Background: Stress and compromised parenting often place children at risk of abuse and neglect. Child maltreatment has generally been viewed as a highly individualistic problem by focusing on stressors and parenting behaviors that impact individual families. However, because of the global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), families across the world are experiencing a new range of stressors that threaten their health, safety, and economic well-being. Objective: This study examined the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in relation to parental perceived stress and child abuse potential. Participants and Setting: Participants included parents (N = 183) with a child under the age of 18 years in the western United States. Method: Tests of group differences and hierarchical multiple regression analyses were employed to assess the relationships among demographic characteristics, COVID-19 risk factors, mental health risk factors, protective factors, parental perceived stress, and child abuse potential. Results: Greater COVID-19 related stressors and high anxiety and depressive symptoms are associated with higher parental perceived stress. Receipt of financial assistance and high anxiety and depressive symptoms are associated with child abuse potential. Conversely, greater parental support and perceived control during the pandemic are associated with lower perceived stress and child abuse potential. Results also indicate racial and ethnic differences in COVID-19 related stressors, but not in mental health risk, protective factors, perceived stress, or child abuse potential. Conclusion: Findings suggest that although families experience elevated stressors from COVID-19, providing parental support and increasing perceived control may be promising intervention targets.

Numerous studies describe mental health effects of pre-migration trauma and post-resettlement stress among refugees, yet less research examines these associations with non-refugee immigrants. Additionally, few studies assess the prevalence and impact of traumatic experiences after settlement in a new country. Using a U.S.-based representative sample of Asian (n = 1637) and Latino (n = 1620) refugees and immigrants, we investigated how traumatic events prior to and after migration, and post-migration stressors, are associated with mental illness and distress. Pre-migration trauma posed risk across a broad range of psychological outcomes for Asian refugees and Latino immigrants. Deleterious effects of post-migration trauma were notable for both groups of refugees and immigrants. Discrimination, acculturative stress, and family conflict increased risk for disorder and distress across groups in complex ways. Findings highlight the importance of examining trauma and stress at pre-and post-migration phases across migrant populations, including those not labeled as refugees.

Background: Stress and compromised parenting often place children at risk of abuse and neglect. Child maltreatment has generally been viewed as a highly individualistic problem by focusing on stressors and parenting behaviors that impact individual families. However, because of the global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), families across the world are experiencing a new range of stressors that threaten their health, safety, and economic well-being. Objective: This study examined the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in relation to parental perceived stress and child abuse potential. Participants and Setting: Participants included parents (N = 183) with a child under the age of 18 years in the western United States. Method: Tests of group differences and hierarchical multiple regression analyses were employed to assess the relationships among demographic characteristics, COVID-19 related disruptions, mental health risk, protective factors, perceived stress, and child abuse potential. Results: Greater COVID-19 related disruptions and high anxiety and depressive symptoms are associated with higher perceived stress and child abuse potential. In addition, higher perceived stress is associated with higher child abuse potential. Conversely, greater parental support and perceived control during the pandemic may have a protective effect against perceived stress and child abuse potential. Results also indicate racial and ethnic differences in COVID-19 related disruptions, but not in mental health risk, protective factors, perceived stress, or child abuse potential. Conclusion: Findings suggest that although families experience elevated stressors from COVID-19, providing parental support and increasing perceived control may be promising intervention targets.

Objective: Positive Youth Development (PYD) is a resilience-based framework that accentuates positive traits in youth. PYD constructs are characteristics that are hypothesized to promote healthy development. However, measures to assess PYD constructs are lacking. Methods: An instrument was created to assess PYD. One hundred and forty youth between the age of 7 and 18 (M ¼ 11.6) completed the measure over five time points. Data were then analyzed using psychometric analysis techniques. Results: Findings suggest that the instrument is a reliable measure of PYD. The scale shows good reliability, with an overall Cronbach's a of 92. Conclusions: The Bridge-PYD may be a useful tool for program evaluation and the assessment of theoretical constructs in the PYD models. Keywords children and youth, positive youth development, risk and resilience, assessment toolsAntisocial and delinquent behaviors are serious social concerns in the United States. In 2009, approximately 1.5 million delinquency cases were handled in juvenile court, a 30% increase since 1985 (Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention [OJJDP], 2012). Of all the delinquency cases in 2009, 52% were held for youth under the age of 16; minority youth represent 36% of these cases. There have also been increases in the juvenile court in the period between 1985 and 2009, with drug offense cases rising by 117%, public order cases by 108%, and person offense cases by 99% (OJJDP, 2012).Unfortunately, young people living in low-income communities are at increased risk for delinquency and other problem behaviors (

The COVID-19 global pandemic led to the unprecedented shuttering of nearly all K–12 public education settings across the United States from March through June 2020. This article explores how school social workers’ roles, responsibilities, and work tasks shifted during spring 2020 distance learning to address the continuing and changing needs of families and the larger school community. Interviews were conducted with 20 school social workers in K–12 public schools, across three states, to understand the primary needs of children and families during the pandemic and to learn how school social workers can be most effective in responding to these needs. The data were analyzed using a grounded theory approach. Study findings revealed that during spring 2020, school social workers consistently had increased contact and interaction with students’ parents that centered around two major activities: (1) food assistance and referrals for families and (2) parent check-ins and coaching. The article discusses implications for the field of school social work during crises and beyond. Considerations include increased funding for schools that serve communities disproportionately affected by the pandemic and the reprioritization of school social workers’ roles and responsibilities to include increased contact with parents.