Self-Blame Mediates the Link between Childhood Neglect Experiences and Internalizing Symptoms in Low-Risk Adolescents

Michal Tanzer,Martin Debbané,Chloe Campbell,George Salaminios,Larisa Morosan

doi:10.1007/s40653-020-00307-z

Abstract

Childhood neglect is the most common type of maltreatment, ranging from minor isolated incidents to consistent failures in emotional/physical caregiving. It has been associated with developmental impairments and considered a risk factor for the emergence of psychopathology, particularly internalizing disorders. This study aimed to explore individual differences in response to the continuum of severity of neglect in community adolescents, as well as the role of specific cognitive emotion regulation strategies (CERSs) as mediators between childhood neglect and current internalizing symptoms. Low-risk adolescents (12–19 years old; M age 15.88 years; N = 123; 64 Females) completed questionnaires assessing these experiences. We employed a regression model and a simple mediation analyses. Findings indicate a positive association between childhood neglect, internalizing behaviors, and the adoption of self-blame as CERS. Moreover, the use of self-blame in response to everyday stress partially mediated the relationship between neglect and internalizing behaviors (effect size: .28). Findings support the hypothesis that even in a low risk sample, neglect is associated with internalizing symptoms, and highlight the importance of assessing individual differences in the experience of neglect. Moreover, the mediation effect of the CERSs of self-blame might serve as a potential target for psychotherapeutic interventions aimed at reducing internalizing symptoms.

Highlights

Childhood neglect is the most common type of maltreatment, ranging from minor isolated incidents to consistent failures in emotional/physical caregiving
We focus on individual differences in response to childhood experiences of neglect in low-risk adolescents, and examine how and whether these experiences relate to internalizing behaviors and the use of different cognitive emotion regulation strategies (CERSs)
The nonparametric Mann–Whitney U test for two independent groups revealed that males and females did not significantly differ in most of the variables [(i.e., internalizing behaviors (p = .79), neglect (p = .10) and abuse experience (p = .46), or the use of most of the CERSs except the use of rumination as a strategy: our findings suggested that females used this strategy more than males]

Summary

Introduction

Childhood neglect is the most common type of maltreatment, ranging from minor isolated incidents to consistent failures in emotional/physical caregiving It has been associated with developmental impairments and considered a risk factor for the emergence of psychopathology, internalizing disorders. Child neglect is commonly understood as the failure of caregivers (even without intent) to meet their child’s basic physical, emotional, medical, or educational needs (Gilbert et al 2009) It can include minor isolated incidents as well as more severe or consistent patterns of failure. We focus on individual differences in response to childhood experiences of neglect in low-risk adolescents, and examine how and whether these experiences relate to internalizing behaviors and the use of different cognitive emotion regulation strategies (CERSs). It has been shown that emotional neglect in early childhood is positively associated with social withdrawal in middle childhood and negatively with adolescents’ social competence (Shaffer et al 2009)

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