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Aim: Childhood maltreatment (CM) may affect not only directly exposed individuals but also their offspring. However, the underlying biological mechanisms remain unclear. microRNAs (miRNAs) may play a regulatory role in this process. This study investigates the relationship between maternal exposure to CM and miRNA expression in maternal and perinatal tissues.Methods: We enrolled 43 pregnant women and assessed their CM exposure. We collected maternal blood, cord blood and placental tissue samples during childbirth and performed miRNA profiling using next generation sequencing.Results: Maternal CM was inversely associated with hsa-miR-582-3p levels in cord blood. Pathway analysis revealed that this miRNA regulates genes involved in intrauterine development.Conclusion: Our findings highlight the potential impact of maternal CM exposure on offspring epigenetic mechanisms.

Child maltreatment (CM) includes physical, sexual and emotional abuse, as well as physical and emotional neglect. CM not only harms those directly exposed but can also negatively impact their offspring. However, the biological reasons behind this are not well understood. To explore this further, our study investigates how CM affects the biology of pregnant women and their newborns through changes in small regulatory molecules called microRNAs (miRNAs). We recruited 43 pregnant women and assessed their exposure to CM. During childbirth, we collected blood samples from the mothers, blood from the umbilical cord and placental samples. We then analyzed the levels of miRNAs in these samples using advanced sequencing technology. We observed that more severe maternal exposure to CM was associated with lower levels of a miRNA named hsa-miR-582-3p in umbilical cord blood. This miRNA regulates genes involved in fetal development in utero and has been linked to spontaneous preterm birth. It may also influence immunologic and stress-related processes. Thus, newborns of mothers who had been exposed to CM may be more vulnerable to adverse effects on their brain development and overall health. Despite our small sample size, our study highlights the importance of addressing CM as an intergenerational concern and provides new insights into the biological mechanisms through which maternal CM can affect offspring.

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OBJECTIVE: To study the impacts of maternal depressive symptoms trajectories and harsh parenting and explore if the maternal quality of life mediates this association. METHODS: We used data from the 2004 Pelotas Birth Cohort, a population-based longitudinal study from Pelotas, Brazil (N = 3285 mothers, complete cases analysis). We used the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale to assess maternal depressive symptoms and the trajectories from three months until the 11-year follow-up were calculated using a group-based modelling approach. Psychological and physical aggression were measured using the Parent-Child Conflict Tactics Scale. Maternal quality of life was measured by the question "How is your quality of life?". Data were analyzed using path models in Mplus. RESULTS: Our findings showed that all maternal depressive symptoms trajectories increased the frequency of psychological and physical aggression at early adolescence when compared to the reference group. Mediation analysis indicated that maternal depressive symptoms led to low levels of perceived maternal quality of life, which in turn was associated with the increased use of harsh parenting. The proportion of total effect explained by maternal quality of life ranged from 4.04% (0.00%-5.58%) to 16.31% (10.88%-19.10%). CONCLUSION: Our findings support the evidence showing that maternal depressive symptoms are associated with harsh parenting within a longitudinal framework from a middle-income country. Our results also suggest that one mechanism underlying this association is a women's lower perceived quality of life.

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BACKGROUND: Limited research has explored the course of harsh parenting practices throughout childhood and adolescence and its impact on socioemotional competences from a longitudinal perspective. This study examined the association between harsh parenting trajectories and socioemotional competences at age 18. METHODS: Data from the 2004 Pelotas (Brazil) Birth Cohort study, originally comprising 4231 live births, were used. Harsh parenting was measured using the parent-report version of the Parent-Child Conflict Tactics Scale at ages 6, 11, 15 and 17 years, and trajectories were identified using a group-based modelling approach. Socioemotional competences were emotion regulation, assessed by the Emotional Regulation Index for Children and Adolescents; self-esteem, measured by the self-report Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale; prosocial behaviour and peer relationship problems, both assessed by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Multivariate linear and Poisson regression models were applied to examine the effects of harsh parenting trajectories on socioemotional competences, adjusting for confounding variables. RESULTS: We identified three trajectories: a "low harsh parenting" trajectory (49.7 %), a "moderate harsh parenting" (44.7 %), and a "high harsh parenting" trajectory (5.6 %). Compared to those belonging to the low harsh parenting trajectory group, adolescents who experienced either a moderate or high harsh parenting trajectory exhibited lower scores in emotion regulation, self-esteem, and prosocial behaviour scales, along with higher scores of peer relationships problems. LIMITATIONS: Data on harsh parenting at 15 and 17 years were available only for a sub-sample. CONCLUSIONS: Our study extends the evidence of the adverse effects of persistent harsh parenting on socioemotional competences during adolescence.

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The present study examined three empirically-derived childhood adversity dimensions as predictors of social, psychological, and symptom outcomes across three prospective assessments of a young adult sample. Participants were assessed five times over eight years with semi-structured interviews and questionnaires. The analyses used the dimensions underlying multiple subscales from well-established childhood adversity measures administered at the first two assessment waves (described in a previous report). Outcome data pertain to the last three assessment waves, with sample sizes ranging from 89 to 169. As hypothesized, the childhood adversity dimensions demonstrated overlapping and differential longitudinal associations with the outcomes. Deprivation predicted the negative (deficit-like) dimension of psychosis, while Threat and Intrafamilial Adversity predicted the positive (psychotic-like) dimension. Depression and anxiety symptoms were predicted by different childhood adversity dimensions over time. Furthermore, Threat predicted a smaller and less diverse social network, Intrafamilial Adversity predicted anxious attachment, and Deprivation predicted a smaller social network, anxious and avoidant attachment, perceived social support, and loneliness. The three adversity dimensions combined accounted for moderate to large proportions of variance in several outcomes. These results extend prior work by identifying associations of three meaningful dimensions of childhood adversity with different risk profiles across psychological, social, and psychopathological domains. The findings enhance our understanding of the impact of childhood adversity across young adulthood.

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Early-life adversities, whether prenatal or postnatal exposure, have been linked to adverse mental health outcomes later in life increasing the risk of several psychiatric disorders. Research on its neurobiological consequences demonstrated an association between exposure to adversities and persistent alterations in the structure, function, and connectivity of the brain. Consistent evidence supports the idea that regulation of gene expression through epigenetic mechanisms are involved in embedding the impact of early-life experiences in the genome and mediate between social environments and later behavioral phenotypes. In addition, studies from rodent models and humans suggest that these experiences and the acquired risk factors can be transmitted through epigenetic mechanisms to offspring and the following generations potentially contributing to a cycle of disease or disease risk. However, one of the important aspects of epigenetic mechanisms, unlike genetic sequences that are fixed and unchangeable, is that although the epigenetic markings are long-lasting, they are nevertheless potentially reversible. In this review, we summarize our current understanding of the epigenetic mechanisms involved in the mental health consequences derived from early-life exposure to malnutrition, maltreatment and poverty, adversities with huge and pervasive impact on mental health. We also discuss the evidence about transgenerational epigenetic inheritance in mammals and experimental data suggesting that suitable social and pharmacological interventions could reverse adverse epigenetic modifications induced by early-life negative social experiences. In this regard, these studies must be accompanied by efforts to determine the causes that promote these adversities and that result in health inequity in the population.

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OBJECTIVE: Childhood maltreatment is extremely harmful to health, especially in relation to development of the psychiatric disorders throughout life. The objective of this study was to describe the prevalence and types of maltreatment in a sample of adolescent schoolchildren and to investigate associations between maltreatment types and anxiety and depressive symptoms, sociodemographic variables, and risk behaviors. The study also identified which variables were the greatest predictors of anxiety and depressive symptoms. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study with a sample of 654 school students aged 11 to 17 years. We collected sociodemographic data and administered the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS-47) to measure anxiety and depressive symptoms as well as the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) to evaluate maltreatment and adverse experiences such as abuse and negligence during childhood and adolescence. Statistical analyses were conducted to estimate correlations between sociodemographic data, anxiety, depression, and types of maltreatment. A regression analysis was also conducted to identify maltreatment types that predict psychological symptoms. RESULTS: Emotional abuse and emotional neglect were the most prevalent types of maltreatment. Statistically, emotional abuse was the maltreatment type most strongly correlated with depression and anxiety and tended to co-occur with other types of maltreatment. Additionally, emotional and sexual abuse were the greatest predictors of anxiety and depression in adolescents. CONCLUSION: The above results reinforce the findings of previous studies in terms of understanding the effects of maltreatment. They identify emotional abuse as the main predictor of depressive and anxiety symptoms.

