TTLA: Psychological disorders in children living in violent families

1. Full name of the researcher:Nguyen Ba Dat

2. Gender:Male

3. Date of birth:5/6/1975 

4. Place of birth:Thanh Thuy, Phu Tho

5. Decision on recognition of PhD student No.: According to Decision No. 4152/QD-SDH, dated July 15, 2008 of the Director of Hanoi National University.

6. Changes in the training process:Document on changing the topic name in Decision No. 421/QD-SDH, dated April 7, 2011 of the President of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

7. Thesis topic name:“Psychological disorders in children living in violent families”.

8. Major:Social psychology;

9. Code:pilot

10. Instructor:

• Prof. Dr. Tran Thi Minh Duc
• Associate Professor, Dr. Vo Thi Minh Chi

11. Summary of new results of the thesis:

(1).Psychological disorders in children living in violent families are understood as abnormal mental health states caused by domestic violence, manifested emotionally as anxiety and depression, behaviorally as aggressive and delinquent behavior, cognitively as the most obvious misconception about oneself and one's family; physically as psychosomatic disorders such as stomachaches, headaches and rashes.

(2).The results of the study using the Child Self-Reported Behavior Inventory (YSR) showed that, out of a total of 141 children living in violent families: 51 children (36.2%) were not mentally disturbed; 50 children (35.5%) were in a borderline state between normal and pathological; 40 children (28.3%) were mentally disturbed. Anxiety - depression, aggressive behavior were the clinical signs and symptoms that the largest number of children suffered from. Clinical symptoms such as psychosomatic disorders, anxiety - depression, withdrawal, delinquent behavior, aggression, etc., in children with psychological disorders were closely linked.

(3). Children living in violent families with psychological disorders have more difficulty in social adaptation, problem solving and schooling than children living in violent families without psychological disorders.

(4). Repeated violence between parents, guilt, parental punishment when children make mistakes, and the mother's mental health are factors that increase psychological disorders in children.

(5).Group intervention through life skills education is an effective intervention for children who are borderline between normal and pathological or have mild psychological disorders. Group intervention is not effective for children living in violent families who have severe psychological disorders and signs of depression.

12. Practical application:The research results of the thesis are a scientific basis and a useful reference for individuals, agencies, and social organizations operating in the field of domestic violence prevention; child protection, care, and education.

13. Further research directions: The research results of the thesis suggest research directions on (1) difficulties in social and school adaptation of children whose father or mother works abroad (2) coping ability of children who are physically, mentally and sexually abused (3) coping ability of children after life shocks such as parents or relatives suddenly falling ill, passing away or having an accident.

14. Published works related to the thesis.

1. Nguyen Ba Dat (2014), “Post-traumatic stress disorder in children in violent families”,Journal of Psychology(1), pp. 51 – 58.
2. Nguyen Ba Dat, Nguyen Ha Thanh (2013), "Psychological consultation in social work for individuals or groups with post-traumatic psychological trauma",Proceedings of the International Scientific Conference: Improving social work professionalism for development and integration,Pedagogical University Publishing House, Hanoi, pp. 613 – 620.
3. Nguyen Ba Dat (2013), "Theories in current research on school violence",Education and Society Magazine(31), pp. 8 – 11.
4. Nguyen Ba Dat (2012), "Children's psychology when witnessing domestic violence",Proceedings of the International Conference: Reality and future of Vietnamese families in the integrated world, Culture - Information Publishing House, Hanoi, pp. 231 - 238.
5. Nguyen Ba Dat (2012), "The consequences of domestic violence on children's psychology",Proceedings of the International Conference:Training, research and application of Psychology in the context of international integration,Hanoi National University Publishing House, Hanoi, pp. 53 – 59.
6. Nguyen Ba Dat (2012), "Maladaptive behaviors of adolescents in violent families",Journal of Psychology(4), pp. 68 – 75.
7. Nguyen Ba Dat (2010), "Reactions of adolescents when suffering domestic violence",Journal of Psychology(4), pp. 50 – 56.
8. Nguyen Ba Dat (2009), "Some studies on psychological trauma",Journal of Psychology(5), pp. 58 – 63.

