Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

The Youngest Victims of Violence: Examining the Mental Health Needs of Young Children Who Are Involved in the Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice Systems

  • Published:
Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Children placed in the state’s custody due to neglect, abuse or maltreatment are one of America’s most vulnerable populations. Seventy-five percent of child victims of maltreatment are under the age of 12. Not only is their suffering a problem, these children are also at increased risk for delinquent behavior later in life. While research has documented the potential long-term consequences of child abuse and neglect, the mental health needs of young children involved in the foster care and juvenile justice systems have been largely overlooked. This study examined the social, emotional and behavioral difficulties of 670 children, age 3–11, who were involved in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. Children in this study were living in residential treatment facilities, group homes, foster care homes or were receiving intensive home-based services. To assess the children’s mental health needs caregivers completed the parent form of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (Goodman, Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 38:581–586, 1997). The findings indicated a high prevalence of mental health problems, with 81 % of the children in the sample having a total difficulties score in the borderline or abnormal range and 90 % of the children having borderline or abnormal scores on at least one of the subscales (conduct, emotional, peer or attention problems). When characteristics such as gender, race and age were considered significant differences were found among boys and girls, Caucasian and minority children, and age groups. The findings highlight the importance of mental health assessment and interventions that are gender and culturally sensitive and developmentally appropriate.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Anda, R. F., Brown, D. W., Felitti, V. J., Bremner, J. D., Dube, S. R., & Giles, W. H. (2007). Adverse childhood experiences and prescribed psychotropic medications in adults. American Journal of Preventative Medicine, 32(5), 389–394.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anda, R. F., Felitti, V. J., Bremner, J. D., Walker, J., Whitfield, C. L., Perry, B. D., et al. (2006). The enduring effects of abuse and related adverse experiences in childhood: A convergence of evidence from neurobiology and epidemiology. European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, 256(3), 174–186.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Broidy, L., Nagin, D., Tremblay, R., Bates, J., Brame, B., Dodge, K., et al. (2003). Developmental trajectories of childhood disruptive behaviors and adolescent delinquency: A six-site, cross-national study. Developmental Psychology, 39(2), 222–245.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2008a). Long-term consequences of child abuse and neglect. Retrieved November 6, 2012 from www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/long_term_consequences.cfm.

  • Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2008b). Systems of care. Bulletin for professionals. Children’s Bureau/ACYF. Retrieved November 6, 2012 from www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/soc/.

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2012). Child maltreatment: Consequences. Retrieved November 6, 2012 from http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/childmaltreatment/consequences.html.

  • Colman, R., & Widom, C. (2004). Childhood abuse and neglect and adult intimate relationships: A prospective study. Child Abuse and Neglect, 28(11), 1133–1151.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Crijnen, A. A., Achenbach, T. M., & Verhulst, F. C. (1999). Problems reported by parents of children in multiple cultures: The Child Behavior Checklist syndrome constructs. American Journal of Psychiatry, 156, 569–574.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dallam, S. J. (2001). The long-term medical consequences of childhood maltreatment. In K. Franey, R. Geffner, & R. Falconer (Eds.), The cost of child maltreatment: Who pays? We all do. San Diego, CA: Family Violence & Sexual Assault Institute.

    Google Scholar 

  • Darwish, D., Esquivel, G., Houtz, J., & Alfonso, V. (2001). Play and social skills in maltreated and non-maltreated preschoolers during peer interactions. Child Abuse and Neglect, 25(1), 13–31.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Delbello, M. P., Lopez-Larson, B. S., Soutullo, C. A., & Strakowski, S. M. (2001). Effects of race on psychiatric diagnosis of hospitalized adolescents: A retrospective chart review. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology, 11, 95–103.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dodge, K. (1993). The future of research on conduct disorder. Development and Psychopathology, 5, 311–320.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Edwards, V. J., Anda, R. F., Dube, S. R., Dong, M., Chapman, D. F., & Felitti, V. J. (2005). The wide-ranging health consequences of adverse childhood experiences. In Kathleen Kendall-Tackett & Sarah Giacomoni (Eds.), Victimization of children and youth: patterns of abuse, response strategies. Kingston, NJ: Civic Research Institute.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eschenbeck, H., Kohlmann, C., & Lohaus, A. (2007). Gender differences in coping strategies in children and adolescents. Journal of Individual Differences, 28(1), 18–26.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goodman, R. (1997). The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire: A research note. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 38, 581–586.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Goodman, R. (2001). Psychometric properties of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 40(11), 1337–1345.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hatcher, S., Maschi, T., Morgen, K., & Toldson, I. (2009). Exploring the impact of racial and ethnic differences in the emotional and behavioral responses of maltreated youth: Implications for culturally competent services. Children and Youth Services Review, 31(9), 1042–1048.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kortenkamp, K., & Ehrele, J. (2002). The well-being of children involved with the child welfare system: A national overview. Washington, DC: Urban Institute.

    Google Scholar 

  • Langsford, J. E., Miller-Johnson, S., Berlin, L. J., Dodge, K. A., Bates, J. E., & Pettit, G. S. (2007). Early physical abuse and later violent delinquency: A prospective longitudinal study. Child Maltreatment, 12(3), 233–245.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leone, P., & Weinberg, L. (2010). Educational needs of children and youth in the juvenile justice and child welfare systems. Washington, DC: Center for Juvenile Justice Reform.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mak, W., & Rosenblatt, A. (2002). Demographic influences on psychiatric diagnoses among youth served in California systems of care. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 11, 165–178.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mark, T. L., & Buck, J. A. (2006). Characteristics of U.S. youths with serious emotional disturbance: Data from the National Health Interview Survey. Psychiatric Services, 57, 1573–1578.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Maschi, T., Morgen, K., Bradley, C., & Hatcher, S. (2008). Exploring gender differences on internalizing and externalizing behavior among maltreated youth: Implications for social work action. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 25(6), 531–547.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maughan, A., & Cicchetti, D. (2002). Impact of child maltreatment and interadult violence on children’s emotion regulation abilities and socioemotional adjustment. Child Development, 73, 1525–1542.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Morrison, J. A., Frank, S. J., Holland, C. C., & Kates, W. R. (1999). Emotional development and disorders in young children in the child welfare system. In J. A. Silver, B. J. Amster, & T. Haecker (Eds.), Young children and foster care: A guide for professionals (pp. 33–64). Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes.

    Google Scholar 

  • National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being. (2003). NSCAW one year in foster care wave 1 data analysis report, executive summary. Retrieved November 6, 2012 from http://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/opre/exsum_nscaw.pdf.

  • Nguyen, L., Huang, L., Arganza, G., & Liao, Q. (2007). The influence of race and ethnicity on psychiatric diagnoses and clinical characteristics of children and adolescents in children’s services. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 13(1), 18–25.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Perry, B. D. (2001). Bonding and attachment in maltreated children: Consequences of emotional neglect in childhood. Retrieved November 6, 2012 from http://www.trcnconsortium.com/ACYF_papers/Bonding_07.pdf.

  • Roberts, R. E., Attkisson, C. C., & Rosenblatt, A. (1998). Prevalence of psychopathology among children and adolescents. American Journal of Psychiatry, 155(6), 715–725.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ryan, J. P., & Testa, M. F. (2005). Child maltreatment and juvenile delinquency: Investigating the role of placement and placement instability. Children and Youth Services Review, 27, 227–249.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shields, A., & Cicchetti, D. (2001). Parental maltreatment and emotion dysregulation as risk factors for bullying and victimization in middle childhood. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 30, 349–363.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Shufelt, J., & Cocozza, J. (2006). Youth with mental health disorder in the juvenile justice system: Results from a multi-state prevalence study. National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice. Retrieved November 6, 2012 from http://www.ncmhjj.com/pdfs/publications/PrevalenceRPB.pdf.

  • Simms, M. D., Dubowitz, H., & Szilagyi, M. A. (2000). Health care needs of children in the foster care system. Pediatrics, 106(4), 909–918.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Snyder, H., & Sickmund, M. (2006). Juvenile offender and victims: A national report. Washington, DC: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stiffman, A. R., Cheuh, H., & Earls, F. (1992). Predictive modeling of change in depressive disorder and counts of depressive symptoms in urban youths. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 2, 295–316.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stone, L. L., Otten, R., Engels, R. M., Vermulst, A. A., & Janssens, J. M. (2010). Psychometric properties for the parent and teacher version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire for 4–12 year-olds: A review. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 13(3), 254–274.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Teplin, L., Abram, K., McClelland, G., Dulcan, M., & Mericle, A. (2002). Psychiatric disorders in youth in juvenile detention. Archives of General Psychiatry, 59, 1133–1143.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Children’s Bureau (USDHHS). (2008). Child maltreatment 2008. Retrieved November 6, 2012 from http://archive.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/pubs/cm08/cm08.pdf.

  • Wasserman, G. A., McReynolds, L. S., Lucas, C., Fisher, P., & Santos, L. (2002). The voice DISC-IV with incarcerated male youth: Prevalence of disorder. Journal of the Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 41(3), 314–321.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Widom, C. S., & Maxfield, M. G. (2001). An update on the “cycle of violence”. Washington, DC: National Institute of Justice.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yeh, M., McCabe, K., Hurlburt, M., Hough, R., Hazen, A., Culver, S., et al. (2002). Referral sources, diagnoses, and service types for youth in the public outpatient mental health sector: A focus on ethnic minorities. Journal of Behavioral Health Services and Research, 29, 45–60.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Young, S., Murphy, C. M., & Coghill, D. (2011). Avoiding the “twilight zone”: Recommendations for the transition of services from adolescence to adulthood for young people with ADHD. BMC Psychiatry, 11, 174. doi:10.1186/1471-244X-11-174.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Social Work, School of Urban Affairs and Public Policy, The University of Memphis, 120 McCord Hall, Memphis, TN, 38152-3330, USA

    Robin Lennon-Dearing

  2. Department of Social Work, School of Urban Affairs and Public Policy, The University of Memphis, 115 McCord Hall, Memphis, TN, 38152-3330, USA

    Kathryn S. Whitted

  3. Department of Social Work, School of Urban Affairs and Public Policy, The University of Memphis, 117 McCord Hall, Memphis, TN, 38152-3330, USA

    Elena Delavega

Authors
  1. Kathryn S. Whitted
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Elena Delavega
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Robin Lennon-Dearing
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Robin Lennon-Dearing.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Whitted, K.S., Delavega, E. & Lennon-Dearing, R. The Youngest Victims of Violence: Examining the Mental Health Needs of Young Children Who Are Involved in the Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice Systems. Child Adolesc Soc Work J 30, 181–195 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-012-0286-9

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-012-0286-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation