0000000000398703

AUTHOR

Cedric Sachser

Authoritarianism and the transgenerational transmission of corporal punishment.

Abstract Background Authoritarianism, firstly described by Horkheimer in 1936, is characterized by submission to authorities, aggression against subordinates and conventionalism. Authoritarianism is discussed as major contributor for right-wing attitudes. Horkheimer hypothesized that authoritarianism has its origin in the experience of harsh parenting and exposure to corporal punishment (CP) by authoritarian parents. The other way around, literature points towards an association between conventionalism and support of CP as disciplinary method, suggesting a role of authoritarianism in the vicious cycle of transgenerational transmission of CP. Objective We aimed to assess the association of a…

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Child maltreatment by nursing staff and caregivers in German institutions: A population-representative analysis.

Abstract Background Child maltreatment by caregivers seem to make a significant contribution to general maltreatment rates. Interestingly, research assessing prevalence rates of maltreatment mainly focuses on individual components either in relation to different types of maltreatment or in relation to different types of institutions. Objective The current study assesses prevalence rates for child maltreatment by caregivers in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, facilities for the disabled, schools, Kindergartens, and after-school care or residential care. Participants and setting: In a cross-sectional survey, a representative sample of the German population above the age of 14 (N = 2,516) wa…

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The Prevalence and Consequences of Adverse Childhood Experiences in the German Population

Background Multiple studies have shown a link between cumulative adverse experiences in childhood and a wide variety of psychosocial problems in later life. There have not been any pertinent representative studies of the German population until now. The goal of this study is to determine the frequency of adverse childhood experiences (ACE), the extent to which they manifest themselves in patterns of co-occurrence, and their possible connection to psychosocial abnormalities in the German population. Methods 2531 persons (55.4% female) aged 14 years and up (mean [M] = 48.6 years, standard deviation [SD] = 18) were retro- spectively studied for ACE and psychosocial abnormalities by means of th…

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The immediate impact of lockdown measures on mental health and couples’ relationships during the COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundLockdown measures during the COVID-19 pandemic are expected to have negative effects on mental health and relationship quality. However, little is known about the magnitude of these psychological effects on a population level and for vulnerable subgroups.MethodsA representative sample (N = 2503; 50.2% female; mean age = 49.5) of the German population was assessed face-to-face during the COVID-19 pandemic (February 10-April 25, 2020). They were examined for differences in mental health (BSI-18) and relationship quality (PFB) in a pre-lockdown and lockdown subsamples. After testing and establishing the measurement models in confirmatory factor analyses, we added covariates as predic…

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Adverse Childhood Experiences and Avatar Preferences in Online Games

Abstract. This study investigates the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), age, and sex with respect to their avatar preference in online games. The analyses comprise a subsample of n = 1817 adolescents and adults from 14 to 60 years within a representative German population-based study. Results indicate that 14 % of this sample uses avatars in online games, with significantly more males (22.6 %) than females (7.7 %) doing so. Persons with multiple ACEs (≥ 4) have a higher OR of 2.05 (95 % CI: 1.418–2.956) to use avatars in online games. Regarding avatar preference, females are more likely to play supporters than males, and males are more likely to choose damagers and…

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Child maltreatment is mediating long-term consequences of household dysfunction in a population representative sample.

AbstractBackground:Adverse childhood experiences (ACE) exhibit long-lasting consequences on later life and are considered as a major public health problem. ACEs can be divided into household dysfunctions, which affect the child indirectly, and direct maltreatment. As a high correlation between ACEs in general is known, we assessed the risk for child maltreatment associated with the occurrence of household dysfunctions. To provide a better understanding for the mechanisms leading to the deleterious sequelae of ACEs, we furthermore assessed whether the long-term consequences of household dysfunction are mediated by child maltreatment and thereby might be targeted by effective child protection…

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