ETHICAL ISSUES RELATED TO THE EVALUATION OF FACTORS THAT INCREASE THE RISK FOR ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24193/subbbioethica.2018.02Keywords:
adverse childhood experiences, physical health, psychological health, chronic disease, parents, victimisation, ethics.Abstract
Adverse childhood experiences are the results of traumatic events that children are passing till their eighteen years old. Many factors are influencing the development of adverse childhood experiences (ACE) and risk factors were also identified by many researchers. Family-related problems, environment, socio-economic status, abuse, etc. are all determinants of ACE. Many studies showed that there is a strong link between ACE and psychological and physical health problems in adult life, meaning that ACE should be treated as public health problem. But some ethical problems arise from identifying ACE during childhood. Accordingly, to the theory of Loftus, negative memories could be implanted. The evaluation of ACE should be done with a lot of responsibility, considering all ethical issues in order to assure a proper psychological recovery and to avoid adulthood health problems. REZUMAT. Probleme etice privind evaluarea factorilor care cresc riscul experiențelor adverse din copilărie. Experiențele adverse din copilărie (EAC) sunt rezultatul unor evenimente traumatice prin care copiii trec până la vârsta de optsprezece ani. Mulți factori influențează dezvoltarea acestora și de asemenea, factori de risc au fost identificați de foarte mulți cercetători. Factori legați de familie, mediu, statut socio-economic, existența unui abuz etc, toți sunt factori determinați ai evenimentelor adverse din copilărie. Multe studii au arătat faptul că există o strânsă legătură între EAC și problemele de sănătate psihică și fizică în perioada adultă. Dar câteva probleme de natură etică se nasc din încercarea de a identifica EAC. Conform teoriei lui Loftus, amintirile negative pot fi plantate în memoria subiectului. Evaluarea EAC trebuie să fie făcută cu multă responsabilitate, ținând cont de toate aspectele etice cu scopul de a asigura o bună recuperare psihologică și pentru a Evita problemele de sănătate în viața adultă. Cuvinte cheie: experiențe adverse în copilărie, sănătate fizică, sănătate psihică, boală cronică, părinți, victimizare, eticăReferences
Ainsworth, M.D. and Marvin, R.S., 1995. On the shaping of attachment theory and research: An interview with Mary DS Ainsworth (Fall 1994). Monographs of the society for research in child development, pp.3-21.
Aldridge, J. and Becker, S., 1993. Punishing children for caring: the hidden cost of young carers. Children & society, 7(4), pp.376-387
Aldridge, J. and Becker, S., 1993. Children who care: Inside the world of young carers.
Aldridge, J., 2006. The experiences of children living with and caring for parents with mental illness. Child Abuse Review: Journal of the British Association for the Study and Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect, 15(2), pp.79-88.
Almqvist, C., Pershagen, G. and Wickman, M., 2005. Low socioeconomic status as a risk factor for asthma, rhinitis and sensitization at 4 years in a birth cohort. Clinical & Experimental Allergy, 35(5), pp.612-618.
Amato, P.R., Patterson, S. and Beattie, B., 2015. Single-parent households and children’s educational achievement: A state-level analysis. Social science research, 53, pp.191-202.
Anda, R.F., Whitfield, C.L., Felitti, V.J., Chapman, D., Edwards, V.J., Dube, S.R. and Williamson, D.F., 2002. Adverse childhood experiences, alcoholic parents, and later risk of alcoholism and depression. Psychiatric services, 53(8), pp.1001-1009
Berking, M. and Wupperman, P., 2012. Emotion regulation and mental health: recent findings, current challenges, and future directions. Current opinion in psychiatry, 25(2), pp.128-134
Biederman, J., Faraone, S.V., Monuteaux, M.C. and Feighner, J.A., 2000. Patterns of alcohol and drug use in adolescents can be predicted by parental substance use disorders. Pediatrics, 106(4), pp.792-797.
Donkor, H.M., Grundt, J.H., Júlíusson, P.B., Eide, G.E., Hurum, J., Bjerknes, R. and Markestad, T., 2017. Social and somatic determinants of underweight, overweight and obesity at 5 years of age: a Norwegian regional cohort study. BMJ open, 7(8), p.e014548.
Becker, G.S. and Becker, G.S., 2009. A Treatise on the Family. Harvard university press.
Bjerregaard, B. and Smith, C., 1993. Gender differences in gang participation, delinquency, and substance use. Journal of Quantitative Criminology, 9(4), pp.329-355
Bowlby, J., 1969. Attachment and Loss: Attachment; John Bowlby. Basic books
Brent, D.A., Perper, J.A., Allman, C.J., Moritz, G.M., Wartella, M.E. and Zelenak, J.P., 1991. The presence and accessibility of firearms in the homes of adolescent suicides: a case-control study. Jama, 266(21), pp.2989-2995.
