This study investigated the prevalence of child maltreatment in a cross-cultural perspective, the changes in prevalence estimates in Vietnam over time, child and family risk factors of maltreatment... Show moreThis study investigated the prevalence of child maltreatment in a cross-cultural perspective, the changes in prevalence estimates in Vietnam over time, child and family risk factors of maltreatment, and possible consequences of child maltreatment. We administered questionnaires and a working memory test to 1,851 secondary and high school students (12-17 years old) in four Northern provinces of Vietnam. We compared current Vietnamese prevalence estimates with those from the Dutch prevalence study on child maltreatment (NPM-2010) and from a prevalence study in Vietnam 10 years ago to achieve a cross-cultural and chronological comparison. We found that although there was a decrease in emotional and physical abuse over time, all types of child maltreatment were still highly prevalent, ranging from 2.6% for sexual abuse to 31.8% for emotional abuse. Most types were more common in Vietnam than in the Netherlands. Only the past year sexual abuse prevalence in Vietnam was lower. Single parenthood, being a boy, and older age were risk factors for child maltreatment. Child maltreatment was related to negative child well-being aspects with the largest effect on emotional functioning. Our study draws a clearer picture on child maltreatment in Vietnam. It highlights the importance of prompt responses to child maltreatment. Show less
The aim of this set of studies was to provide more insight in individual characteristics that influence care-giving abilities, in particular precursors of harsh and abusive parenting. We examined... Show moreThe aim of this set of studies was to provide more insight in individual characteristics that influence care-giving abilities, in particular precursors of harsh and abusive parenting. We examined how different subtypes of childhood abuse were related to child abuse potential in adulthood. Emotional neglect in childhood was related to child abuse potential, which is in line with earlier research showing the long-lasting effects of emotional maltreatment and neglect in childhood. With regard to the effects of oxytocin on the neural basis of parenting, we used fMRI to examine how oxytocin influenced emotion recognition using pictures of both adult and infant faces, taking experiences of maternal love withdrawal into account as potential moderator. Oxytocin enhanced neural activity in regions involved in emotion processing, such as the IFG, insula and STG. Our findings regarding the moderating role of experiences of maternal love withdrawal are inconsistent for emotion recognition in adult faces and in infant faces. Lastly, a new paradigm (LISSA) to observe sensitivity in response to standardized infant cues was developed and tested. Our results show that sensitivity can be reliably assessed using this procedure, making the LISSA a promising method for future research and clinical practice. Show less