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BACKGROUND: Cocaine-use disorder (CUD) has been associated with early life adversity and activated cellular immune responses. Women are most vulnerable to complications from chronic substance disorders, generally presenting an intense feeling of abstinence and consuming significant drug amounts. Here, we investigated neutrophil functional activities in CUD, including the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) and related intracellular signalling. We also investigated the role of early life stress in inflammatory profiles. METHODS: Blood samples, clinical data, and history of childhood abuse or neglect were collected at the onset of detoxification treatment of 41 female individuals with CUD and 31 healthy controls (HCs). Plasma cytokines, neutrophil phagocytosis, NETs, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and phosphorylated protein kinase B (Akt) and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK)s were assessed by flow cytometry. RESULTS: CUD subjects had higher scores of childhood trauma than controls. Increased plasma cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-8, IL-12, and IL-10), neutrophil phagocytosis, and production of NETs were reported in CUD subjects as compared to HC. Neutrophils of CUD subjects also produced high levels of intracellular ROS and had more activated Akt and MAPKs (p38/ERK), which are essential signalling pathways involved in cell survival and NETs production. Childhood trauma scores were significantly associated with neutrophil activation and peripheral inflammation. CONCLUSION: Our study reinforces that smoked cocaine and early life stress activate neutrophils in an inflammatory environment.

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Abstract Objective Childhood maltreatment is extremely harmful to health, especially in relation to development of the psychiatric disorders throughout life. The objective of this study was to describe the prevalence and types of maltreatment in a sample of adolescent schoolchildren and to investigate associations between maltreatment types and anxiety and depressive symptoms, sociodemographic variables, and risk behaviors. The study also identified which variables were the greatest predictors of anxiety and depressive symptoms. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study with a sample of 654 school students aged 11 to 17 years. We collected sociodemographic data and administered the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS-47) to measure anxiety and depressive symptoms as well as the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) to evaluate maltreatment and adverse experiences such as abuse and negligence during childhood and adolescence. Statistical analyses were conducted to estimate correlations between sociodemographic data, anxiety, depression, and types of maltreatment. A regression analysis was also conducted to identify maltreatment types that predict psychological symptoms. Results Emotional abuse and emotional neglect were the most prevalent types of maltreatment. Statistically, emotional abuse was the maltreatment type most strongly correlated with depression and anxiety and tended to co-occur with other types of maltreatment. Additionally, emotional and sexual abuse were the greatest predictors of anxiety and depression in adolescents. Conclusion The above results reinforce the findings of previous studies in terms of understanding the effects of maltreatment. They identify emotional abuse as the main predictor of depressive and anxiety symptoms.

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Objective: Bullying and uncivil behaviors frequently happen in higher education lecture halls. This study aimed at exploring college students bullying incidents and mistreatments by faculty members, witnesses, and the type of bullying, where bullying and exploitations mostly happen. Method: A total 2646 (1493 female & 1185 male) students from a mid-size state university studying at every accessible department voluntarily participated to fill out a survey. A survey instrument and a social demographic information form is used to collect data. A chi-square test and several descriptive statistics were run to analyze the data. Results: Results revealed that 10 % of student were threatened being graded lower or being failed, 21 % stated that they did not believe in fair investigation even when they could complain to the relevant authorities in the university. Among them, 31 % of the students witnessed a faculty member threatening students' in an uncivil manner. Male faculty members were 4 times more likely to bully student or act uncivil behaviors than female faculty members. Assistant professor or younger faculty members tend to behave more negatively than higher ranking or older professors. Conclusions: Most of the incidents happen during the class. Results show that bullying is a universal phenomenon and it appears in every level and field of education. Even though there are cultural and departmental differences, and department-specific misbehaviors, it is still common in every level of education in every culture.

