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Brain Sciences
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Shedding Light on the Hidden Epidemic of Violence and Brain...
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Shedding Light on the Hidden Epidemic of Violence and Brain Injury

A special issue of Brain Sciences (ISSN 2076-3425). This special issue belongs to the section "Neuropharmacology and Neuropathology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 August 2024) | Viewed by 10966

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Brian D. Greenwald

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, Nutley, NJ 07110, USA
2. JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute, Edison, NJ 08820, USA
Interests: brain injury rehabilitation; pharmacology; disorders of consciousness
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Eve M. Valera

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
2. Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
Interests: traumatic brain injury; trauma rehabilitation; intimate partner violence; strangulation and concussion

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Brain injury from head trauma or strangulation as a result of violence (such as intimate partner violence, youth violence, etc.) is an incredibly underappreciated and understudied problem globally. Although brain injury due to violence was found to occur quite frequently in the early 1990s, it has not received much attention until fairly recently. Individuals who suffer from violence, especially intimate partner violence (IPV)-related brain injury, often experience problems with both cognitive and psychological functioning, including  PTSD. IPV is underreported and therefore many injuries associated with it, including injuries to the brain, are untreated. The goal of this Special Issue is to discuss the pathophysiology of violence related brain injury; review opportunities for medical clinicians to recognize violence-related brain injury; understand the complex social and medical consequences of violence and brain injury; and look at prevention and treatment models.

Dr. Brian D. Greenwald
Dr. Eve M. Valera
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Brain Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • violence
  • intimate partner violence
  • youth violence
  • brain injury
  • cognition
  • psychological functioning

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 280 KiB  
Article
Improvements in Safety Outcomes Following Brief Healthcare-Based Intimate Partner Violence Interventions among Women Who Screen Positive for Intimate Partner Violence-Related Traumatic Brain Injuries
by Michelle M. Pebole, Brigitta M. Beck, Colin T. Mahoney and Katherine M. Iverson
Brain Sci. 2024, 14(10), 1008; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci14101008 - 6 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1686
Abstract
Background: Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are a common consequence of experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV). IPV-related TBI contributes to adverse health outcomes among women, but it is unknown whether a history of IPV-related TBI negatively impacts safety outcomes following healthcare-based interventions for IPV. [...] Read more.
Background: Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are a common consequence of experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV). IPV-related TBI contributes to adverse health outcomes among women, but it is unknown whether a history of IPV-related TBI negatively impacts safety outcomes following healthcare-based interventions for IPV. Methods: Using data from a larger randomized clinical trial, we explored the impact of IPV-related TBI status on safety-related outcomes in two healthcare-based IPV interventions. At baseline, 35% (n = 21) of the sample screened positive for IPV-related TBI history. We used repeated measures ANOVAs to examine differences in safety outcomes at post-treatment and 1-month follow-up based on treatment condition and IPV-related TBI status. Results: Significant interaction effects were found for safety outcomes, such that women with IPV-related TBI history experienced larger reductions in the frequency of physical IPV and similar reductions in sexual IPV across both treatment conditions compared to women without IPV-TBI (F(2, 102) = 10.88, p < 0.001; F(2, 98) = 3.93, p = 0.036). Conclusions: Findings suggest that brief healthcare-based IPV interventions may result in improvements in safety outcomes for women with a history of IPV-TBI. This highlights the continued need for implementation of promising IPV-focused interventions to promote safety and protect women from experiencing further IPV. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Shedding Light on the Hidden Epidemic of Violence and Brain Injury)
10 pages, 232 KiB  
Article
Examining the Utility of Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Traumatic Brain Injury Screening among Women Veterans: Recommendations for Expansion to Include Interpersonal Violence
by Michelle M. Pebole, Katherine M. Iverson, Caitlin M. Bolduc, Julie M. Joyce, Caroline A. Sablone and Catherine B. Fortier
Brain Sci. 2024, 14(8), 814; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci14080814 - 14 Aug 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2091
Abstract
Women veterans (WVs) are more likely than men veterans to experience traumatic brain injury (TBI) from causes unrelated to deployment. Yet, current Veterans Health Administration (VHA) TBI screening focuses on deployment. This study examines the utility of the VHA TBI screening tool for [...] Read more.
Women veterans (WVs) are more likely than men veterans to experience traumatic brain injury (TBI) from causes unrelated to deployment. Yet, current Veterans Health Administration (VHA) TBI screening focuses on deployment. This study examines the utility of the VHA TBI screening tool for WVs. Using the Boston Assessment for TBI-Lifetime (BAT-L) as the gold standard, sensitivity and specificity of the VHA screen were identified for deployment and non-deployment injuries. Injuries missed by the screen were thematically described. Sensitivity and specificity were compared by context (research, clinical). Ninety WVs were included; fifty-three (60.9%) met TBI criteria per the BAT-L. For TBIs occurring during deployment, sensitivity was higher in research (89.1%) compared to clinics (61.7%); specificity was lower in research (60.7%) compared to clinics (93.0%). The BAT-L identified 27 non-deployment TBIs not captured by the VHA screen, most frequently from physical assault or sports. The VHA screen does not include non-deployment events; thus, non-deployment sensitivity and specificity could not be calculated. For lifetime TBIs (deployment + non-deployment etiologies), sensitivity was higher in research (73.5%) compared to clinics (48.9%). Specificity was lower in research (60.0%) compared to clinics (100.0%). Findings can inform improvements to TBI screening among WVs, including expansion for interpersonal violence. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Shedding Light on the Hidden Epidemic of Violence and Brain Injury)
12 pages, 250 KiB  
Article
Head Injury and Associated Sequelae in Individuals Seeking Asylum in the United States: A Retrospective Mixed-Methods Review of Medico-Legal Affidavits
by Altaf Saadi, Julia Asfour, Maria Vassimon De Assis, Tessa Wilson, Rohini J. Haar and Michele Heisler
Brain Sci. 2024, 14(6), 599; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci14060599 - 14 Jun 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1537
Abstract
People seeking asylum are susceptible to head injury (HI) due to exposure to various forms of violence including war, torture, or interpersonal violence. Yet, the extents to which clinicians assess HI, and if so, what the associated characteristics are, are not well known. [...] Read more.
People seeking asylum are susceptible to head injury (HI) due to exposure to various forms of violence including war, torture, or interpersonal violence. Yet, the extents to which clinicians assess HI, and if so, what the associated characteristics are, are not well known. We analyzed 200 U.S.-based medico-legal affidavits using descriptive, multivariate regression, and thematic analysis. Head injury was documented in 38% of affidavits. Those who experienced physical violence were eight times likelier to experience HI than those who did not experience physical violence. Five themes emerged: (1) HI occurred commonly in the context of interpersonal violence (44%), followed by militarized violence (33%); (2) mechanisms of HI included direct blows to the head and asphyxiation, suggesting potential for both traumatic brain injury and brain injury from oxygen deprivation; (3) HI was often recurrent and concurrent with other physical injuries; (4) co-morbid psychiatric and post-concussive symptoms made it challenging to assess neurological and psychiatric etiologies; and (5) overall, there was a paucity of assessments and documentation of HI and sequelae. Among individuals assessed for asylum claims, HI is common, often recurrent, occurring in the context of interpersonal violence, and concurrent with psychological and other physical trauma. Physical violence is an important risk factor for HI, which should be assessed when physical violence is reported. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Shedding Light on the Hidden Epidemic of Violence and Brain Injury)

