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Behavioral Sciences
Special Issues
Child Neglect and Abuse: Identification and Help-Seeking from Various Perspectives
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Child Neglect and Abuse: Identification and Help-Seeking from Various Perspectives

A special issue of Behavioral Sciences (ISSN 2076-328X). This special issue belongs to the section "Social Psychology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2024) | Viewed by 5223

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Daphna Gross-Manos

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Social Work Department, Tel Hai Academic College, Qiryat Shemona 1220800, Israel
Interests: subjective well-being of vulnerable children; child neglect from different perspectives; child maltreatment in the neighborhood and community context
Dr. Eran Melkman

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Education, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
Interests: youth development; at-risk youth; foster home care; residential treatment; young adults; resilience; future expectations
Dr. Merav Jedwab

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Social Work, Sapir Academic College, Sderot, Negev 7956000, Israel
Interests: child abuse and neglect; CPS; decision making; foster care; out-of-home care

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Child abuse and neglect is a multifaceted phenomenon that is shaped by different perspectives. Various cultures and ethnic backgrounds can have a particular impact, as well as different personal contexts, such as gender, age, race, and socioeconomic status. These different factors play especially important roles when it comes to child abuse and neglect identification and help-seeking efforts, since they involve aspects such as definitions and norms of risks, as well as community, society roles and institutes.

We are particularly interested in material on topics such as:

  • Different perspectives on child maltreatment identification and definitions.
  • Help-seeking patterns in different communities or from diverse perspectives.
  • Child abuse and neglect identification and help-seeking in under-researched contexts (e.g., formal and non-formal educational settings, medical settings, etc.)
  • Identification of neglect by various professionals or laypersons.

Articles reviewing the recent relevant literature, as well as those based on research conducted using a range of methodologies, are welcome. This Special Issue is intended to enable the community of scholars and practitioners to become more informed about how child abuse and neglect are perceived by different cultures and contexts.

Dr. Daphna Gross-Manos
Dr. Eran Melkman
Dr. Merav Jedwab
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Behavioral Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • child abuse and neglect
  • culture
  • context
  • diverse perspectives

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 290 KiB  
Article
Youth Perspectives of Neglect Signs and Help-Seeking
by Ayala Cohen, Ibtisam Marey-Sarwan and Daphna Gross Manos
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(8), 704; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14080704 - 12 Aug 2024
Viewed by 252
Abstract
Child neglect, recognized as the most prevalent form of child maltreatment with profound repercussions on children’s development, has received limited scholarly attention compared to abuse. The current study addresses this shortfall with a qualitative research investigation involving 10 multicultural focus groups of youths [...] Read more.
Child neglect, recognized as the most prevalent form of child maltreatment with profound repercussions on children’s development, has received limited scholarly attention compared to abuse. The current study addresses this shortfall with a qualitative research investigation involving 10 multicultural focus groups of youths aged 12 to 15. The research examined how young individuals identify signs of child neglect and discern whether formal and informal sources of assistance may be relied upon to assist in addressing this issue. Through qualitative–thematic analysis, three primary themes emerged: (1) Characteristics of neglected children, (2) challenges in identifying child neglect, and (3) official and unofficial sources to appeal for assistance when child neglect is identified. This study’s insights concern peers’ recognition of signs indicating neglect in children and their perspectives on potential assistance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Child Neglect and Abuse: Identification and Help-Seeking from Various Perspectives)
17 pages, 284 KiB  
Article
“Today, I Say It’s Mine!”: Professional Identity Construction among Jewish and Arab School Counselors Coping with CSA Disclosure in Israel
by Dafna Zinn, Efrat Lusky-Weisrose, Jordan Shaibe, Laura I. Sigad and Dafna Tener
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(5), 424; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14050424 - 20 May 2024
Viewed by 639
Abstract
School counselors play a crucial role in preventing, disclosing, and intervening in child sexual abuse cases (CSA) and in maintaining safe and protected school environments. However, research on their experiences coping with CSA remains limited. The purpose of the present study was to [...] Read more.
School counselors play a crucial role in preventing, disclosing, and intervening in child sexual abuse cases (CSA) and in maintaining safe and protected school environments. However, research on their experiences coping with CSA remains limited. The purpose of the present study was to describe and analyze the coping experiences of Israeli Jewish and Arab school counselors with CSA disclosure, particularly the consequences for their processes of professional identity construction (the ongoing process through which they develop and refine their sense of self in their profession). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 Israeli Jewish and Arab school counselors working in elementary schools (grades 1–6) with significant experience in coping with CSA. Two themes surfaced, reflecting the counselors’ professional identity construction: (1) Counselors’ professional identity transformation following encounters with CSA among their students; (2) Integrating professional knowledge, attitudes, and engagement behaviors into professional identity. The findings describe a trajectory of transformation and professional development among the counselors, beginning with defining and refining their professional roles and followed by the integration of professional knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors into their professional routines. Arab counselors also highlighted specific sociocultural challenges within this process, relating to the gap between cultural values and role expectations. Implications for future research, policy, and practice are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Child Neglect and Abuse: Identification and Help-Seeking from Various Perspectives)
21 pages, 617 KiB  
Article
“Pay Attention! Pay Attention! Pay Attention!!!”: The Pivotal Role of Educators and the Educational System as Experienced by Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse
by Laura I. Sigad, Dafna Tener, Efrat Lusky-Weisrose, Jordan Shaibe and Carmit Katz
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(5), 419; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14050419 - 16 May 2024
Viewed by 866
Abstract
Educational institutions and educators are significant in children’s lives, and they have a crucial role in implementing policies, practices, and sexual education to enhance children’s safety. Such policies and practices should be based on the voices of CSA survivors. This study explored child [...] Read more.
Educational institutions and educators are significant in children’s lives, and they have a crucial role in implementing policies, practices, and sexual education to enhance children’s safety. Such policies and practices should be based on the voices of CSA survivors. This study explored child sexual abuse (CSA) survivors’ viewpoints on their past experiences with educators and the educational system. A qualitative thematic approach was used to analyze 61 written testimonies collected in 2020–2021 by the Israeli Independent Public Inquiry on CSA. Two interrelated themes arose: (1) CSA survivors’ retrospective perspectives of educators and the educational system’s responses to signs of their CSA, described as ranging from abusive to life-saving. Specifically, they shared three types of responses: (a) harmful and hurtful; (b) dismissive and ignoring; and (c) accepting and attending. (2) The second theme described the survivors’ messages to educators to promote constructive change. The survivors conveyed expectations that educators should play a central role in CSA prevention, detection, and intervention and, specifically, the need for educators to receive professional training, provide beneficial sexual education, and identify and respond to CSA. The findings promoted moving beyond individual-level interventions to focus on improving educational institutional and organizational cultures related to CSA in both national and international contexts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Child Neglect and Abuse: Identification and Help-Seeking from Various Perspectives)
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14 pages, 253 KiB  
Article
“We Need to Raise Awareness and Never Give Up”: Israeli Druze and Muslim Arab Kindergarten Teachers’ Proactivity When Facing the Sexual Abuse of Their Students
by Noah Bar Gosen, Laura I. Sigad, Jordan Shaibe, Amani Halaby, Efrat Lusky-Weisrose and Dafna Tener
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(2), 142; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14020142 - 16 Feb 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1212
Abstract
Kindergarten teachers are expected to lead the intervention process in cases of child sexual abuse (CSA) in their kindergarten. This study examines the proactive role of Druze and Muslim Arab kindergarten teachers in addressing and coping with the CSA of their kindergarten students [...] Read more.
Kindergarten teachers are expected to lead the intervention process in cases of child sexual abuse (CSA) in their kindergarten. This study examines the proactive role of Druze and Muslim Arab kindergarten teachers in addressing and coping with the CSA of their kindergarten students in Israel. A qualitative thematic analysis was used to investigate the semi-structured interviews conducted with eight Druze Arab and six Muslim Arab kindergarten teachers. Three distinct themes were revealed. The first theme described the participants’ fear and concern for their personal children and themselves when dealing with CSA incidents involving their students. The second and third themes described their proactive coping on two fronts: (1) inside their homes to protect their own children and (2) as educators within religious communities, using professional and religious principles to support CSA survivors and raise awareness among parents. The results emphasized the personal burden on kindergarten teachers coping with CSA in their kindergarten and, as mainly expressed by Druze kindergarten teachers, the contribution of religious values to CSA intervention and prevention processes among their students and communities. Thus, there is a need for comprehensive support that considers ethnic and religious characteristics and will be available to kindergarten teachers facing CSA in their kindergarten. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Child Neglect and Abuse: Identification and Help-Seeking from Various Perspectives)
14 pages, 528 KiB  
Article
Who Will Save the Savior? The Relationship between Therapists’ Secondary Traumatic Stress, Secondary Stress Self-Efficacy, and Attitudes toward Trauma-Informed Care
by Miriam Rivka Miller Itay and Maria Nicoleta Turliuc
Behav. Sci. 2023, 13(12), 1012; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs13121012 - 13 Dec 2023
Viewed by 1463
Abstract
Therapists who treat traumatized preschool children are vulnerable to secondary traumatic stress. This study investigates the relationship between therapists’ attitudes toward trauma-informed care (TIC) and risk of secondary traumatic stress, with secondary traumatic self-efficacy as a mediating variable. Participants included Israeli social workers [...] Read more.
Therapists who treat traumatized preschool children are vulnerable to secondary traumatic stress. This study investigates the relationship between therapists’ attitudes toward trauma-informed care (TIC) and risk of secondary traumatic stress, with secondary traumatic self-efficacy as a mediating variable. Participants included Israeli social workers (N = 101) in preschool trauma frameworks, with 97.2% following trauma-informed care principles. The questionnaire combined three instruments: attitudes related to TIC (ARTIC), secondary traumatic stress (STS), and secondary traumatic stress efficacy (STSE). Therapists with less positive attitudes toward trauma-informed care showed higher levels of secondary traumatic stress (r[99] = −0.23, p = 0.019), while more positive attitudes predicted higher levels of secondary traumatic stress efficacy (r[99] = 40, p < 0.001). Secondary traumatic self-efficacy mediated the relationship between attitudes toward trauma-informed care and secondary traumatic stress (z = 2.72, p = 0.006). Therapists’ secondary traumatic stress may be reduced by improving positive attitudes toward trauma-informed care and enhancing their secondary traumatic self-efficacy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Child Neglect and Abuse: Identification and Help-Seeking from Various Perspectives)
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