Objetivo: Este estudio tuvo como objetivo explorar los incidentes de intimidación y maltrato de estudiantes universitarios por parte de miembros de la facultad, testigos, el tipo de hostigamiento, dónde se producen principalmente los acosos y los maltratos, cómo se han enfrentado a estos hechos, cómo han resuelto el incidente, las razones del hostigamiento y los malos tratos, frecuencia de los mismos, el tipo observado de bullying y similitudes culturales. Diferencias en los comportamientos de bullying y características de los miembros de la facultad que realizan el bullying. Metodología: Un total de 2646 estudiantes de una universidad estatal de un tamaño mediano que estudiaban en las distintas facultades de la universidad seleccionada. Participaron voluntariamente para realizar una encuesta impulsada por el concepto de intimidación de Olweus. Resultados: Los resultados revelaron que el 10 % de los estudiantes fueron amenazados con una calificación inferior o reprobada, el 21 % dijo que no creía en una investigación justa, incluso si podían presentar una queja ante las autoridades pertinentes de la universidad. Solo el 5 % de los estudiantes mencionó haber presentado una queja verbal informal. El 18 % informó que el acoso era muy importante y muy estresante para ellos. Entre estos, el 31 % de los estudiantes fue testigo de la amenaza de un miembro de la facultad a los estudiantes de una manera poco correcta. Los varones de la facultad eran 4 veces más propensos que los miembros femeninos de la misma a intimidar a los estudiantes, o comportarse de manera no cívica. El profesor asistente o los miembros más jóvenes de la facultad tienden a comportarse de manera más negativa que los profesores de mayor rango o más antiguos. Parece que la mayoría de los incidentes ocurren durante la clase (11 %) o antes de que comience la misma (1,6 %). Conclusiones: Los resultados muestran que el acoso académico es un fenómeno universal y aparece en todos los niveles de la educación. A pesar de que existen diferencias culturales y departamentales, el acoso todavía es común en todos los niveles de educación de todas las culturas. El bullying tiene consecuencias negativas en los estudiantes; afecta perniciosamente su salud mental, integración escolar y logros académicos. Por lo tanto, los responsables de la administración escolar deben establecer pautas claras para las relaciones entre el profesorado y los estudiantes; y proporcionar ayuda de asesoramiento y acompañamiento para quienes lo necesiten.

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BACKGROUND: Maltreatment in childhood may leave people vulnerable to further experiences of violence and more severe effects of stress later in life. Longitudinal studies of risk for violent victimisation after maltreatment are lacking in low- and middle-income countries. The objective of this study was to quantify the risk for violent victimization in the family and community in young adulthood following experiences of childhood maltreatment (experiences of physical, emotional and sexual abuse and neglect) up to age 15 years in an urban Brazilian population. METHODS: 3246 participants in a prospective, population-based birth cohort study in Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, were assessed at birth, 15 and 22 years. Sociodemographic factors were reported by mothers at birth and adolescents at age 15 years. Maltreatment and violent victimisation were self-reported in confidential questionnaires at 15 and 22, respectively. Multinomial logistic regression analyses estimated the association between having experienced any maltreatment and later experiences of family and community violence in young adulthood (no adult violence, violence only in the family context, only in the community, or both violence in the family and community), adjusting for sociodemographic factors. RESULTS: 39% of females and 27% of males reported any maltreatment up to age 15 years. At 22 years, rates of past year violence in the family or community were 17.6% for females and 20.2% for males. Maltreatment was strongly associated with community violence (Females: OR = 2.96, CI = 1.83-4.80; Males: OR = 2.01, 95%CI = 1.01-4.00) and its co-occurrence with family violence (Females: OR = 2.33, 95%CI = 1.34-4.04; Males: OR = 3.20, 95%CI = 1.82-5.65) in young adulthood, after adjustment for background sociodemographic factors. CONCLUSION: Childhood maltreatment is an important risk factor for later violent victimisation in both the family and community context. The effects of repeated trauma through the life-course needs research and clinical attention.

