of abuse and social support networks. However, one significant effect evident was for those young people who had not experienced developmental abuse who reported a significantly better network quality in work/school area of life than those who had experienced concerning or serious developmental abuse. This study contributes to an important body of emerging evidence on social support networks for children who have experienced maltreatment.

Keywords

abuseneglecttypeseveritysocial networks
Type
Conference Proceedings
Information
Children Australia , Volume 40 , Issue 3: INTERPRETING NEUROSCIENCE, CREATING EVIDENCE - A COLLECTION OF AUSTRALIAN BASED TRAUMA INFORMED RESEARCH AND PRACTICE , September 2015 , pp. 180 - 187
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2015 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2013). Child protection Australia: 2011–12. Child welfare series no. 55. Canberra: AIHW.Google Scholar
Bailey, S. (2005). The national service framework: Children come of age. Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 10 (3), 127–130.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ballon, B. C., Courbasson, C. M., & Smith, P. D. (2001). Physical and sexual abuse issues among youths with substance use problems. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 46 (7), 617–621.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bloom, S. L. (1999). Trauma theory abbreviated. From the final action plan: A coordinated community-based response to family violence. Retrieved from Attorney General of Pennsylvania's Family Violence Task Force, Community Works. Retrieved 1 October 2010 from http://www.Sanctuaryweb.com.Google Scholar
Bromfield, L., & Horsfall, B. (2010). Child abuse and neglect statistics. Retrieved from the Australian Institute of Family Studies. Retrieved 4 July 2010 from http://www.aifs.gov.au.Google Scholar
Chaffin, M., Kellenher, K., & Hollenberg, J. (1996). Onset of physical abuse and neglect: Psychiatric, substance abuse, and social risk factors from prospective data. Child Abuse and Neglect, 20 (3), 191–203.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cosgrave, E., Killackey, E., Yung, A., Buckby, J., Godfrey, K., Stanford, C., . . . McGorry, P. (2004). Depression, substance use and suicidality in help-seeking adolescents: A survey of prevalence. Australian Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 14 (2), 162–175.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fonagy, P., Target, M., & Gergely, G. (2002). Affect regulation, mentalization and the development of the self. New York: Other Press.Google Scholar
Frederico, M., Jackson, A., & Black, C. (2006). Give sorrow words – a language for healing. Take two second evaluation report 2004–2005. Australia, Bundoora: School of Social Work and Social Policy, La Trobe University.Google Scholar
Gilligan, R. (1999). Enhancing the resilience of children and young people in public care by mentoring their talents and interests. Child & Family Social Work, 4 (3), 187–196.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gilligan, R. (2000). Adversity, resilience and young people: The protective value of positive school and spare time experiences. Children & Society, 14 (1), 37–47.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Goldberg, S. (2000). Attachment and development: An integrative approach. London: Hodder Education.Google Scholar
Hall-Lande, J. A., Eisenberg, M. E., Christenson, S. L., & Neumark-Sztainer, D. (2007). Social isolation, psychological health, and protective factors in adolescence. Adolescence, 42 (166), 265–287.Google ScholarPubMed
Higgins, D. J. (2004). Differentiating between child maltreatment experiences. Family Matters, 69 (Spring/Summer), 50–55.Google Scholar
Higgins, D., & McCabe, M. (2001). Multiple forms of child abuse and neglect: Adult retrospective reports. Aggression and Violent Behaviour, 6, 547–558.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jackson, Y., & Warren, J. S. (2000). Appraisal, social support, and life events: Predicting outcome behaviour in school-age children. Child Development, 71 (5), 1441– 1457.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
O'Leary, P., & Barber, J. (2008). Gender differences in silencing following childhood sexual assault. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 17 (2), 133–143.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Perry, B. (1999). Effects of traumatic events on children. Interdisciplinary Education Series, 2 (3), 1–21. Retrieved 20 June 2010 from http://www.mentalhealthconnection.org/pdfs/perry-handout-effects-of-trauma.pdf.Google Scholar
Perry, B. D. (2001). The neurodevelopmental impact of violence in childhood. In Schetky, D. & Benedek, E. P. (Eds.), Child and adolescent forensic psychiatry. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press, Inc. Retrieved 5 June 2010 from http://www.childtrauma.org/updates/ct_updates.asp.Google Scholar
Perry, B. D. (2002). Childhood experience and the expression of genetic potential: What childhood neglect tells us about nature and nurture. Brain and Mind, 3 (1), 79– 100.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Perry, B., Runyan, D., & Sturges, C. (1998). Bonding and attachment in maltreated children - how abuse and neglect in childhood impact social and emotional development. Child Trauma Academy Parent and Caregiver Education Series, 1 (5), 1–12. Retrieved from Child Trauma Academy Web site: http://www.childtrauma.org/.Google Scholar
Ravens-Sieberer, U. (2008). The contribution of the BELLA study in filling the gap of knowledge on mental health and well-being in children and adolescents in Germany. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 17 (1), 5–9.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Robinson, N. S., & Garber, J. (1995). Social support and psychopathology across the life span. In Cicchetti, D. & Cohen, D. J. (Eds.), Developmental psychopathology: Vol. 2. Risk, disorder & adaptation (pp. 162–209). New York: John Wiley & Sons.Google Scholar
Steinhausen, H. C., & Metzke, C. W. (2001). Risk, compensatory, vulnerability, and protective factors influencing mental health in adolescence. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 30 (3), 259–280.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tracy, E. M. (1990). Identifying social support resources of at risk families. Social Work, 35 (3), 52–258.Google Scholar
Tracy, E., & Whittaker, J. (1990). The Social Network Map: Assessing social support in clinical practice. Families in Society. The Journal of Contemporary Human Services, 171 (8), 461–470.Google Scholar
Van der Kolk, B. A. (1989). The compulsion to repeat the trauma: Re-enactment, revicitimisation, and masochism. Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 12 (2), 389–411.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Van der Kolk, B. A. (1996). The body keeps the score. In Van der Kolk, B. A., McFarlane, A., & Weisaeth, L. (Eds.), Traumatic stress: The effects of overwhelming experience on mind, body and society (pp. 102–116). New York: The Guilford Press.Google Scholar
Weinberg, N. (2001). Risk factors for adolescent substance abuse. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 34 (4), 343–351.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed