New grant will continue center’s work to prevent abuse and support children
Jul 5, 2023
Child maltreatment — which includes physical abuse, sexual abuse and neglect — affects at least 12% of children under 18 in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Each year, around two million children in the U.S. experience maltreatment, and the…
McElwee joins Solutions Network
Jun 12, 2023
Kassidy McElwee will be joining Penn State’s Child Maltreatment Solutions Networkas project manager, effective June 20. In this role, McElwee will be working with the Solutions Network's community-based research projects at the state level, assisting with grants and research related to child…
Font featured in "The Lost Debate" podcast
May 2, 2023
SSRI cofund Sarah Font, associate professor of sociology and public policy, is interviewed on the podcast special episode "Invisible Kids: America’s Journey From Orphanages To Foster Care" about programs that are meant to care for the country’s most vulnerable children: the child-welfare system.…
Penn State participates in Child Abuse Prevention Month event at state capital
Apr 17, 2023
Child abuse is a public health issue, with child protective services responding to almost four million allegations of child maltreatment across the country each year. To draw attention to the issue, April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, and in Pennsylvania, the recently held Child Abuse…
Scholarships in child maltreatment studies awarded
Apr 10, 2023
Penn State’s Child Maltreatment Solutions Network recently awarded scholarships to four students wanting to enter the fields of child maltreatment, child welfare, and child advocacy. The de Lissovoy Intern Scholarship, funded through an endowment in honor of Vladimir de Lissovoy, provides funding…
New center promotes health and healing from early-life trauma and adversity
Nov 22, 2022
Each year, millions of children in the United States experience significant trauma and adversities that can impact their health and well-being, including child abuse, racism, family violence, family separation or extreme poverty. Research over the last few decades has demonstrated strong…
Researchers analyze costs of child sexual abuse prevention programs
Sep 6, 2022
Researchers at Penn State’s Child Maltreatment Solutions Network analyzed the costs related to implementing a child sexual abuse (CSA) prevention program in schools in a new study. Regularly viewed as a human rights violation, public health experts estimate that 27% of females and 5% of males are…
Military sexual trauma more likely among veterans with adversity, trauma
Aug 17, 2022
Military Sexual Trauma (MST) is psychological trauma resulting from a physical assault of a sexual nature, battery of a sexual nature, or sexual harassment occurring while serving on active duty, active duty training, or inactive duty training in the military. Although a significant number of…
Child abuse investigations may not prevent poor sexual health outcomes in girls
Mar 30, 2022
The Child Protective Services (CPS) system aims to investigate and intervene in cases of child abuse and neglect, but a new study suggests it may be missing an opportunity to also help prevent poor sexual health outcomes in adolescent girls. The researchers found that girls who had undergone…
How do the effects of childhood abuse extend into middle age?
Jan 13, 2022
Childhood sexual abuse can lead to depression, anxiety, cardiovascular disease and other health problems later in life. Not all abused children experience these problems, however, and researchers are working to understand whose health is affected and why. In a new article in the journal…
Grant to support instruction of trauma-informed practices in the classroom
Dec 13, 2021
Trauma can have detrimental effects on the academic performance of students, particularly those with disabilities. A five-year training grant awarded to researchers in the Penn State College of Education will collaboratively prepare master’s degree candidates as special education teachers and…News Topics: College of EducationChild Maltreatment
Conference focuses on latest child maltreatment research methods
Nov 2, 2021
Investigating the newest methods for research concerning children was the focus of the 2021 Child Maltreatment Solutions Network Conference, held recently at Penn State’s University Park campus at the Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel, both in person and virtually. The two-day event featured 17…
EIC Podcast Episode 14: Navigating PA’s Child Welfare System and Issues of Child Maltreatment
Aug 29, 2021
On the latest Evidence-to-Impact Podcast, we explored Pennsylvania’s child welfare system and issues of child maltreatment through the lens of an existing partnership between Penn State and government partners. We spoke to Jennie Noll, Ph.D., professor of human development and family studies and…
Preventing child sexual abuse program effective addition to parent training
Nov 11, 2020
Researchers at Penn State’s Child Maltreatment Solutions Network are using a novel approach to further prevent child sexual abuse. They tested whether a child sexual abuse prevention program, Smart Parents–Safe and Healthy Kids (SPSHK), could be implemented as an additional module to already…
Registration open for a seminar about research of child maltreatment
Nov 3, 2020
Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute presents “The Impacts of Child Maltreatment on Development: Implications for Prevention and Policy” at its next Translational Science Seminar Series webinar from noon to 1 p.m. on Nov. 19. Jennie Noll, professor of human development and family…
Molecular stress indicator not observed in survivors of child sexual abuse
Aug 18, 2020
Researchers and medical experts have long known that child sexual abuse has profoundly negative effects on the health of survivors; however, an international team of researchers was not able to find a link between the abuse and telomere length, considered an indicator of cellular aging and health…
Preventing child abuse through upcoming webinar series
Jul 2, 2020
Penn State’s Child Maltreatment Solutions Network, though nationally recognized, is taking preventative measures that promote a safer community for the children locally in Centre County. Through partnerships with Centre County Youth Services Bureau and the YMCA of Centre County, the Solutions…
Impacts of the coronavirus pandemic on aggressive parenting
Jun 16, 2020
Penn State researchers provide informed commentary on the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic on aggressive parenting. During the pandemic, closed schools and daycare centers, parents working at home, and financial insecurity are increasing stress levels and frictions at home. These conditions lead…
New Penn State program will train next generation of child maltreatment scholars
May 26, 2020
Child maltreatment is a significant health issue, affecting more than 12% of children in the U.S. by the time they reach age 18, and is associated with a myriad of behavioral, emotional, and physical health problems for survivors. Researchers in Penn State’s Child Maltreatment Solutions Network…
Connell to research impact of social distancing
May 22, 2020
COVID-19 research to evaluate impact of public health responses to pandemic on children Christian Connell, associate professor of human development and family studies and associate director of the Child Maltreatment Solutions Network, has been funded by the Social Science Research Institute and …
SSRI cofunds named to trauma-informed initiative
May 19, 2020
Two SSRI cofunded faculty members were recently selected to join Governor Tom Wolf’s 'Trauma-Informed PA Think Tank', a statewide initiative to develop the commonwealth's capacity for trauma-informed care. Chad Shenk, associate professor of human development and family studies and associate…
Pandemic lockdown increases child abuse and family violence
May 14, 2020
Articles in U.S. News, The Atlantic, and the American Psychological Association quote SSRI cofunds Brian Allen, Jennie Noll, and Yo Jackson on how the pandemic is creating situations of isolation and parental stress, which are major risk factors for child abuse.
Connell to study impacts of COVID-19 and child maltreatment
Apr 16, 2020
Many populations are impacted by the effects of COVID-19 and the crisis response, but children may be especially vulnerable to poor outcomes during this time. Christian Connell, associate professor of human development and family studies and associate director of the Child Maltreatment Solutions…
Report offers recommendations for protecting children from trafficking, abuse
Mar 13, 2020
Penn State faculty with expertise in public health, nursing, sociology and criminology are working to better protect children from trafficking and sexual abuse. The researchers said they hope that by gaining a better understanding of the complexities of human trafficking and commercial sexual…
Groundbreaking Nursing Podcast Series Highlights Pennsylvania Nurses
Sep 20, 2019
The Pennsylvania Action Coalition is excited to announce “At the Core of Care,” a new podcast series that highlights the creative efforts of nurses and their partners to meet the health and health care needs of patients, families, and communities. “At the Core of Care” weaves together themes of…