Associations between childhood maltreatment and educational, health and economic outcomes among middle-aged Chinese: The moderating role of relative poverty

Abstract

BackgroundDespite substantial evidence in developed countries showing that child maltreatment can lead to serious life-long consequences, relatively few studies so far have examined the associations between childhood maltreatment and adulthood outcomes in developing countries, such as China. It also remains unclear as to the impact of relative poverty on the long-term development of maltreated children. ObjectiveThis study aims to investigate the associations between childhood maltreatment and educational, health, and economic outcomes among middle-aged Chinese, as well as explore the moderating effects of relative poverty. Participants and settingThe participants of this study were the middle-aged respondents (aged 45 to 59) in the 2011, 2013, and 2015 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Studies (CHARLS) and the CHARLS Life History Survey (N = 24,114). MethodsPhysical abuse and emotional neglect were measured to investigate childhood maltreatment. Subjective and objective indicators were used to examine relative poverty. A broad range of midlife outcomes were explored, including educational attainment, physical health, mental health, cognitive functions, labor force participation, wage expenditure, and financial strain. Data analyses were conducted using fixed effects model for panel data and a propensity score matching approach. ResultsChildhood physical abuse and emotional neglect were both significantly associated with lower levels of midlife educational attainment, cognitive functions, individual wages, and household expenditures, as well as higher rates of chronic diseases, depressive symptoms, poverty, and welfare involvement. Childhood physical abuse also predicted higher risks of difficulty performing the activities of daily living (ADL), unemployment, and fewer work hours. Early-life exposure to relative poverty was linked to a greater likelihood of childhood maltreatment and mid-life adversities. It further aggravated the negative impacts of childhood maltreatment on middle-age outcomes. ConclusionChild maltreatment had a profound effect on long-term child development and midlife outcomes in Chinese contexts. Relative poverty in early life was a moderator that exacerbated the outcomes associated with childhood maltreatment.