Brent, D.A., 1993. Depression and suicide in children and adolescents. Pediatrics in review, 14(10), pp.380-388
Bruneforth, M., 2007. Characteristics of children who drop out of school and comments on the drop-out population compared to the population of out-ofschool children. Background paper for the EFA Global Monitoring Report.
Cantwell, D.P. and Baker, L., 1984. Parental mental illness and psychiatric disorders in” at risk” children. The Journal of clinical psychiatry
Carpenter, L.L., Tyrka, A.R., Ross, N.S., Khoury, L., Anderson, G.M. and Price, L.H., 2009. Effect of childhood emotional abuse and age on cortisol responsivity in adulthood. Biological psychiatry, 66(1), pp.69-75.
Chapman, D.P., Dube, S.R. and Anda, R.F., 2007. Adverse childhood events as risk factors for negative mental health outcomes. Psychiatric Annals, 37(5).
Chase-Lansdale, P.L., Wakschlag, L.S. and Brooks-Gunn, J., 1995. A psychological perspective on the development of caring in children and youth: The role of the family. Journal of Adolescence, 18(5), pp.515-556
Comstock, G.W., Shah, F.K., Meyer, M.B. and Abbey, H., 1971. Low birth weight and neonatal mortality rate related to maternal smoking and socioeconomic status. American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, 111(1), pp.53-59.
Dearden C, Becker S. 2004. Young Carers in the UK: The 2004 Report. Carers UK: London
Dornbusch, S.M., Ritter, P.L., Leiderman, P.H., Roberts, D.F. and Fraleigh, M.J., 1987. The relation of parenting style to adolescent school performance. 1987, 58, pp.1244-1257.
Dube, S.R., Anda, R.F., Felitti, V.J., Edwards, V.J. and Croft, J.B., 2002. Adverse childhood experiences and personal alcohol abuse as an adult. Addictive behaviors, 27(5), pp.713-725.
Dube, S.R., Felitti, V.J., Dong, M., Chapman, D.P., Giles, W.H. and Anda, R.F., 2003. Childhood abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction and the risk of illicit drug use: the adverse childhood experiences study. Pediatrics, 111(3), pp.564-572.
Duncan, G.J., Brooks‐Gunn, J. and Klebanov, P.K., 1994. Economic deprivation and early childhood development. Child development, 65(2), pp.296-318
Easton, S.D., 2012. Understanding adverse childhood experiences (ACE) and their relationship to adult stress among male survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Journal of prevention & intervention in the community, 40(4), pp.291-303
Erwin, P., 2013. Friendship in childhood and adolescence. Routledge.
Everson, M.D. and Boat, B.W., 1989. False allegations of sexual abuse by children and adolescents. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 28(2), pp.230-235.
Felitti, V.J., Anda, R.F., Nordenberg, D., Williamson, D.F., Spitz, A.M., Edwards, V., Koss, M.P. and Marks, J.S., 2019. Relationship of childhood abuse and household dysfunction to many of the leading causes of death in adults: The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study. American journal of preventive medicine, 56(6), pp.774-786.
Felner, R.D., Primavera, J. and Cauce, A.M., 1981. The impact of school transitions: A focus for preventive efforts. American Journal of Community Psychology, 9(4), pp.449-459.
Fishman, E.A. and Meyers, S.A., 2000. Marital satisfaction and child adjustment: Direct and mediated pathways. Contemporary Family Therapy, 22(4), pp.437-452.
Friedman MJ, McEwan B. Posttraumatic stress disorder, allostatic load, and medical illness. In: Schnurr PP, Green BL, eds. Trauma and Health: Physical Health Consequences of Exposure to Extreme Stress. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association; 2004.
Garbarino, J., Guttmann, E. and Seeley, J.W., 1986. The psychologically battered child (p. 8). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Gould, M.S., Fisher, P., Parides, M., Flory, M. and Shaffer, D., 1996. Psychosocial risk factors of child and adolescent completed suicide. Archives of general psychiatry, 53(12), pp.1155-1162.
Gray, B., Robinson, C. and Seddon, D., 2008. Invisible Children: Young Carers of Parents with Mental Health Problems‐The Perspectives of Professionals. Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 13(4), pp.169-172
Grizenko, N. and Fisher, C., 1992. Review of studies of risk and protective factors for psychopathology in children. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 37(10), pp.711-721
Gross, J.J., 2002. Emotion regulation: Affective, cognitive, and social consequences. Psychophysiology, 39(3), pp.281-291
Grunbaum, J.A., Kann, L., Kinchen, S.A., Williams, B., Ross, J.G., Lowry, R. and Kolbe, L., 2002. Youth risk behavior surveillance—United States, 2001. Journal of School Health, 72(8), pp.313-328.
