Hard, Concerned and Scared: Analyzing Emotion Words to Identify Needs in Mandated Reporter Training

• In Event: Poster Session 04
  In Poster Session: PS 04 Topic - Prevention and Interventions

Abstract

Introduction. The Battered Child Syndrome by Kempe et al. (1962) effectively surfaced the issue of child maltreatment. Recent studies have confirmed that chronic or severely traumatic adversities in early years, such as child abuse and neglect (CAN), can become toxic and damaging to children’s brains, and relate to learning and behavior problems, as well as, health disparities (e.g., Felitti et al., 1998). Currently, the Federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) requires every state to have provisions for mandated reporters. The number of investigated cases has increased rapidly as a result despite confirmed cases remaining relatively steady (KidsCount, 2020). While children’s well-being is an undebatable priority, reporting a case places an emotional burden on mandated reporters. An understanding of the gaps in training that could alleviate or reduce such burden is urgently needed.
Research questions:
How do mandated reporters experience reporting suspected cases of CAN?
How do feelings and emotions expressed by mandated reporters inform the needs and gaps in the current training by profession?
Sample. Mandated reporter categories on the state Department of Health and Human Services website were condensed into five categories based on related professions. Seventeen focus groups, assigned based on these categories, were conducted with forty-one participants: early childhood (21); law enforcement/court (4); medical/nursing (4); psychologists, counselors and therapists (6); and schools (6).
Methods. Participants were recruited via an online survey distributed to over 20,000 mandated reporters in one midwestern state as a part of a larger community needs assessment. Those who expressed interest in focus groups were categorized by profession, randomly selected and contacted. The sessions were recorded and transcribed using Zoom. Additional interviews are being conducted to follow up with individuals who agreed, but could not participate.
We generated an aggregate Word List using Atlas.ti 8.0, coded the words as emotion or non-emotion, and categorized each as negative, neutral, or positive. Emotion words were then examined within context, and coded for content and speakers’ roles (supervisory or not).
Results. Table 1 summarizes the emotion words that appeared at least five times across all focus groups. That the derivatives of “feel” occurred 240 times, followed by “emotion” (30 times), imply that feelings and emotions are central in mandated reporters’ experiences. The three frequent negative emotion words were the derivatives of “hard”(80), “concern”(37) and “scare” (30). There were far fewer positive emotion words: “awesome” (22) “happy” (16), and “excite” (12). Sample quotes for the negative emotion words are shown in Table 2. Additional analysis will be performed on how the various emotion words illuminate the challenges as well as successes of mandated reporters by profession and roles.
Discussion/implication. The project was delayed due to COVID-19 closures, and data collection and analysis are still in progress. The study is expected to provide an in-depth look into the burden that mandated reporters feel, how their experiences may differ by profession and/or roles, and how this secondary prevention activity may be catered to support their “sense of duty.”

Authors

• Tomoko Wakabayashi, Oakland University
  Presenting Author

• Melissa Bishop, Coastal Carolina University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Katie Homant, Oakland University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Carol A. Markley, Oakland University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Katie Sloan, Central Michigan University
  Non-Presenting Author