Spiritual well-being is an essential component of whole-person care and is increasingly recognized in various clinical disciplines as positively affecting mental health. Mantram repetition (MR) is an intervention rooted in Eastern spiritual traditions that has been shown to have clinical benefits, including reduction of psychological distress, among individuals with chronic psychological conditions. The central aim of this meta-analysis was to examine the effects of MR on spiritual well-being.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Interpers Violence
October 2024
Despite the documented increasing prevalence of elder abuse victimization and its devastating health effects, a life-course view of the victimization experiences of older adults has rarely been adopted in the elder abuse literature. The current study investigated lifetime links between victimization experiences by examining the indirect effect of adverse childhood experiences (ACE) on elder abuse victimization via intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization in middle adulthood, and whether this indirect association would differ by gender. Using data from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study, we analyzed the previous and current victimization experiences of a total of 5,391 older adults in their early 70s and estimated mediational and moderated mediation models.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are common, often co-occur, and are associated with poor health outcomes across the life course. Emerging research has emphasized the lasting consequences of ACEs across generations, suggesting parental ACEs are associated with poor physical and mental health outcomes in children. However, the individual effects of fathers' ACEs and pathways of transmission remain unclear.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs
June 2023
Unlabelled: WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: Researchers have examined several interventions for psychological distress, mindfulness being a popular one. One intervention that fosters mindfulness is mantram repetition. Mantram repetition is an ancient traditional practice of repeating a sacred word/phrase at various times throughout the day and whenever needed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Child Sex Abus
December 2022
Somatic symptom disorders are often misdiagnosed or minimized among men, especially in middle and older adulthood. Previous research investigating links between somatic disorders and early trauma, such as childhood sexual abuse (CSA), have mostly been based on small, non-representative, female samples using cross-sectional designs. The current study used data from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study to assess associations between CSA and somatic symptom severity among men in middle- and late-adulthood (mid-50s to early 70s) with histories of CSA ( = 129) and a matched, non-abused comparison group ( = 2,322).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground And Objectives: Guided by the life course perspective and traumagenic dynamics theory, the current study examines (a) the long-term effects of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and other adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on older adults' sexual and marital outcomes, (b) the mediating role of intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization in the association between childhood adversities and sexual and marital satisfaction, and (c) whether gender moderates the mediational association.
Research Design And Methods: We examined 5,391 adults in their early 70s who participated in the 2010-2011 Wisconsin Longitudinal Study. A series of structural equation models was performed to examine the direct and indirect effect of CSA and other ACEs on sexual and marital outcomes in later life.
The spectrum of adverse mental health trajectories caused by sexual abuse, broadly defined as exposure to rape and unwanted physical sexual contact, is well-known. Few studies have systematically appraised the epidemiology and impact of sexual abuse among boys and men. New meta-analytic insights ( = 44; = 45 172) reported by Zarchev and colleagues challenge assumptions that men experiencing mental ill health rarely report sexual abuse exposure.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: This exploratory study examined how perceived physical well-being, spiritual well-being and social support relate to depressive symptoms among American Indian (AI) female cancer survivors.
Methods: Cross-sectional data were obtained from 73 AI female cancer survivors between 32 to 77 years of age in the Midwest of the United States. Standardized measures were used to assess for depression (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depressive Symptoms Scale Short Form), spiritual well-being (Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy, Spiritual Well-being Scale), and social support (Medical Outcomes Study of Social Support Questionnaire).
