Publications from ODSW Social Insights: Letters by DSW (Vol 2) | Page 168

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outcomes of children 9. By poly-victimization, we mean multiple types of
abuse inflicted on a child. With the findings from these studies, we could do
more to identify cases of similar profile and circumstances and provide more
targeted support to prevent a further escalation of risk.

The Importance of Research in our Practice
14
In addition, I would also like to highlight the value of research and
its implications on practice, and how we also ought to be more discerning
in how we interpret data. In general, we see statistics on increasing
trends of divorce and we tend to correlate it with negative outcomes for
children. However, Michael Rutter in his research, “Maternal Deprivation
Reassessed”, in 1981 10 concluded that it was not separation per se that
was harmful. Instead, it was the quality of parenting and other parent-child
experiences before and after the separation, that affect child outcomes. It is
the extent and persistence of marital discord and tension that affect children
more than the marital status of the parents ie if they are divorced, separated
or physically absent. Hence, when we come across couples undergoing
divorce in Singapore, and there are children in the families, we need to
consider how best to ensure that the children are not affected in a negative
way. How do we ensure that the matters of care and control and parenting
are settled amicably, and in the interest of the children? How do we work
with the couples to prevent their children from being triangulated in the
marital discord?
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Another notable study conducted by the US Centre of Disease
Control was a longitudinal study on Adverse Childhood Experiences. 11
The study showed that adverse childhood experiences such as child
abuse or neglect, witnessing domestic violence, growing up with parents’
substance abuse, marital discord or crime, were strongly correlated with
the risk of developing disease, and health and social problems throughout
one’s lifespan. Some of such problems include alcoholism, depression,
foetal death, suicide attempts, unintended pregnancies, and early death.
Such knowledge should inform the way we design our interventions and
support systems in order to mitigate the impact of these adverse childhood
experiences.
9

10
11

Rehabilitation and Protection Group. (2015). Effects of Polyvictimisation on Children
and Adolescents in the Child Protection (Unpublished). Ministry of Social and Family
Development, Singapore.
Michael Rutter (1981). Maternal Deprivation Reassessed. Penguin Books
The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study is one of the largest investigations ever
conducted to assess associations between childhood maltreatment and later-life health
and well-being. The study is a collaboration between the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention and Kaiser Permanente's Health Appraisal Clinic in San Diego. http://www.cdc.
gov/violenceprevention/acestudy/
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