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Post-traumatic stress (PTSD) disorder is a mental health condition that can occur after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. The 27-F earthquake that struck Chile in 2010 was one such event that had a significant impact on the mental health of the population. A study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of PTSD and its associated factors among survivors of this earthquake. The study was a longitudinal design, involving a sample of 913 patients aged 18 to 75 years who attended 10 Primary Care Centers in Concepción, Chile. The Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) was used to assess both depressive episodes (DE) and PTSD before and after the earthquake. The study also involved genotyping studies using saliva samples from the participants, specifically focusing on the Val66Met and 5-HTTLPR polymorphisms. Statistical analysis was performed to examine the association between different variables and the presence of PTSD. These variables included demographic factors, family history of psychiatric disorders, DE, childhood maltreatment experiences, and critical traumatic events related to the earthquake. The results showed that the incidence of post-earthquake PTSD was 11.06%. No significant differences were found between the groups of participants who developed post-earthquake PTSD regarding the Val66Met or 5-HTTLPR polymorphisms. However, a significant association was found between the concomitant diagnosis of DE and the development of post-earthquake PTSD. The presence of DE doubled the risk of developing post-earthquake PTSD. The number of traumatic events experienced also had a statistically significant association with an increased risk of developing post-earthquake PTSD. The study's limitations include the potential interference of different DE subtypes, the complexity of quantifying the degree of earthquake exposure experienced by each individual, and events entailing social disruption, such as looting, that can profoundly influence distress. In conclusion, the study found that PTSD following the 27-F earthquake in Chile was associated with a concomitant diagnosis of DE and the number of traumatic events experienced. The study did not find a significant association between PTSD and the Val66Met or 5-HTTLPR polymorphisms. The researchers recommend that mental health professionals should prioritize the detection and treatment of concomitant depressive episodes and exposure to critical traumatic events in survivors of disasters. They also suggest that further research is needed to better understand the relationship between genetic factors and post-disaster PTSD.

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OBJECTIVE: To assess the counts of infant maltreatment-related medical encounters at a large medical system during a 21-month span of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Retrospective data for this study came from all inpatient and emergency department medical encounters for infants from January 1, 2016, through November 30, 2021, at a single children's hospital system in California. Distributions of medical encounters were tabulated and plotted over time. Interrupted time series models were used to evaluate changes in child maltreatment medical encounters. RESULTS: Medical encounters for infants with child maltreatment diagnoses increased following the onset of COVID-19. Monthly counts of encounters with indicated maltreatment trended upward following the start of the pandemic. Interrupted time series models showed that the count of maltreatment encounters increased 64% with the onset of COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS: We found an increase in infant maltreatment medical encounters during a 21-month period following the onset of COVID-19. These findings suggest that the pandemic may have adversely affected the safety of infants and ongoing work is needed to understand better the pandemic impacts on child maltreatment.

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OBJECTIVE: Childhood maltreatment (CM) is a significant risk factor for the development and severity of bipolar disorder (BD) with increased risk of suicide attempts (SA). This study evaluated whether a machine learning algorithm could be trained to predict if a patient with BD has a history of CM or previous SA based on brain metabolism measured by positron emission tomography. METHODS: Thirty-six euthymic patients diagnosed with BD type I, with and without a history of CM were assessed using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. Suicide attempts were assessed through the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI-Plus) and a semi-structured interview. Resting-state positron emission tomography with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose was conducted, electing only grey matter voxels through the Statistical Parametric Mapping toolbox. Imaging analysis was performed using a supervised machine learning approach following Gaussian Process Classification. RESULTS: Patients were divided into 18 participants with a history of CM and 18 participants without it, along with 18 individuals with previous SA and 18 individuals without such history. The predictions for CM and SA were not significant (accuracy = 41.67%; p = 0.879). CONCLUSION: Further investigation is needed to improve the accuracy of machine learning, as its predictive qualities could potentially be highly useful in determining histories and possible outcomes of high-risk psychiatric patients.

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Objective: Childhood maltreatment (CM) is a significant risk factor for the development and severity of bipolar disorder (BD) with increased risk of suicide attempts (SA). This study evaluated whether a machine learning algorithm could be trained to predict if a patient with BD has a history of CM or previous SA based on brain metabolism measured by positron emission tomography. Methods: Thirty-six euthymic patients diagnosed with BD type I, with and without a history of CM were assessed using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. Suicide attempts were assessed through the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI-Plus) and a semi-structured interview. Resting-state positron emission tomography with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose was conducted, electing only grey matter voxels through the Statistical Parametric Mapping toolbox. Imaging analysis was performed using a supervised machine learning approach following Gaussian Process Classification. Results: Patients were divided into 18 participants with a history of CM and 18 participants without it, along with 18 individuals with previous SA and 18 individuals without such history. The predictions for CM and SA were not significant (accuracy = 41.67%; p = 0.879). Conclusion: Further investigation is needed to improve the accuracy of machine learning, as its predictive qualities could potentially be highly useful in determining histories and possible outcomes of high-risk psychiatric patients.