INFORMATION ON DOCTORAL THESIS

1. Full name: NGUYEN BA DAT

2. Sex: male

3. Date of birth: June, 05, 1975

4. Place of birth: ThanhThuy, PhuTho

5.Admission decision number: Decision No 4152/QD-SĐH, dated July 15, 2008 by the President of Vietnam National University Hanoi.

6. Changes in academic process: Decision No 421/QD-SĐH, dated April 17, 2011 by the Rector of University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National Universit Hanoi.

7. Official thesis title: The psychological disorders in children living in families with domestic violence.

8. Major: Social Psychology

9. Code: Pilot training

10. Supervisors:

• Prof.PhD. Tran Thi Minh Duc
• Assoc.Prof.PhD. Vo Thi Minh Chi

11. Summary of the new findings of the thesis

(1). Psychological disorders in children living in violent families can be understood as a state of abnormal mental health caused by domestic violence, manifesting the state of anxiety-depression in emotion, typically the deviant aggressive behavior, the misperception of themself and their family, and somatic symptom disorder such as abdominal pain, headache and having rash.

(2).The results being investigated by the Youth self-report (YSR) showed that out of 141 children living with domestic violence, 51 children (36.2%) do not suffer from psychological disorders; 50 children (35.5%) are in the border between normal and pathological and the last 40 children (28.3%) have psychological disorders. Anxiety - depression, aggressive behavior are the most common clinical symptoms among those children. Those clinical symptoms are tightly connected to each other.

(3). Children who are living with domestic and having psychologicaldisorders have difficulties in social adaptation violence, problem solving much more than children not suffering from psychologicaldisorders.

(4). The repetition of violence between parents, guilt, punishment, parents' mental health are the factors that increase psychological disorders in children.

(5). Group intervention through life skills education is an effective way of treatment for children with simple psychological disorder. However, it's not effective with children from domestic violence who have serious mental disorders such as major depression.

12. Practical applicability

The result of the research is a scientific basis and usefulreference source for individuals and organizations, who work in the field of domestic violence prevention; children edu-care, protective service.

13. Further research directions

The result of the research open research directions for (1) difficulties in school and social adatation of children whose parents are in sexual labor export overseas program, (2) adaptive ability of children with physical, mental or abuse, (3) ) adaptive ability of children who have been through some traumatic life events, such as parents or ralatives suddenly got sick, have been in an accident or passed away.

14.Thesis – related publications

• Nguyen Ba Dat (2014), “PTSD among children from families with domestic violence”,Journal of Psychology(1), pp. 51 - 58.
• Nguyen Ba Dat, Nguyen Ha Thanh (2013), “counselingin social work with individuals and groups with PTSD.”,International Social work Conference: Enhancing specialization of social work for development and integration, University of Education Hanoi, pp. 613 – 620.
• Nguyen Ba Dat (2013), “Theories applied in researches related to current school violence”,Educationnal & social review(31), pp. 8 – 11.
• Nguyen Ba Dat (2012), “Child's psychology when witnessing family violent incident”,International Conference: Reality and future of family in the integrated world, Hanoi University of Culture, pp. 231 – 238.
• Nguyen Ba Dat (2012), “The impacts of domestic violence on the children's psychology”,International Conference: Training, Research and Application of psychology in the context of international integration,Vietnam National University Hanoi, pp. 53 - 59.
• Nguyen Ba Dat (2012), “Maladaptive behaviors of adoslescents in violent families”,Journal of Psychology(4), pp. 68 - 75.
• Nguyen Ba Dat (2010), “Adoslescents' reactions when bearing or witnessing domestic violence”,Journal of Psychology(4), pp. 50 – 56.
• Nguyen Ba Dat (2009), “Studying psychological trauma”, traumaJournal of Psychology(5), pp. 58 – 63.