Samantha Brown | University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (original) (raw)

Papers by Samantha Brown

Background & Current Study Children exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV) are at increased r... more Background & Current Study Children exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV) are at increased risk for the development of internalizing and externalizing behavior problems and poor socioemotional functioning (e.g., Gewirtz & Edleson, 2007). Studies also indicate that children who are exposed to both IPV and animal cruelty may be at elevated risk for mental health and behavior problems (e.g., Simmons & Lehmann, 2007). To date, most studies in this area have focused on the influence of children’s exposure to animal cruelty in relation to externalizing disorders and the development of aggressive behaviors. The current study adds to the literature by examining the relationship between exposure to IPV and concomitant animal cruelty and maternal reports of internalizing behaviors and trauma symptoms in a sample of elementary school-aged children. Method Participants included 90 mothers and their children (mean age: 9.45; 49% male, 50% female; 65% ethnic/racial minority) who were receivi...

Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 2015

ABSTRACT Purpose Literature shows that youth who identify as LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans... more ABSTRACT Purpose Literature shows that youth who identify as LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer) experience high rates of victimization across various contexts, though there is little research specific to partner violence victimization. Given the deleterious effects of partner violence seen in both youth generally and LGBTQ adults, it is imperative to investigate partner violence among LGBTQ youth. Methods The authors investigated the prevalence of partner violence among a community sample of LGBTQ youth (N=140) and examined potential correlates of said violence. Results Approximately half of the participants had ever experienced some form of partner violence. Rates of ever experiencing partner violence were approximately 2.5 times higher for youth who had binge drank in the past month or ever experienced familial abuse and nearly 3 times higher for youth who had experienced an episode of homelessness in the past year. Discussion Implications for professionals who serve LGBTQ youth are discussed.

Community Mental Health Journal, 2015

The extent to which measures of coping adequately capture the ways that homeless youth cope with ... more The extent to which measures of coping adequately capture the ways that homeless youth cope with challenges, and the influence these coping styles have on mental health outcomes, is largely absent from the literature. This study tests the factor structure of the Coping Scale using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and then investigates the relationship between coping styles and depression using hierarchical logistic regression with data from 201 homeless youth. Results of the EFA indicate a 3-factor structure of coping, which includes active, avoidant, and social coping styles. Results of the hierarchical logistic regression show that homeless youth who engage in greater avoidant coping are at increased risk of meeting criteria for major depressive disorder. Findings provide insight into the utility of a preliminary tool for assessing homeless youths' coping styles. Such assessment may identify malleable risk factors that could be addressed by service providers to help prevent mental health problems.

Research on Social Work Practice, 2014

Objective: To use meta-analytic techniques to evaluating the effectiveness of parent-child intera... more Objective: To use meta-analytic techniques to evaluating the effectiveness of parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT) at reducing future physical abuse among physically abusive families. Methods: A systematic search identified six eligible studies. Outcomes of interest were physical abuse recurrence, child abuse potential, and parenting stress. Results: Parents receiving PCIT had significantly fewer physical abuse recurrences and significantly greater reductions on the Parenting Stress Index than parents in comparison groups. Reductions in child abuse potential were nonsignificant, although 95% confidence intervals suggest clinically meaningful treatment effects. The studies examining physical abuse recurrence had a medium treatment effect (g ¼ 0.52), while results from pooled effect size estimates for child abuse potential (g ¼ 0.31) and parenting stress (g ¼ 0.35) were small. Conclusions: PCIT appears to be effective at reducing physical abuse recurrence and parenting stress for physically abusive families, with the largest treatment effects seen on long-term physical abuse recurrence. Applications to social work practice are discussed.

Child maltreatment, Jan 14, 2014

Exposure to multiple forms of maltreatment during childhood is associated with serious mental hea... more Exposure to multiple forms of maltreatment during childhood is associated with serious mental health consequences among youth in the general population, but limited empirical attention has focused on homeless youth-a population with markedly high rates of childhood maltreatment followed by elevated rates of street victimization. This study investigated the rates of multiple childhood abuses (physical, sexual, and emotional abuse) and multiple street victimizations (robbery, physical assault, and sexual assault) and examined their relative relationships to mental health outcomes (meeting Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision, criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD], depression, and substance use disorder) among a large (N = 601) multisite sample of homeless youth. Approximately 79% of youth retrospectively reported multiple childhood abuses (two or more types) and 28% reported multiple street victimizations (two or more types)...