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Much of the research conducted on social information processing (SIP) factors predictive of child abuse risk has been conducted in North America, raising questions about how applicable such models may be in other cultures. Based on the premise that the parents' child abuse risk is affected by both risk and protective factors, the current study considered how specific SIP socio-cognitive risk factors (acceptability of parent-child aggression as a discipline approach; empathic ability; frustration tolerance) as well as social support satisfaction as a resource related to child abuse risk by comparing a sample of mothers in Peru (n = 102) with a sample of mothers in the U.S. (n = 180). Using multi-group regression analyses, the current investigation identified that lower empathy was more salient for the abuse risk of U.S. mothers relative to the salience of lower frustration tolerance for Peruvian mothers. Although effects were observed for the approval of parent-aggression for the child abuse risk of both samples, such approval did not appear to be related to the Peruvian mothers' actual use of such tactics. When considered alongside the socio-cognitive risk factors, greater social support satisfaction did not significantly relate to child abuse risk for either sample. The findings are discussed in reference to future cross-cultural work that may need to better examine how factors may or may not be universal to craft more culturally informed child abuse prevention programs.

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Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can negatively impact physical, emotional, cognitive, and social development, consequently affecting the next generation. The aim of the present study was to systematically review evidence from empirical studies on the association between maternal history of adversity in childhood (maltreatment and household dysfunction) and subsequent mother-child interactions at an early age. A search was performed in the PubMed, Web of Science, PsycINFO, EMBASE, Scopus, LILACS, and SciELO databases to identify studies, including measures of maternal childhood adversities and mother-child interaction, published between 2016 and 2022. Twenty-nine studies met the inclusion criteria. The results showed that in 90% of the studies, maternal childhood adversities negatively impacted subsequent mother-child interactions in early childhood, reducing maternal displays of affection, emotional availability, sensitivity, mother-child communication, and bonding. Biological factors (e.g., genetic and hormonal) and maternal emotional recognition moderated these associations. In addition, biological factors (i.e., neurobiological and hormonal) and psychosocial factors (e.g., depression, executive functioning, and violence) acted as mediators. Preventive interventions should be implemented to break out of the intergenerational cycle of violence that impacts mother-child interactions.

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Introducción: El maltrato infantil es un problema psicológico frecuente en niños y adolescentes de todo el mundo. La exposición a diversos tipos de maltrato puede conducir a otros problemas psicológicos y físicos, siendo necesario identificar qué tipo de maltrato repercute con mayor probabilidad en hombres y mujeres. Objetivo: Analizar las diferencias del maltrato infantil según sexo en adolescentes peruanos. Método: Estudio transversal, enfoque cuantitativo y comparativo realizado en los meses de julio y agosto de 2022. Se analizó una muestra por conveniencia de 1 376 adolescentes, los cuales respondieron un autoinforme sobre maltrato infantil. Para comparar ambos grupos, se utilizó la prueba U de Mann-Whitney de muestras independientes bayesianas. Resultados: Entre los diversos tipos de maltrato infantil, solo se encontró evidencia a favor de la hipótesis alternativa en el maltrato emocional (BF10=190,38; δ=0,31; IC 95 %: 0,20-0,48), con una evidencia muy fuerte. Esta diferencia fue superior en mujeres (M=8,28) en comparación con los hombres (M=7,09). En la negligencia emocional y física, se reportó evidencia fuerte para la hipótesis nula. El análisis robusto del factor Bayes confirmó los mismos resultados. Conclusiones: El maltrato emocional se presenta mayormente en mujeres adolescentes, siendo el género que requiere mayor apoyo psicológico en este tipo de maltrato infantil. En los otros tipos de maltrato, no se encontró diferencias respecto al sexo. En consecuencia, los profesionales de la salud deben considerar el rol del género en el maltrato emocional, pero no descuidar los otros tipos de maltrato infantil, enfatizando en las particularidades específicas de cada caso.

