Psychiatric co-morbidity in caregivers and children involved in maltreatment: a pilot research study with policy implications

The Psychobiology of Neglect

“…Parental mental health, including substance-use disorders, are important and often unrecognized parental factors that contribute to child maltreatment and may influence brain development either directly through the transmission of familial or genetic vulnerability or indirectly through interference with appropriate parenting. Children whose parents suffer from mental illness, particularly depression with other comorbid psychiatric disorders, are more likely to be identified as maltreated (De Bellis, Broussard, et al, 2001). A history of parental trauma exposure and increased maternal depression mediates the risk of child maltreatment (Banyard, Williams, & Siegel, 2003).…”

The mental health of mothers of physically abused children: the relationship with children's behavioural problems—report from Japan

“…In a community population, adults who suffered from manic depressive illness and schizophrenia showed 2-3 times 'Abused children are likely to show internal behaviour problems, particularly depressive symptoms' 'Recent research tends to use multidimensional questionnaires such as the CBCL' '2-3 times higher rates of physical and/or sexual abuse towards their children' higher rates of physical and /or sexual abuse towards their children, while parents with personality disorder were more likely to be associated with physical abuse (Walsh et al, 2002). Some other studies (Famularo et al, 1992;De Bellis et al, 2001;Dinwiddie and Bucholz, 1993) have reported higher prevalence of anxiety disorder, including post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and alcohol dependence, among the mothers whose children were abused in their families.…”

“…Mothers involved in child abuse are also reported to be more likely to have psychological characteristics such as lower self-esteem, external locus of control, lower impulse control and negative affectivity (depressive anxious) (De Bellis et al, 2001).…”

Comportements suicidaires d’un jeune ou refus de recevoir des soins en santé mentale : quand la situation est signalée à la DPJ…

“…À cet égard, les jeunes suivis par les services de protection de l'enfance présentent davantage de psychopathologies que ceux de la population générale. Selon les auteurs qui ont documenté la question, ces jeunes sont principalement affectés de troubles associés à des comportements dits « perturbateurs » (Garland et al, 2001 ;Hotte et al, 1996 ;Pauzé et al, 2004), et seraient portés à ressentir davantage de sentiments dépressifs et anxieux (De Bellis et al, 2001 ;Éthier, Lemelin et Lacharité, 2004) ou à répondre aux critères diagnostiques d'un trouble réactionnel de l'attachement (Nadeau et al, 2010 ;Zeanah et al, 2004 ;Zeanah, Smyke et Dumitrescu, 2002 ;voir Nadeau et al, 2012, pour une recension de la littérature). De plus, ces jeunes cumulent un ensemble de facteurs de risques associés au fait de vivre en contexte de grande adversité et au stress chronique qui l'accompagne comme la pauvreté, l'exposition à diverses formes de violence, les difficultés personnelles et scolaires, ou l'exclusion sociale de leurs parents, etc.…”