Thriving despite Parental Physical Abuse in Adolescence: A Two-Wave Latent Transition Analysis on Hedonic and Eudaimonic Violence-Resilience Outcome Indicators

Abstract

Internationally, about 25% of all children experience physical abuse by their parents. Despite the numerous odds against them, about 30% of adolescents who have experienced even the most serious forms of physical abuse by their parents escape the vicious family violence cycle. In this study, we analyzed longitudinally the data from a sample of N = 1767 seventh-grade high school students in Switzerland on physical abuse by their parents. We did this by conducting an online questionnaire twice within the school year. We found that in our sample, about 30% of the participating adolescents’ parents had physically abused them. We considered violence resilience a multi-systemic construct that included the absence of psychopathology on one hand and both forms of well-being (psychological and subjective) on the other. Our latent construct included both feeling good (hedonic indicators, such as high levels of self-esteem and low levels of depression/anxiety and dissociation) and doing well (eudaimonic indicators, such as high levels of self-determination and self-efficacy as well as low levels of aggression toward peers). By applying a person-oriented analytical approach via latent transition analysis with a sub-sample of students who experienced physical abuse (nw2 = 523), we identified and compared longitudinally four distinct violence-resilience patterns and their respective trajectories. By applying to the field of resilience, one of the most compelling insights of well-being research (Deci & Ryan, 2001), we identified violence resilience as a complex, multidimensional latent construct that concerns hedonic and eudaimonic well-being and is not solely based on terms of psychopathology.

Exposure to Intimate-Partner Violence and Resilience Trajectories of Adolescents: A Two-Wave Longitudinal Latent Transition Analysis

“…Cameranesi [55], who specifically examined IPV exposure from a psychopathology perspective, found four adjustment profiles: resilient, multiple severe problems, multiple mild problems, and externalizing problems. Kassis et al [10] also found four resilience and well-being patterns despite physical parental violence experiences, which they based on the dual-factor model of mental health, which include the resilient, troubled, vulnerable, and non-resilient. Janousch et al [56], who examined resilience trajectories in Switzerland without accounting for risk factors, found three trajectories: resilient, non-resilient, and untroubled.…”

“…Youths are at a significant risk of lifelong neg-ative consequences that are also reflected in society [7,8], with intimate-partner violence (IPV) exposure being one of the most common familial burdens for them [9]. Violence resilience refers to a process whereby individuals develop adaptively despite experiences of violence that lead to the significantly increased likelihood of negative socio-emotional consequences [10]. According to Masten [11], resilient outcomes are characterized by competence at age-specific developmental tasks as well as an absence of psychopathological symptoms, despite risk exposure.…”

Understanding Family Risk and Protective Factors That Shape Child Development

“…This Special Issue features 18 articles that examine family risk and resilience among children and adolescents across developmental stages, ranging from early childhood to late adolescence/young adulthood. A wide range of child outcomes are examined in these studies, including children’s use of electronic devices [ 1 , 2 ], maltreatment experiences [ 3 ], mental health [ 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ], school readiness and academic functioning [ 8 ], suicidal thoughts and behaviors [ 9 ], socioemotional development [ 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 ], and resilient/adaptive functioning [ 14 , 15 , 16 ].…”

“…Looking beyond risk factors, several papers focused on family strengths and protective factors related to childhood resilience. For example, Kassis et al examined hedonic and eudaimonic well-being among adolescents with physical abuse experiences and identified distinct violence-resilient patterns and trajectories [ 14 ]. Not surprisingly, many studies found parenting or other parent-related constructs (e.g., parental relationships, parental support) to be key family protective factors in relation to positive child outcomes.…”

“…Notably, this Special Issue includes studies that represent diverse regions, cultures, and contexts. The international studies featured in this Special Issue involve study participants from South Africa and Canada [ 6 ], China [ 7 ], Switzerland [ 13 , 14 ], Malaysia [ 2 ], and South Korea [ 1 ]. Findings from these studies offer valuable insights that enrich our understanding of cultural differences and nuances related to the influence of family risk and protective factors on child development.…”