Publications - Family Violence

Long waiting lists, long drives and costly care hinder many kids’ access to mental health care, by Brenda Goodman, CNN, Oct 6 2022.

“Norris is one of more than 2,000 adults surveyed this summer by CNN and the Kaiser Family Foundation about mental health issues in America. The nationally representative sample included more than 500 parents.  Nearly half of those parents, 47%, say the pandemic has negatively affected their kids’ mental health, with 17% saying it had a major negative impact.  More than 8 out of 10 parents said they’re at least somewhat worried about depression, anxiety, alcohol and drug use negatively affecting the life of US teens, while roughly three-quarters said they were worried about self-harm or pandemic-related loneliness and isolation.  More than 4 in 10 said they were very worried about alcohol and drug use, anxiety and depression affecting teens. Lower-income parents – those making less than $40,000 a year – were more likely than those in higher-income households to say they’re very worried about self-harm, eating disorders, depression and alcohol and drug use.  According to the survey, more than half of Americans (55%) think most children and teenagers in the US aren’t able to get the mental health services they need. ”

A Shift in American Family Values Is Fueling Estrangement, by Joshua Coleman, The Atlantic, Jan 10 2021.

“Studies on parental estrangement have grown rapidly in the past decade, perhaps reflecting the increasing number of families who are affected. Most estrangements between a parent and an adult child are initiated by the child, according to a 2015 survey of more than 800 people. A survey of mothers from 65 to 75 years old with at least two living adult children found that about 11 percent were estranged from a child and 62 percent reported contact less than once a month with at least one child.  In these and other studies, common reasons given by the estranged adult children were emotional, physical, or sexual abuse in childhood by the parent, “toxic” behaviors such as disrespect or hurtfulness, feeling unsupported, and clashes in values. Parents are more likely to blame the estrangement on their divorce, their child’s spouse, or what they perceive as their child’s “entitlement.” ”

Even with insurance, getting mental health treatment is a struggle in Mass., study says, by Liz Kowalczyk, Boston Globe, Dec 11 2018.

“Massachusetts residents who need health care are colliding with a hard reality: Having medical insurance doesn’t guarantee you can get treatment, particularly for psychiatric problems. More than half of adults who sought mental health or addiction treatment in recent months had difficulty getting that care, according to a survey of 2,201 residents by the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation in Boston...The obstacle wasn’t a lack of insurance; the vast majority of patients were insured. Rather, the problem was that providers either did not accept their insurance or their practices were closed to new patients. ”

Breaking the Cycle of Child Abuse, by Elizabeth Hartney, Ph.D., verywellmind, Jul 11 2018.

“Child abuse is known to repeat itself from generation to generation. Although not universal, the children of people with addictions are at higher risk of all types of abuse, and of developing addictions. The reasons why people who were sexually abused in childhood go on to have abusive relationships in adulthood, either as an abuser or as a victim, are complex and well documented. But is breaking the cycle of child abuse possible? Or does the experience of child abuse mean that abusive relationships are inevitable? ”

The Combination of Domestic Abuse and Alcohol, by Buddy T., verywellmind, May 1 2018.

“Statistics seem to indicate a connection between alcohol and drug abuse and domestic violence, but some researchers question the cause-and-effect relationship. Studies of domestic violence frequently document high rates of alcohol and another drug (AOD) involvement, and AOD use is known to impair judgment, reduce inhibition, and increase aggression. Alcoholism and child abuse, including incest, seem also to be connected. ”

Written on the Body: Letters from Trans and Non-Binary Survivors of Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence, by Edited by Lexie Bean. Foreword and additional pieces by Dean Spade, Nyala Moon, Alex Valdes, Sawyer DeVuyst and Leshai Bailey., Mar 21 2018.

“Written by and for trans and non-binary survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, Written on the Body offers support, guidance and hope for those who struggle to find safety at home, in the body, and other unwelcoming places. This collection of letters written to body parts weaves together narratives of gender, identity, and abuse. It is the coming together of those who have been fragmented and often met with disbelief. The book holds the concerns and truths that many trans people share while offering space for dialogue and reclamation. ”

End Domestic Violence: The Complete Guide to Red Flags, Abuse, and Healing, by Carlson, L., 2018.