Ham, B.D., 2004. The effects of divorce and remarriage on the academic achievement of high school seniors. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 42(1-2), pp.159-178
Heim, C., Newport, D.J., Heit, S., Graham, Y.P., Wilcox, M., Bonsall, R., Miller, A.H. and Nemeroff, C.B., 2000. Pituitary-adrenal and autonomic responses to stress in women after sexual and physical abuse in childhood. Jama, 284(5), pp.592-597
Hill, K.G., Howell, J.C., Hawkins, J.D. and Battin-Pearson, S.R., 1999. Childhood risk factors for adolescent gang membership: Results from the Seattle Social Development Project. Journal of research in Crime and Delinquency, 36(3), pp.300-322.
Jones, D.P. and McGraw, J.M., 1987. Reliable and fictitious accounts of sexual abuse to children. Journal of interpersonal Violence, 2(1), pp.27-45.
Joyce, P.R., 2001. Improvements in the recognition and treatment of depression and decreasing suicide rates. New Zealand medical journal, 114(1145), p.535.
Klimes-Dougan, B., Free, K., Ronsaville, D., Stilwell, J., Welsh, C.J. and Radke-Yarrow, M., 1999. Suicidal ideation and attempts: a longitudinal investigation of children of depressed and well mothers. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 38(6), pp.651-659
Lamborn, S.D., Mounts, N.S., Steinberg, L. and Dornbusch, S.M., 1991. Patterns of competence and adjustment among adolescents from authoritative, authoritarian, indulgent, and neglectful families. Child development, 62(5), pp.1049-1065.
Leadbeater, B.J., Bishop, S.J. and Raver, C.C., 1996. Quality of mother–toddler interactions, maternal depressive symptoms, and behavior problems in preschoolers of adolescent mothers. Developmental Psychology, 32(2), p.280
Lee, K.S., Ferguson, R.M., Corpuz, M. and Gartner, L.M., 1988. Maternal age and incidence of low birth weight at term: a population study. American journal of obstetrics and gynecology, 158(1), pp.84-89.
Lipari, R.N. and Van Horn, S.L., 2017. Children living with parents who have a substance use disorder. The CBHSQ Report.
Loftus, E.F. and Palmer, J.C., 1974. Reconstruction of automobile destruction: An example of the interaction between language and memory. Journal of verbal learning and verbal behaviour. 13(5), pp.585-589.
Lopez-Duran, N.L., Olson, S.L., Hajal, N.J., Felt, B.T. and Vazquez, D.M., 2009. Hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis functioning in reactive and proactive aggression in children. Journal of abnormal child psychology, 37(2), pp.169-182.
Ludwig, J. and Sawhill, I., 2007. Success by Ten: Intervening Early, Often, and Effectively in the Education of Young Children. Discussion Paper 2007-02. Hamilton Project.
Martinez, I. and Garcia, J.F., 2008. Internalization of values and self-esteem among Brazilian teenagers from authoritative, indulgent, authoritarian, and neglectful homes. ADOLESCENCE-SAN DIEGO-, 43(169), p.13
Meinck, F., Cluver, L.D., Boyes, M.E. and Loening-Voysey, H., 2016. Physical, emotional and sexual adolescent abuse victimisation in South Africa: prevalence, incidence, perpetrators and locations. J Epidemiol Community Health, 70(9), pp.910-916.
Ochsner, K.N., Bunge, S.A., Gross, J.J. and Gabrieli, J.D., 2002. Rethinking feelings: an FMRI study of the cognitive regulation of emotion. Journal of cognitive neuroscience, 14(8), pp.1215-1229.
Olfson, M., Marcus, S.C., Pincus, H.A., Zito, J.M., Thompson, J.W. and Zarin, D.A., 1998. Antidepressant prescribing practices of outpatient psychiatrists. Archives of general psychiatry, 55(4), pp.310-316.
Peleg-Oren, N. and Teichman, M., 2006. Young children of parents with substance use disorders (SUD): A review of the literature and implications for social work practice. Journal of Social Work Practice in the Addictions, 6(1-2), pp.49-61.
Peters, J.J., 1976. Children who are victims of sexual assault and the psychology of offenders. American Journal of Psychotherapy, 30(3), pp.398-421
Pilowsky, D.J., Keyes, K.M. and Hasin, D.S., 2009. Adverse childhood events and lifetime alcohol dependence. American journal of public health, 99(2), pp.258-263.
Porter, S., Yuille, J.C. and Lehman, D.R., 1999. The nature of real, implanted, and fabricated memories for emotional childhood events: Implications for the recovered memory debate. Law and human behavior, 23(5), pp.517-537.
Poulton, R., Caspi, A., Milne, B.J., Thomson, W.M., Taylor, A., Sears, M.R. and Moffitt, T.E., 2002. Association between children’s experience of socioeconomic disadvantage and adult health: a life-course study. The lancet, 360(9346), pp.1640-1645.
