Dataset Information

How Stressful Is Examining Children with Symptoms of Child Abuse?-Measurement of Stress Appraisal (SAM) in German Physicians with Key Expertise in Pediatrics.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Pediatricians frequently feel uncertain about their ability to detect early symptoms of child abuse and how to respond in suspected cases.

Aim

This study investigated the transactional stress model in German pediatricians who experienced imagination stories with a child protection scenario and another potentially stress-triggering scenario.

Methods

A two-part survey was conducted online. Each part included a different imagination story and evaluation of the Stress Appraisal Measure (SAM), as well as questions on child protection, current problematics, and suggested remedies. In total, 96 pediatricians participated. The child abuse scenario was perceived as significantly more threatening and more stressful than a medical emergency. The pediatricians declared moderate familiarity with the Child Protection Guidelines and the Federal Child Protection Act and an average confidence in their application. The greatest perceived problems were communication difficulties with parents and youth welfare services. Suggested improvements were concrete procedural directives, more training programs, better interdisciplinary networks, and greater exchange among colleagues.

Conclusions

To optimize their potential in the child protection system, pediatricians need to be better supported in coping with the identified stressors in child abuse scenarios.

SUBMITTER: Thiekotter L

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9600667 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

How Stressful Is Examining Children with Symptoms of Child Abuse?-Measurement of Stress Appraisal (SAM) in German Physicians with Key Expertise in Pediatrics.

Thiekötter Louisa L Schmidt Peter P Scheiderer Marie-Léne ML Wunram Heidrun Lioba HL Paulussen Michael M Reis Daniela D Fricke Oliver O

Children (Basel, Switzerland) 20221019 10

<h4>Background</h4>Pediatricians frequently feel uncertain about their ability to detect early symptoms of child abuse and how to respond in suspected cases.<h4>Aim</h4>This study investigated the transactional stress model in German pediatricians who experienced imagination stories with a child protection scenario and another potentially stress-triggering scenario.<h4>Methods</h4>A two-part survey was conducted online. Each part included a different imagination story and evaluation of the Stres ...[more]

PMID: 36291514

Similar Datasets

Project description:Objectives This questionnaire-based validation study investigated if the dental examination of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder is viewed by dentists with key expertise in paediatric dentistry as a challenge or a threat in terms of transactional stress theory. The Stress Appraisal Measure (SAM) was used for this purpose and it‘s feasibility and validity was examined as a first part of a multi-stage process for validation in dentistry with a sample of German dentists. It has hardly been investigated how the treatment of children and adolescents with a disorder from the autism spectrum is perceived by dentists. Methods An online-based survey (39 questions) plus the SAM as an add-on as well as a preceding short story of imagination on the topic (appointment for a dental check-up in a special school) were developed. Via e-mail members of the German Society of Paediatric Dentistry (DGKiZ) received a link which enabled interested members to participate. The majority of the members of the DGKiZ have additional qualifications in the treatment of children and adolescents and further training in the area of special needs care in dentistry. The data analysis was based on the SAM and its subscales. Results Out of the 1.725 members of DGKiZ 92 participants (11 male, 81 female) fully completed the questionnaire and the SAM. All in all the dentists rated their own psychological and physical stress in course of treating children and adolescents with a disorder from the autism spectrum between less and partly stressful. Although the structure of the SAM could not be fully mapped by means of a factor analysis, the different ratings "challenge" or "threat" could be comprehensibly evaluated after reading the story. The participants rated the situation from the story in general as challenging but not as threatening. Intercorrelations between the subscales of the SAM (e.g threat and centrality) of r = .56 showed that the scales are not clearly independent of one another. According to the transactional stress model, the SAM bases on, stress (perceived stressfulness) arises from appraisal processes (e.g. threat, controllable-by-self) that bring about a comparison between the requirements for the described situation and one’s own possibilities in terms of a person-environment-fit. In the hierarchical regression a variance of R2 = .48 could be explained with all six subscales (appraisal processes) to predict perceived stressfulness of the SAM within a sample of dentists. Conclusions Due to the response rate the results of the SAM are not representative for all German dentists, but it offers an insight into topics of special needs dentistry in Germany that have not yet been examined. Overall, the feasibility and validity of the SAM in the context of mapping cognitive appraisal processes and stress could be confirmed. Taking into account the result that the treatment of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder is seen as a challenge, it is concluded that there is a need to improve the education of dental students and graduated dentists in Germany in the field of special needs dentistry.

Dataset Information

How Stressful Is Examining Children with Symptoms of Child Abuse?-Measurement of Stress Appraisal (SAM) in German Physicians with Key Expertise in Pediatrics.

Background

Aim

Methods

Conclusions

Publications

How Stressful Is Examining Children with Symptoms of Child Abuse?-Measurement of Stress Appraisal (SAM) in German Physicians with Key Expertise in Pediatrics.

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