Background: There is a growing awareness of the prevalence and consequences of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) for boys. Disclosure experiences often impact long-term functioning following CSA. Current understanding around disclosure has evolved from a singular act of telling to a broader, reciprocal process that can include discussion.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci
November 2021
Objectives: Elder abuse victimization is increasingly recognized as a pressing public health concern. However, few empirical studies have investigated whether early life course adversities and midlife sequelae heighten risks for abuse in late life. Guided by cumulative disadvantage theory, the current study examined whether compromised health in middle adulthood (physical, psychological, cognitive) mediates the association between child abuse and elder abuse.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Empirical research on the impact of early disclosure of child sexual abuse (CSA) on survivor health is limited and mixed. One recent study found that early disclosure may actually be detrimental for abuse cessation and adult symptomatology (Swingle et al., 2016).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe present study investigated distal and proximal factors associated with depression among a sample of 479 American Indian (AI) adults in the Midwest. Distal factors included histories of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and other childhood adversities. Proximal factors included levels of health self-efficacy and treatment for alcohol problems.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPrevious research has established that child sexual abuse (CSA) and other forms of child maltreatment can have lasting and profound implications for survivors in terms of externalizing symptomatology. Few studies, however, have examined long-term consequences of CSA and maltreatment among adopted children. Guided by a polyvictimization framework, the present study investigated: (a) rates of co-occurrence of pre-adoptive CSA and maltreatment among adopted children, and (b) the relative impact of pre-adoptive CSA and maltreatment on externalizing behaviors at 14 years post-adoption.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci
June 2019
Objectives: This study primarily examines the associations between histories of childhood maltreatment (i.e., neglect, emotional, physical, and sexual abuse) and elder abuse victimization and explores whether gender moderates the associations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHealth Qual Life Outcomes
October 2017
Background: The Kessler Psychological Distress Scale has been widely used in assessing psychological distress among general and clinical populations from different cultural backgrounds. To our knowledge, however, researchers have not yet validated any translated versions in Arabic. The purpose of this study was to test the reliability and validity of Arabic translations of the ten item (K10) and six item (K6) versions among public sector employees in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci
June 2019
Objective: Research investigating long-term effects of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) on mental health for men is vastly underdeveloped. This study strengthened the knowledge base by examining: (a) long-term trajectories of depressive symptoms for men with and without a history of CSA, and (b) moderating effects of social support over time.
Method: We analyzed multiple waves of data from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study.
Recent studies indicate that men experience unique barriers to disclosure of child sexual abuse. Blind spots held by mental health providers and social service agencies may inadvertently help produce and sustain these barriers. However, therapists who specialize in treating this population may also hold important insights into the barriers clients face.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFChildhood sexual abuse (CSA) is a widely acknowledged trauma that affects a substantial number of boys/men and has the potential to undermine mental health across the lifespan. Despite the topic's importance, few studies have examined the long-term effects of CSA on mental health in middle and late life for men. Most empirical studies on the effects of CSA have been conducted with women, non-probability samples, and samples of young or emerging adults with inadequate control variables.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFResearch on depression and intimate partner violence (IPV) experienced by Indigenous older adults is virtually nonexistent. Given the associations between IPV and depression and their disproportionately high rates among Indigenous peoples in a context of historical oppression, the purpose of this inquiry is to examine how IPV and social support are associated with depressive symptoms for Indigenous older adults. We expand the knowledge base on IPV in later life, which primarily focuses on female samples, by including older men.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDepression is a common problem among homeless men that may interfere with functional tasks, such as securing stable housing, obtaining employment, and accessing health services. Previous research on depression among homeless men has largely focused on current psychosocial resources, substance abuse, and past victimization. Guided by Ensel and Lin's life course stress process model, the authors examined whether distal stressors, including victimization and exposure to parent problems in childhood, contributed to men's depression above and beyond current (or proximal) stressors, such as substance abuse and health problems, and social resources.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFClergy-perpetrated sexual abuse (CPSA) during childhood represents a tragic betrayal of trust that inflicts damage on the survivor, the family, and the parish community. Survivors often report CPSA has a disturbing impact on their self-identity. Despite intense media coverage of clergy abuse globally in the Catholic Church (and other faith communities) over several decades, relatively few empirical studies have been conducted with survivors.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study examined the association between childhood maltreatment and intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization among Native American adults. Based on Riggs's theoretical model of the long-term effects of childhood abuse, we also examined the mediating roles of insecure attachment patterns and depressive symptoms. The current study was a secondary data analysis using the 2013 General Well-Being Among Native Americans dataset ( N = 479).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Interpers Violence
February 2017
Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a trauma that affects males in substantial numbers, sometimes in ways that are gender-specific (e.g., compromised masculine identity, confusion regarding sexuality).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRecent research indicates that child sexual abuse often undermines the health of boys and men across the lifespan. However, some male survivors experience a turning point marking a positive change in their health trajectories and healing process. Although frequently discussed in reference to physical health problems or addictions, very little is known about turning points with respect to child sexual abuse for men.
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