1. “VICARIOUS TRAUMA AND INTER-GENERATIONAL TRAUMA
AMONG CHILDREN OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS”
Paulo Ferrajão (Univers. Europeia, Lisboa), Rui Aragão Oliveira (Sociedade Portuguesa Psicanálise),Maria Bibas (UMAR, Sociedade Portuguesa Psicanálise)
Correlations between PTSD clusters, depression symptoms and Emotional validation
Introduction: According to the Portuguese Association for Victim Support (APAV), 17,384 people have suffered domestic violence. The impact of these crimes encompasses medical, psychological, family and social consequences, namely among children of domestic violence victims. The testimony of both the abuse inflicted on the victim and the physical signs after episodes of violence, but also the trauma suffered that is transferred from survivors of domestic violence to their children via complex psychological mechanisms (inter-generational trauma), may cause severe consequences in the psychosocial development of these children. The indirect effect of domestic violence may also be the result of the absence of emotional availability of the parent (Zeanah et al., 1999).
Objectives: 1) Epidemiological study of the prevalence of PTSD and depressive symptoms; 2) To analyze the effect of parental style in response to children's emotional expression on the development of PSPT and depressive symptoms in children of women victims of domestic violence.
Methods: Sample was composed of The sample consisted of 60 participants with a mean age of approximately 14 years (age range: 10-18): 30 were children of a woman victim of domestic violence, and a control group composed of 30 participants. A cross-sectional study was conducted using both qualitative and quantitative methods.
Mean differences for PTSD symptoms
Literature findings
Impact of domestic violence on children
Psychological disorder
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Depression
Affect dysregulation
Guilt
Anxiety
Self-destructive bahavior
Psychosocial
Social isolation
Low self-esteem and self-efficacy
Mean differences for Depression symptoms
Path Analysis
Method
Measure
Variable
Semi-directive interview
Sociodemographic data
Child PTSD Symptom Scale
PTSD
Depression Rating Scale for Children - 2
Depression
Emotional Validation Experiences Questionnaire
Parents’ Emotional Validation
Conclusions:
Direct exposure and inter-generational trauma of domestic has a negative impact on the cognitive, social, emotional and behavioral development in children of victims of domestic violence
High prevalence of PTSD among children of victims of domestic violence
Development of severe depressive symptomatology
Negative representations of self and negative representations of parental figures have a more negative impact on mental health than direct exposure to violence
Trauma seems to be related to perception of the lack of personal resources and the inability to make use of their social environment
Results
Bibliography:
Figley, C. R. (2002). Treating compassion fatigue. New York: Brunner-Routledge.
Goodman, R., & West-Olatunji, C. (2008) Transgenerational trauma and resilience: Improving mental health counseling for survivors of hurricane Katrina. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 30, doi: /mehc.30.2.q52260n242204r84
Graham-Bermann, A., & Levendosky, S. (2001). Parenting in battered women: The effects of domestic violence on women and their children. Journal of Family Violence, 16,
Sudermann, M., & Jaffe, P. (1999). Les enfants exposés à la violence conjugale et familiale : Guide à l'intention des éducateurs et des intervenants en santé et en services sociaux. Ottawa : Santé Canada, pour l'Unité de la prévention de la violence familiale.
Zeanah, C., Danis, B., Hirshberg, L., Benoit, D., Miller, D., & Heller, S. (1999). Disorganized attachment associated with partner violence: A research note. Infant Mental Health Journal, 20, doi: /(SICI) (199921)20:1<77::AID-IMHJ6>3.0.CO;2-S
Approximately 50% had PTSD
Research supported by Programa Nacional para Saúde Mental /DGS