RESUMO
This study examined typologies of childhood polyvictimization and the associations of profiles with demographic characteristics at the levels of child, household, and primary caregiver. This study evaluated a sample of children aged 4 to 17 years residing in San Juan de Lurigancho District, an urban setting on the edge of Lima, Peru (n = 384). An in-person interview of the primary caregiver of each child was conducted in June 2018, assessing the victimization of the child, the caregiver's exposure to trauma and abuse, and general socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of the household. Latent class analysis was used to identify typologies of child victimization. Follow-up analysis was conducted to quantify differences between the classes which emerged, in terms of the child, caregiver, and household. Five classes emerged: High Peer victimization, Moderate Community victimization; High Community victimization; Verbal Abuse; High victimization across domains; and Low victimization across domains. Caregiver exposure to trauma was positively associated with membership in the high-exposure classes. This study offers a unique opportunity to more deeply understand childhood exposure to violence in Latin America, specifically in an urban setting in Peru, and to further understand how childhood victimization is associated with various characteristics of the child, caregiver, and household. These findings could inform interventions supporting children and families at risk of exposure to violence in Peru or globally.
Assuntos
Vítimas de Crime , Exposição à Violência , Cuidadores , Criança , Humanos , Peru/epidemiologia , ViolênciaRESUMO
Existing research has suggested children of caregivers with histories of exposure to trauma are at heightened risk for victimization, but few studies have explored potential mechanisms that explain this intergenerational transmission of risk. With data from peri-urban households in Lima, Peru (N = 402), this study analyzes parenting behaviors in the relation between caregivers' trauma history and child victimization for children aged 4-17. Results indicated caregivers' trauma history and negative parenting behaviors related to child victimization, and negative parenting behaviors mediated this relation. Positive parenting behaviors did not have significant direct effects and were not mediators of risk transmission. Parenting behaviors did not moderate the relation between caregiver and child victimization, suggesting parenting behaviors may not buffer or exacerbate intergenerational transmission. Post-hoc analyses revealed family type (e.g., single, cohabitating/married) exerted significant direct and moderating effects on child risk, interacting with positive parenting. Families with married/cohabitating caregivers reported overall lower levels of child victimization; however, the relation between positive parenting and victimization was slightly stronger for children in single-parent families. Results highlight potential pathways of the intergenerational cycle of victimization and suggest high-risk families in Peru may benefit from parenting supports, especially pertaining to remediation of negative parenting behaviors.
Assuntos
Bullying , Vítimas de Crime , Criança , Educação Infantil , Humanos , Poder Familiar , PeruRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Child victimization is one of the most serious, preventable threats to child health and wellbeing around the world. Contemporary research has demonstrated that polyvictimization, or children's experience of multiple types of victimization, is particularly detrimental. OBJECTIVE: The current study aims to evaluate relationships between child victimization and child resilience with a particular focus on caregiver and family promotive factors. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: Participants included N = 385 caregiver-child dyads from a high-risk neighborhood in San Juan de Lurigancho district in Lima, Peru. METHODS: Data were collected in the context of a representative survey of houses in the neighborhood; an index child (ages 4-17) was randomly selected for each household and caregivers provided reports on core study constructs. RESULTS: Child victimization (ß = .35, p < .001) and harsh punishment (ß = .17, p < .001) were associated with higher levels of child adjustment problems. Caregiver depression was associated with both higher adjustment problems (ß = .22, p < .001) and higher prosocial skills (ß = .14, p = .003). Caregiver resilience was associated with lower adjustment problems (ß = -.15, p = .01) and higher prosocial skills (ß = .14, p = .04). Positive parenting was associated with lower adjustment problems (ß = -.15, p < .001) and higher prosocial skills (ß = .20, p < .001). Family cohesion (ß = .23, p = .001) was positively associated only with children's prosocial skills. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that caregiver resilience and positive parenting are consistent promotive factors for child resilience across indicators, including both adjustment problems and prosocial skills. These promotive factors may therefore be promising potential targets address in the context of interventions aimed at promoting child resilience.