Introduction: Child maltreatment is a common psychological problem of children and adolescents around the world. Presence of various form of abuse can lead to other psychological and physical problems, so, it is necessary to identify which form of abuse is more likely to affect men and women. Objective: To analyze the differences observed in child maltreatment according to sex in Peruvian adolescents. Method: A cross-sectional, and quantitative and comparative approach study was carried out in the months of July and August 2022. A convenience sample of 1.376 adolescents who responded to a self-report on child abuse was analyzed. To compare both groups (men and women), the Mann-Whitney U-test for Bayesian independent samples was used. Results: Among the various forms of child maltreatment, only was found in favor and with high evidence as alternative hypothesis, the emotional maltreatment (BF10=190.38; δ=0.31; 95 % CI: 0.20-0.48). This difference was higher in females (M=8.28) compared to males (M=7.09). In emotional and physical neglect, strong evidence was reported for the null hypothesis. Robust Bayes factor analysis confirmed the same results. Conclusions: Emotional maltreatment occurs mostly in adolescent females, being the gender that requires more psychological support. In the other forms of maltreatment, no differences were found in correspondence with gender. Consequently, health professionals should consider the role of gender in emotional maltreatment, but should not neglect the other forms of child maltreatment, emphasizing the specific particularities of each case.

Introdução: O abuso infantil é um problema psicológico frequente em crianças e adolescentes em todo o mundo. A exposição a vários tipos de abuso pode levar a outros problemas psicológicos e físicos, tornando-se necessário identificar qual tipo de abuso tem maior probabilidade de afetar homens e mulheres. Objetivo: Analisar as diferenças no abuso infantil de acordo com o sexo em adolescentes peruanos. Método: Estudo transversal, abordagem quantitativa e comparativa realizado nos meses de julho e agosto de 2022. Foi analisada uma amostra de conveniência de 1.376 adolescentes, que responderam a um autorrelato sobre abuso infantil. Para comparar os dois grupos, foi utilizado o teste U de Mann-Whitney para amostras independentes bayesianas. Resultados: Entre os vários tipos de abuso infantil, foram encontradas evidências a favor da hipótese alternativa apenas no abuso emocional (BF10=190,38; δ=0,31; IC 95%: 0,20-0,48), com evidências muito fortes. Essa diferença foi maior nas mulheres (M=8,28) em relação aos homens (M=7,09). Na negligência emocional e física, fortes evidências foram relatadas para a hipótese nula. A análise fatorial robusta de Bayes confirmou os mesmos resultados. Conclusões: O abuso emocional ocorre maioritariamente em mulheres adolescentes, sendo o género que mais requer apoio psicológico neste tipo de abuso infantil. Nos outros tipos de abuso, não foram encontradas diferenças quanto ao sexo. Consequentemente, os profissionais de saúde devem considerar o papel do gênero no abuso emocional, mas não negligenciar outros tipos de abuso infantil, enfatizando as especificidades de cada caso.

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A One Welfare approach allows intervention to resolve problems related to the human-animal-environment interface. However, in Brazil and many other countries, there is poor communication between human and animal welfare services. In this research we considered a One Welfare approach in cases of abuse involving dogs and cats. When investigating pet abuse, professionals from the Animal Welfare Division of Pinhais, Brazil, can enter the home environment. During routine animal abuse investigations, the demographic profile of pet owners and their socioeconomic vulnerability was also recorded. Results from forty-five cases with (n = 30) and without (n = 15) suspicion of socioeconomic vulnerability were sent to the Department of Social Assistance of Pinhais, Brazil for confirmation. Socioeconomic vulnerability was suspected if socioeconomic problems were reported by the pet owners under investigation or their neighbours, as well by assessment of the socioeconomic environment of the families during home visits. Economic disadvantage was the most prevalent socioeconomic vulnerability. Cohen's Kappa coefficients support the ability of animal welfare service professionals to detect socioeconomic vulnerability. Almost half of all families considered to have socioeconomic vulnerability had not previously participated in social programmes. In all cases involving families already being assisted by the Department of Social Assistance, pets were found to be suffering abuse. Families with socioeconomic vulnerability confirmed were included in the social programmes. These results support the need for a multi-disciplinary approach to improve the well-being of families with dogs and cats. This study can help guide the development of an interdisciplinary approach to address animal abuse cases.