Review

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29 pages, 711 KiB  
Review
Tentative Causes of Brain and Neuropsychological Alterations in Women Victims of Intimate Partner Violence
by Julia C. Daugherty, Maripaz García-Navas-Menchero, Carmen Fernández-Fillol, Natalia Hidalgo-Ruzzante and Miguel Pérez-García
Brain Sci. 2024, 14(10), 996; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci14100996 - 30 Sep 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2689
Abstract
Victims of Intimate Partner Violence Against Women (IPVAW) experience neuropsychological and cerebral changes, which have been linked to several tentative causal mechanisms, including elevated cortisol levels, psychopathological disorders, traumatic brain injury (TBI), hypoxic/ischemic brain damage, and medical conditions related to IPVAW. While these [...] Read more.
Victims of Intimate Partner Violence Against Women (IPVAW) experience neuropsychological and cerebral changes, which have been linked to several tentative causal mechanisms, including elevated cortisol levels, psychopathological disorders, traumatic brain injury (TBI), hypoxic/ischemic brain damage, and medical conditions related to IPVAW. While these mechanisms and their effects on brain function and neuropsychological health are well-documented in other clinical populations, they manifest with unique characteristics in women affected by IPVAW. Specifically, IPVAW is chronic and repeated in nature, and mechanisms are often cumulative and may interact with other comorbid conditions. Thus, in light of existing literature on neuropsychological alterations in other populations, and recognizing the distinct features in women who experience IPVAW, we propose a new theoretical model—the Neuro-IPVAW model. This framework aims to explain the complex interplay between these mechanisms and their impact on cognitive and brain health in IPVAW victims. We anticipate that this theoretical model will be valuable for enhancing our understanding of neuropsychological and brain changes related to intimate partner violence, identifying research gaps in these mechanisms, and guiding future research directions in this area. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Shedding Light on the Hidden Epidemic of Violence and Brain Injury)
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14 pages, 498 KiB  
Review
Experiences of Domestic Violence in Adult Patients with Brain Injury: A Select Overview of Screening, Reporting, and Next Steps
by Jessie P. Chan, Kristen A. Harris, Arielle Berkowitz, Ally Ferber, Brian D. Greenwald and Eve M. Valera
Brain Sci. 2024, 14(7), 716; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci14070716 - 17 Jul 2024
Viewed by 2129
Abstract
This select overview examines the important intersection of adult domestic violence, including intimate partner violence and elder abuse, with brain injury. Despite the high prevalence of domestic violence amongst brain injury patients, there is a notable gap in screening and management training for [...] Read more.
This select overview examines the important intersection of adult domestic violence, including intimate partner violence and elder abuse, with brain injury. Despite the high prevalence of domestic violence amongst brain injury patients, there is a notable gap in screening and management training for providers. To provide optimal patient care, brain injury medicine clinicians must screen, recognize, and treat patients who have experienced domestic violence. This select overview highlights barriers to screening, validated screening tools from other medical disciplines, and management considerations for the brain injury clinician. A suggested protocol for domestic violence screening and management, as well as recommended resources for providers and patients, is summarized. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Shedding Light on the Hidden Epidemic of Violence and Brain Injury)
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