Abstract
BackgroundChildhood maltreatment affects social functioning in the general adult population. However, how child abuse affects functional disability in adulthood remains unknown. Thus, we investigated the correlation between child abuse, depressive symptoms, cognitive complaints, and functional disability in adult community volunteers.MethodsParticipants (N = 556) completed the Child Abuse and Trauma Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Cognitive Complaints in Bipolar Disorder Rating Assessment, and Sheehan Disability Scale. Multiple regression analyses and structural equation modeling were performed to evaluate scale correlations.ResultsStructural equation modeling showed that the direct effect of childhood maltreatment on depressive symptoms, the indirect effect of childhood maltreatment on cognitive function via depressive symptoms, and the indirect effects of childhood maltreatment on functional disability via depressive symptoms and via cognitive function were all significant. The direct effects of childhood maltreatment on cognitive function and functional disability were not significant. There was no significant association between variables.LimitationsCross-sectional designs cannot identify causal relationships between parameters. Participants were adult volunteers from the community; therefore, results may not be generalizable to individuals with psychiatric disorders. Sociodemographic variability was a limitation because we used self-reported childhood maltreatment.ConclusionsChildhood maltreatment indirectly affects functional disability via depressive symptoms and via cognitive function through depressive symptoms. We suggest that depressive symptoms and cognitive function play crucial roles in the influence of childhood maltreatment on functional disability in adult community volunteers.
Highlights
Childhood maltreatment affects the mental state of adults in the general population [1]
Structural equation modeling showed that the direct effect of childhood maltreatment on depressive symptoms, the indirect effect of childhood maltreatment on cognitive function via depressive symptoms, and the indirect effects of childhood maltreatment on functional disability via depressive symptoms and via cognitive function were all significant
We suggest that depressive symptoms and cognitive function play crucial roles in the influence of childhood maltreatment on functional disability in adult community volunteers
Summary
Childhood maltreatment affects the mental state of adults in the general population [1]. Previous research suggests that childhood maltreatment experiences increase the salience of stressful life events in adulthood [2]. The correlation between childhood maltreatment and personality is complex [4], and childhood trauma exposure affects clinical psychopathology [5]. Different types of childhood maltreatment are interrelated and are associated with differing severity of psychological distress in adulthood. Childhood maltreatment has various effects on mental function during adulthood [6]. Childhood maltreatment affects social functioning in the general adult population. How child abuse affects functional disability in adulthood remains unknown. We investigated the correlation between child abuse, depressive symptoms, cognitive complaints, and functional disability in adult community volunteers
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