The present study used secondary data gathered from a statewide random sample of 1,073 adult women enrolled in Utah's single-parent cash assistance program and logistic regression to examine associations between self-reported physical, emotional, and sexual abuse during childhood and later life physical and mental health indicators. Results demonstrated significant associations between low-income women's self-reports of physical, emotional, or sexual abuse in childhood, and current and lifetime anxiety disorder, domestic violence, current posttraumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder, physical health or mental health issues, and any mental health diagnosis. These results build on previous research to paint a fuller picture of the associations between childhood abuse and physical and mental health for low-income women in Utah. Consistent with research by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, findings suggest the applicability of conceptualizing childhood abuse as a public health issue. Social workers can play an integral role in promoting and implementing broader screening practices, connecting affected individuals with long-term interventions, and applying research findings to the design and provision of services within a public health model.
About 700,000 cases of physical, sexual and emotional abuse and neglect are substantiated each year, making childhood maltreatment a common form of trauma in the histories of adults. We summarize the literature on the consequences of child maltreatment across the lifespan, agreeing with those researchers who see maltreatment as a public health problem. We examine low-income women’s perceptions of the impacts of childhood abuse on their adult experiences through 19 life narratives collected during 2008. Using a theoretical lens of Hobfoll’s Conservation of Resources, we discuss themes of loss and developmental stress in women’s experiences of childhood maltreatment. We conclude with implications for professionals and case managers working with low-income women, suggesting that assessment for childhood maltreatment is an important aspect of supporting low-income women and their families on the road to self sufficiency.
Recent research has connected childhood abuse to decreased physical and mental health for low-income women in Utah. Further, mental health has established a link to employment problems. This study conducted a secondary analysis of data collected from individuals accessing public assistance to investigate the relationships among retrospective self-reports of childhood emotional, physical and sexual abuse and prospective indicators of mental health and mental health barriers to work. Logistic regression models found strong relationships between childhood abuse and increased odds of depression and mental health barriers to work. Path models highlight the relative importance of depression for those reporting mental health as the biggest barrier to work. Recommendations for social workers, public health professionals, and program administrators are provided.
Marriage enhancement programs enacted under the federal Healthy Marriage Initiative imply that marriage behaviors and attitudes of poor women are different from those of the middle class, and that the cash assistance program is an appropriate venue to change these attitudes.A population of long-term recipients of public cash assistance and a random sample of general population adults were compared regarding views toward traditional marriage. The general population was significantly more aligned with views of traditional marriage, but when factors that directly affect marriage attitudes and behaviors were controlled for, views on traditional marriage were similar for the two groups. Study findings suggest that attitudes toward marriage are not necessarily related to economic status.
IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE •Those responsible for implementing TANF-funded marriage initiatives should recognize that many people enter romantic relationships with personal experiences of abuse and partner violence.
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