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El antecedente de maltrato infantil y el Trastorno por Déficit de Atención e Hiperactividad (TDAH), son condiciones que tienen una alta prevalencia en los jóvenes de sectores vulnerables. Analizamos su relación con deserción escolar, que también es mayor en tales contextos. La deserción es un fenómeno multifactorial, influenciado por factores propios del estudiante, de la institución, del contexto familiar y del entorno social. Presentamos hallazgos en la Fundación Soymás, institución de formación para madres adolescentes, localizada en La Pintana, una de las comunas con mayor pobreza en Chile, donde la deserción en 2022 fue 45%. De acuerdo a la encuesta ACES de 10 eventos traumáticos en la niñez, 50% de las estudiantes sufrió 3 o más, y 21% 7 o más. Al menos un 40% de la población cumplía criterios de TDAH y un 30% adicional manifestaba síntomas sugerentes (versus 4,5% de TDAH reportado en adolescentes del país). Constatamos una asociación directa entre las tres variables: Maltrato, TDAH y Deserción. Estos hallazgos deberían ser considerados en políticas públicas, reforzando la necesidad de colaboración entre Salud y Educación.

A history of child abuse and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are conditions that have a high prevalence in young people from vulnerable sectors. We analyze its relationship with school dropout, which is also higher in such contexts. Dropout is a multifactorial phenomenon, influenced by factors specific to the student, the institution, the family context, and the social environment. We present findings at the Soymás Foundation, a training institution for adolescent mothers, located in La Pintana, one of the counties with the highest poverty in Chile, where dropout in 2022 was 45%. According to the ACES survey of 10 traumatic events in childhood, 50% of the students suffered 3 or more, and 21% 7 or more. At least 40% of the population met the criteria for ADHD and an additional 30% manifested suggestive symptoms (versus 4.5% of ADHD reported in adolescents in the country). We found a direct association between the three variables: Abuse, ADHD and Desertion. These findings should be considered in public policies, reinforcing the need for collaboration between Health and Education.

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BACKGROUND: Violent discipline of children and intimate partner violence (IPV) against women are global public health and human rights problems. To address calls for more evidence on intersections, this study aimed to expand knowledge about correlates of physical child punishment, physical IPV against women and their co-occurrence (both) in the same household.  METHODS: Using national, population-based survey datasets from Colombia, Mexico and Peru, multinomial logistic regressions examined correlates of three mutually exclusive patterns of violence in the household: physical child punishment (only), physical IPV ever (only) and co-occurrence (both), each compared with no violence, after adjusting for other factors. Logistic regression was used to analyse odds ratios of physical child punishment in households affected by IPV past year and before past year compared with never, after adjusting for other factors. RESULTS: In all countries, adjusted odds ratios (aOR) of co-occurrence were significantly higher among women with lower education, more than one child, a child aged 2-5, a partner who tried to socially isolate her, and a history of childhood violence (caregiver violence and/or IPV exposure). They were significantly lower among women who reported collaborative partnerships (joint decision-making and/or shared chores). Co-occurrence was also significantly correlated with a history of child marriage/early motherhood in Colombia and Mexico, partner's excess drinking in Mexico and Peru, agreement that physical child punishment was necessary in Peru and partner's history of childhood violence in Colombia and Mexico. Evidence of shared risk factors was strongest for social isolation and caregiver histories of childhood violence and of shared protective factors for collaborative partnership dynamics. In all countries, associations between physical child punishment and physical IPV remained significant after adjusting for other factors, suggesting that correlations could not be explained by shared risk factors alone. CONCLUSIONS: These findings are consistent with several theories relevant for violence prevention: 1) more collaborative, gender equitable partnerships may protect both children and women from violence; 2) violence between intimate partners may 'spill over' into violence against children (as correlations could not be explained by shared risk factors alone); and 3) there appears to be strong evidence of intergenerational transmission of violence.

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