Interpersonal Mechanisms Between Child Maltreatment Timing and Young Adult Internalizing and Externalizing Symptomatology

Abstract

Children who experience maltreatment are prone to exhibit interpersonal deficits and lack secure attachment, which can lead to internalizing and externalizing symptomatology. This study investigated timing and chronicity of maltreatment and its impacts on psychopathology outcomes in young adulthood. Two interpersonal mediators were examined: problems with peers and childhood attachment security. Children with and without maltreatment exposure were recruited to take part in a 1-week research summer camp (N= 697; mean [SD] age= 11.29 [0.97] years; 71.3% Black or African American; 50.5% male). Participants were recontacted in young adulthood to complete a second wave of assessments (n= 427; mean [SD] age= 19.67 [1.16] years; 78.0% Black or African American; 48.9% male). Structural equation modeling was used to estimate indirect effects from child maltreatment timing to young adult internalizing and externalizing symptomatology via childhood attachment security and peer problems. Findings highlighted the detrimental impact of chronic maltreatment, which was associated with higher levels of peer problems (β= .24, p< .001) and less secure attachment (β=-.13, p< .01) in childhood. Also, lower attachment quality in childhood mediated the association between chronic maltreatment and self-reported internalizing (a× b= 0.02, p< .05) and externalizing symptomatology (a× b= 0.02, p< .05). Additionally, childhood peer problems mediated the association between chronic maltreatment and caregiver-reported internalizing problems (a× b= 0.04, p< .05). Chronic maltreatment is particularly harmful for interpersonal outcomes of children. Mediation findings differed by who reported on psychopathology, showing the importance of considering multireporter measures of psychopathology.