Pretis, M. and Dimova, A., 2016. Early intervention with children of mentally ill parents. E. Reinhardt.
Reporter, A.C.E., 2003. The Effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Adult Health and Well Being.
Reynolds, A.J., Temple, J.A., Ou, S.R., Robertson, D.L., Mersky, J.P., Topitzes, J.W. and Niles, M.D., 2007. Effects of a school-based, early childhood intervention on adult health and well-being: A 19-year follow-up of low-income families. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 161(8), pp.730-739.
Romano, M.D., 1976. Preparing children for parental disability. Social Work in Health Care, 1(3), pp.309-315
Roy, P., Rutter, M. and Pickles, A., 2000. Institutional care: risk from family background or pattern of rearing?. The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines, 41(2), pp.139-149.
Shaffer, D. and Pfeffer, C.R., 2001. Practice parameter for the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents with suicidal behavior. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 40(7), pp.24S-51S.
Shields, A., Ryan, R.M. and Cicchetti, D., 2001. Narrative representations of caregivers and emotion dysregulation as predictors of maltreated children’s rejection by peers. Developmental psychology, 37(3), p.321.
Shipman, K., Zeman, J., Penza, S. and Champion, K., 2000. Emotion management skills in sexually maltreated and nonmaltreated girls: A developmental psychopathology perspective. Development and psychopathology, 12(1), pp.47-62.
Smyke, A.T., Dumitrescu, A. and Zeanah, C.H., 2002. Attachment disturbances in young children. I: The continuum of caretaking casualty. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 41(8), pp.972-982.
Smyke, A.T., Koga, S.F., Johnson, D.E., Fox, N.A., Marshall, P.J., Nelson, C.A., Zeanah, C.H. and BEIP Core Group, 2007. The caregiving context in institution‐reared and family‐reared infants and toddlers in Romania. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 48(2), pp.210-218.
Tizard, B. and Hodges, J., 1978. The effect of early institutional rearing on the development of eight year old children. Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, 19(2), pp.99-118.
Tizard, B. and Rees, J., 1975. The effect of early institutional rearing on the behaviour problems and affectional relationships of four-year-old children. Child Psychology & Psychiatry & Allied Disciplines.
Walberg, H.J. and Marjoribanks, K., 1976. Family environment and cognitive development: Twelve analytic models. Review of Educational Research, 46(4), pp.527-551.
Weiss, R.S., 1979. Growing up a little faster: The experience of growing up in a single‐parent household. Journal of Social Issues, 35(4), pp.97-111
Weitoft, G.R., Hjern, A., Haglund, B. and Rosén, M., 2003. Mortality, severe morbidity, and injury in children living with single parents in Sweden: a population-based study. The Lancet, 361(9354), pp.289-295
Whetten, K., Ostermann, J., Whetten, R.A., Pence, B.W., O’Donnell, K., Messer, L.C., Thielman, N.M. and Positive Outcomes for Orphans (POFO) Research Team, 2009. A comparison of the wellbeing of orphans and abandoned children ages 6–12 in institutional and community-based care settings in 5 less wealthy nations. PLoS One, 4(12), p.e8169.
Whitlock, J., Eckenrode, J. and Silverman, D., 2006. Self-injurious behaviors in a college population. Pediatrics, 117(6), pp.1939-1948.
Williams, L.M., 1994. Recall of childhood trauma: a prospective study of women’s memories of child sexual abuse. Journal of consulting and clinical psychology, 62(6), p.1167
Williams, O.B. and Corrigan, P.W., 1992. The differential effects of parental alcoholism and mental illness on their adult children. Journal of clinical psychology, 48(3), pp.406-414.
Wolff, P.H. and Fesseha, G., 1998. The orphans of Eritrea: Are orphanages part of the problem or part of the solution?. American Journal of Psychiatry, 155(10), pp.1319-1324.
Wood, D., Halfon, N., Scarlata, D., Newacheck, P. and Nessim, S., 1993. Impact of family relocation on children’s growth, development, school function, and behavior. JAMA, 270(11), pp.1334-1338.
Yannakoulia, M., Papanikolaou, K., Hatzopoulou, I., Efstathiou, E., Papoutsakis, C. and Dedoussis, G.V., 2008. Association between family divorce and children’s BMI and meal patterns: the GENDAI Study. Obesity, 16(6), pp.1382-1387.
Zeanah, C.H., Smyke, A.T., Koga, S.F., Carlson, E. and Bucharest Early Intervention Project Core Group, 2005. Attachment in institutionalized and community children in Romania. Child development, 76(5), pp.1015-1028.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2018 Studia Universitatis Babeș-Bolyai Bioethica
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.