Childhood exposure to family violence and adult trauma symptoms: The importance of social support from a spouse.

Evans, Sarah E.; Steel, Anne L.; Watkins, Laura E.; DiLillo, David

doi:10.1037/a0036940

Cited by 33 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 53 publications

(59 reference statements)

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“…They felt that friends and family were able to assist them in managing distress and coping with their experiences, consistent with other research indicating the importance of social support (Evans et al, 2014). The results also suggested that support organisations provided an important function in assisting victims who were unable to obtain emotional support in their everyday lives to cope with the negative psychological impacts of victimisation.…”

Section: Social Supportsupporting

confidence: 76%

“…Given the important role of social support in recovery following victimisation in mitigating distress, enhancing coping, and reducing the likelihood of experiencing trauma symptoms (Evans, Steel, Watkins and DiLillo, 2014;Zoellner and Feeny, 2013), the availability of informal resources may negate the need to engage with victim services. However, for those who cannot obtain emotional support in their everyday lives, victim services can fulfil an important function in assisting victims to cope with the negative psychological impacts of victimisation.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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A qualitative examination of engagement with support services by victims of violent crime

Bryce¹,

Brooks²,

Robinson³

et al. 2016

International Review of Victimology

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Research suggests that victim engagement with support services is generally low, and that many individuals are at risk of trauma symptomology and associated negative psychological outcomes as a result. The existing literature examining barriers to engagement with victim services is relatively small and largely quantitative, and a detailed qualitative examination of decisions to engage with victim services has yet to be undertaken. To address this gap in the literature, the current study examined provision of information and referral processes by the police, initial and follow up contact with support services, and perceived barriers to engagement. Victim evaluations of accessed services were also examined. 17 semi-structured interviews were conducted with the victims of violent criminal victimisation during a 6 month period in a Police Force in England and Wales. Participants who engaged with victim services reported experiencing significant benefits as a result of the support they received. However, there was a generally low level of engagement with Victim Support and other services in the sample. A number of different factors associated with lack of engagement were identified by the analysis, consistent with previous research. The paper ends by considering the implications of the study for developing more effective strategies for increasing victim engagement in ways consistent with current local, national and European policy. 3Public policy in the United Kingdom has recently placed greater emphasis on the importance of the needs of victims and a focus on increasing their engagement with the Criminal Justice System (CJS) and support services (Burrows, 2014;Ministry of Justice, 2015). This is a timely change in focus given that the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) recorded 1.9 million violent incidents in 2012/13 (Office for National Statistics, 2014). These figures suggest that there are a significant number of victims of violent crime each year who, as a result of their experiences, are at risk of developing trauma symptoms (e.g., avoidance behaviours, negative moods) which can subsequently lead to substance use problems, poor emotional regulation, and increased risk of psychiatric disorders (Davidson, Devaney and Spratt, 2010;Stimmel, Cruise, Ford and Weiss, 2014; Walsh, Danielson, McCauley, Saunders, Kipatrick and Resnick, 2012). These victimisation impacts are not limited to the specific time at which the crime occurs, but can also have long term consequences for psychological and physical health (Halligan, Michael, Clark and Ehlers, 2003).These complex and potentially long term impacts of victimisation indicate the need to ensure the availability and access to appropriate support services for individuals in such situations to help them cope with their experiences (Mayhew and Reilly, 2008;Ringham and Salisbury, 2004). This is reflected in current policy and policing procedures in England and Wales which refer the victims of violent crime who access police services to Victim Support in or...

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Section: Social Supportsupporting

confidence: 76%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

A qualitative examination of engagement with support services by victims of violent crime

Bryce¹,

Brooks²,

Robinson³

et al. 2016

International Review of Victimology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Findings are consistent in the view that greater perceived social support is associated with a decreased likelihood of trauma symptoms (Brewin, Andrews & Valentine, 2000;Dyb et al, 2014;Evans, Steel, Watkins & DiLillo, 2014). One of the mechanisms by which social support helps is by mitigating distress via the use of increased adaptive, problem-solving strategies by the victim (Green & Pomeroy, 2007).…”

supporting

confidence: 69%

Repeat Victimisation, Retraumatisation and Victim Vulnerability

Graham‐Kevan¹,

Brooks²,

Willan³

et al. 2015

TOCRIJ

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This study explores the contribution that traumatic experiences and psychological post-traumatic stress symptoms make to predicting subsequent revictimisation in a sample of violent crime victims. In addition, the timing of first trauma exposure was also explored. Fifty-four adult victims (27 male and 27 female) of police recorded violent crime were interviewed and their traumatic exposure history, trauma symptomology, age at first trauma exposure as well as psychological and psychosocial functioning were assessed. These victims were followed longitudinally and subsequent revictimisation between six and twelve months post index victimisation measured. A greater number of types of trauma exposure was related lower emotional stability, higher trauma symptomology and revictimisation. Those victims with childhood traumatic exposure reported more trauma symptomology exposure than those without prior exposure. The implications for law enforcement and victim services are discussed.

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“…For example, female victims of childhood abuse are less likely to experience depression as adults to the extent that they report higher-quality relationships (Whiffen, Judd, & Aube, 1999), and individuals with varying forms of childhood abuse and neglect experience better mental health and more extensive social engagements when they report having a close and confiding partner (DuMont, Widom, & Czaja, 2007). Similarly, higher quality spousal support reduces the association between traumatic experiences in childhood and symptoms of trauma in adulthood for husbands but not wives (Evans et al, 2014). In short, although the evidence base is small, positive characteristics of the partner appear to mitigate the effects of abuse on mental health outcomes , and it is possible that partner characteristics could also alter the effects of abuse on intimate relationship outcomes .…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Childhood abuse and later marital outcomes: Do partner characteristics moderate the association?

Nguyen¹,

Karney²,

Bradbury³

2017

Journal of Family Psychology

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Although people with a history of child abuse are known to be at elevated risk for later difficulties in relationships, there is debate over whether these effects are enduring and relatively immutable or whether they are moderated by characteristics and behaviors of the partner. To reconcile these competing perspectives, we conducted a longitudinal study of 414 newlywed couples living in low-income neighborhoods, testing whether the association between abuse history and relationship satisfaction is dependent on the partners’ aggression, depression, substance abuse, observed communication, and other demographic risk factors. Spouses who had been abused as children (25% of husbands, 31% of wives) reported more symptoms of depression and substance abuse and, among husbands, displayed more negative communication. Spouses with a history of child abuse were also less satisfied with their marriage, even as newlyweds; abused wives also declined in satisfaction over time compared to those without this history. However, interactions between abuse history and all of the proposed moderators were not significant, indicating that partner and relationship characteristics failed to strengthen or weaken the association between abuse history and relationship satisfaction. Childhood experiences of abuse appear to have lasting and broad effects on individual and relational outcomes, and these effects are neither heightened nor mitigated by the partner’s characteristics or behaviors.

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Childhood exposure to family violence and adult trauma symptoms: The importance of social support from a spouse.

Cited by 33 publications

References 53 publications

A qualitative examination of engagement with support services by victims of violent crime

A qualitative examination of engagement with support services by victims of violent crime

Repeat Victimisation, Retraumatisation and Victim Vulnerability

Childhood abuse and later marital outcomes: Do partner characteristics moderate the association?

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