“This compact guide cuts out a lot of noise and gets straight to the point, which makes it a fast and easy read. It has eight chapters focusing on different aspects of abuse.  Chapter one: a complete list of 60 red flags which can possibly lead to an abusive relationship. These are merely flags which have the potential to turn into abuse and not a guarantee the person with these traits will be abusive, as most people will likely display one or two of the flags. However, someone who has several red flags, especially those which are considered more serious, is highly likely to engage in abusive behavoir.  ”

'Who's Going to Believe Me?'—Why It's So Hard to Talk About Domestic Abuse in LGBTQ Relationships, by Seema Yasmin, SELF.com, Dec 22 2017.

“Some patterns of abuse are the same across straight and LGBTQ relationships, with abusers aiming to disempower, disenfranchise, and hurt their partners. But there are distinct forms of abuse in queer relationships. ”

Witnessing Parental Psychological Abuse May Do More Harm Than Physical Abuse, by Traci Pedersen, Psych Central, Aug 28 2017.

“Childhood exposure to parental psychological abuse — name-calling, intimidation, isolation, manipulation, and control — appears to be more damaging to children’s future mental health than witnessing physical violence between parents, according to a new study conducted at the University of Limerick (UL), Ireland...The findings, published in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence, show that young people who grew up in homes with psychological abuse only tended to have poorer long-term mental health than those exposed to both psychological and physical violence. The long-term effects of children seeing one parent being psychologically cruel to the other include anxiety, low mood, and low social functioning. ”

Sexist men have psychological problems, by Sarah Kaplan, The Washington Post, Nov 22 2016.

“Researchers identified 11 norms considered to be “traditionally masculine” — desire to win, need for emotional control, risk-taking, violence, dominance, sexual promiscuity or playboy behavior, self-reliance, primacy of work, power over women, disdain for homosexuality and pursuit of status — and looked to see whether they were associated with particular mental health outcomes. In general, the men who stuck more strongly to these norms were more likely to experience problems such as depression, stress, body image issues, substance abuse and negative social functioning. They were also less likely to turn to counseling to help deal with those problems. The effect was particularly strong for men who emphasized playboy behavior, power over women and self-reliance. ”

How Domestic Violence In One Home Affects Every Child In A Class, by Gabrielle Emanuel, NPR, Sep 3 2016.

“While it's difficult to get an exact number, researchers estimate that between 10 and 20 percent of children are exposed to domestic violence each year. New data quantifies what many teachers and school counselors already know: While such violence often takes place outside of school, its repercussions resonate in the classroom. ”

Elder Mistreatment: Are You Safe At Home?, by Terry Fulmer, Ph.D, The Huffington Post, Jun 22 2016.

“Are you safe at home? It’s a simple question that social workers, nurses, physicians, emergency medical technicians, and indeed all health care providers need to ask their older patients every time they see them. Why? Because that simple question can be a crucial first step toward identifying potential elder mistreatment. ”

‘Why Didn’t You Just Leave?’ Six Domestic Violence Survivors Explain Why It’s Never That Simple, by Melissa Jeltsen, Huffington Post, Jun 22 2016.

“The Huffinton Post spent 3 months interviewing survivors of domestic violence so they could share their story on why they stayed in the abusive relationship and barriers to leaving.  ”

For teen girls, risky dieting tied to family conflict, depression, by Kathryn Doyle, Reuters, Jun 15 2016.

“Young teen girls are more likely to count calories, skip meals and engage in other risky dieting behaviors if they’re experiencing family conflict or have symptoms of depressed mood, according to a new study from Australia. “There are many factors associated with the development of risky dieting, including socialization by peers, media, and parents/family,” said coauthor Adrian B. Kelly of The University of Queensland in an email. “This study takes a look at the emotional climate of families as an underlying vulnerability of girls to risky dieting.” ”

Elder Financial Exploitation: A Crime AND a Serious Health Risk, by Richard W. Besdine M.D., The Huffington Post, Jun 10 2016.

“Elder abuse is an ugly, even life-threatening problem, yet it tends to "fly under the radar." The most common form is financial exploitation, which the Administration on Aging’s National Center on Elder Abuse defines as, “the illegal or improper use of an elder’s funds, property, or assets.” ”