Weekly Research Seminar Series - The ACE of (broken) hearts: the extent, nature, and lifetime adult consequences of childhood adversity in the United Arab Emirates

We are pleased to invite you to our Wednesday Research Seminar. It will be held in hybrid mode on 17th January from 4pm at Oasis Theatre and via Microsoft team platform. Wednesday Research Seminar Series was launched in 2008 and has featured more than 345 presentations to date. The seminars provide a forum for researchers to share their work. Presenters include faculty from Middlesex University Dubai and other universities in the United Arab Emirates, as well as researchers from other global institutions. Anthony will deliver seminar on:       

Weekly Research Seminar Series            

We are pleased to invite you to our Wednesday Research Seminar. It will be held in hybrid mode on 17th January from 4pm at Oasis Theatre and via Microsoft team platform. Wednesday Research Seminar Series was launched in 2008 and has featured more than 345 presentations to date. The seminars provide a forum for researchers to share their work. Presenters include faculty from Middlesex University Dubai and other universities in the United Arab Emirates, as well as researchers from other global institutions. Anthony will deliver seminar on:       
   
“The ACE of (broken) hearts: the extent, nature, and lifetime adult consequences of childhood adversity in the United Arab Emirates"
Anthony Murphy

Abstract

Exposure to adversities in childhood, including family dysfunction, abuse, and neglect demonstrate a significant impact on the global disease burden. A large body of literature has accumulated over the las 25-years highlighting the lifelong deleterious impact of these experiences across international settings, which, to date, have neglected the UAE. In the first work of its kind, we use several analytical techniques, to assess ACEs among a large community sample in Abu Dhabi, by examining patterns of ACEs and their associated impact on health, mental health, behavioural risk, and adult psychological function in a cross-sectional sample of 922 members of the community. Findings demonstrate a significant ACE burden within Abu Dhabi, as well as a significant health, mental health, and behavioural risk associated with their presence and accumulation. Using latent class analysis, a 3-class solution, representing low-to-no ACEs, Household ACEs, and Violence ACEs emerges, with variability in the sex and nationality status reflected across classes. These 3 ACE classes notably differentiate later adult risk for a suite of diagnoses of health and mental health disorders, risk for elevated screening values for depression, anxiety and stress, and a range of adult risk-related behaviours. These findings are considered in line with the extant literature and form the basis of considerable public health policy and intervention planning in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, and internationally.

Presenter Bio

Dr. Anthony Murphy is an Associate Professor of Forensic and Clinical Psychology at the University of Birmingham (UK), before which he was Associate Professor and Head of Psychology at the University of Birmingham, Dubai, where he was responsible for developing and opening the School of Psychology. Before this Anthony enjoyed a fulfilling and professionally developmental period as a Senior Lecturer at Middlesex University Dubai. Anthony’s background and training are in clinical and forensic psychology with an extensive focus on applied aspects of teaching trainee professional psychologists and research. The majority of his work is at the intersection of forensic and clinical practice, with significant focus on rape, sexual violence, domestic abuse, child abuse and exploitation, and developmental trajectories. He currently teaches extensively on the clinical and forensic professional doctorates at the University of Birmingham and remains an active contributor to the research and policy landscapes in the UK and the UAE. This presentation presents a body of Anthony’s work which focuses on child abuse, neglect, and adversity in the UAE and the lifelong consequences of these. These studies were commissioned, funded, and approved by the Abu Dhabi Government and the Early Childhood Authority of Abu Dhabi.