Child Maltreatment Research Articles

Childhood Maltreatment Associated with Anxiety and Depression and Complex PTSD Symptoms.

Childhood maltreatment has great impact on physical and mental health. This study was designed to investigate the relationship between childhood maltreatment experience, social support, Anxiety and Depression, and traumatic stress symptoms in adults. There were 113 subjects aged 20-35 recruited. They filled out self-reported questionnaires, including the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire Short Form (CTQ-SF), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ), Chinese version of the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), to measure symptom severity regarding childhood maltreatment, Anxiety and Depression, post-traumatic stress/complex post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSD/CPTSD), and social support. The symptom severity was compared between maltreatment and non-maltreatment groups. Regression and mediator analyzes were done to investigate the relationship between maltreatment experience, mental impact severity, and the role of social support. There were 74.3% of participants who had been maltreated as children. Those who experienced maltreatment had more PTSD/CPTSD symptom severity than those who did not. Family support, but not friend support, mediated the relationship between maltreatment and PTSD/CPTSD symptom severity. Childhood maltreatment was associated with Anxiety and Depression and CPTSD symptom severity in young adults. Future prospective studies are warranted to investigate the role of family support in preventing consequences after maltreatment.

The relationship of childhood maltreatment, adult sexual victimization, depressed mood and symptoms of trauma with fear of childbirth

Background: Fear of childbirth (FoB) is experienced to some degree by most pregnant people and can be intense enough to merit treatment. Despite significant research on the topic of FoB, studies investigating various forms of maltreatment and mental health symptoms in relation to FoB are very limited. In particular, studies including multiple forms of maltreatment along with mental health symptoms as predictors of FoB are extremely limited. We sought to fill this gap and clarify the relative contributions of these variables to the prediction of FoB. Methods: This was a secondary analysis of data from pregnant people in Canada. Participants (N = 881) provided demographic and reproductive history information, completed self-report measures of FoB, childhood maltreatment (multiple forms), adult sexual victimization, depressed mood and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). They were also administered a diagnostic interview to assess for specific phobia, FoB. Analyses included descriptive information, Wilcoxon rank sum tests, linear and logistic regression, and path analysis. Results: Most forms of maltreatment showed some association with increased FoB. However, when assessed together, only emotional maltreatment remained a significant predictor of FoB. Both depressed mood and symptoms of PTSD contributed more to FoB than maltreatment, and mediated the relationship of emotional maltreatment with FoB. The only direct effects of childhood emotional maltreatment on FoB were for fears of medical interventions and feelings of embarrassment during labour and delivery. Limitations: Study findings fill significant gaps in our understanding of the relationship between maltreatment, mental health symptoms and FoB. However, the study sample was limited to Canadian participants, most of whom were socio-economically advantaged, cis-gender women of European descent, thus limiting the generalizability of the findings. Further, as childhood maltreatment and sexual assault experiences in adulthood were reported retrospectively, study findings are also vulnerable to recall bias. Conclusions: Findings contribute to our understanding of the relationship between childhood maltreatment, adult sexual victimization, mental health and FoB. These findings can facilitate future research and improved care via a focus on depressed mood, symptoms of PTSD, emotional maltreatment and specific fears of medical interventions and social discomfort as significant contributors to one's experience of FoB.

Long-term impact of adverse childhood experiences and perceived social support on depression trajectories

BackgroundWhile the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on depression is well-documented, how ACEs, physical violence victimization, social support, and school belongingness altogether shape depression from adolescence to young adulthood remains unclear. This study aims to clarify these relations by tracing the trajectory of depression across this critical developmental period. MethodsWe utilized a 14-year, four-wave dataset from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), including 5734 participants who were 7th to 12th graders at baseline (51.4 % females). Latent growth curve modeling (LGCM) was used to analyze the trajectory of depression from adolescence to young adulthood, assessing the impact of ACEs, physical violence victimization, social support, and school belongingness on this progression. ResultsResults from the LGCM indicated that childhood maltreatment and physical violence victimization were positively associated with an increase in depression from adolescence to young adulthood. Conversely, social support and school belongingness showed a negative association with depression, indicating their protective effects over time. Gender was found to moderate these longitudinal associations, with females showing increased vulnerability to the negative relations between early stressful environments (i.e., childhood maltreatment and physical violence victimization) and depression. Conversely, they seemed to benefit more from school belongingness and social support in mitigating depression. LimitationsThe study variables were all self-reported and exhibited some issues with reliability. ConclusionPractitioners should implement gender-specific programs for the prevention and intervention of depression from adolescence through young adulthood.

Resolving trauma: The unique contribution of trauma-specific mentalization to maternal insightfulness.

Resolving trauma may contribute to mental health and parenting in mother with histories of childhood maltreatment. The concept of trauma-specific reflective functioning (T-RF) was developed to assess the complexity of thought processes regarding trauma. The study aimed to validate the T-RF scale applied to the Trauma Meaning-Making Interview by examining its psychometric properties, associations with measures of trauma-processing strategies, maternal reflective functioning and mental health (depression and post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD]), as well as evaluating whether T-RF offered a unique contribution to maternal insightfulness. Good construct validity of the T-RF scale was confirmed in a sample of 112 mothers with histories of childhood maltreatment using an independent coding system of trauma-processing. Better mentalization of trauma was prospectively associated with higher parental reflective functioning and mothers with high T-RF were much more likely to be insightful regarding the child's mental states than non-reflective mothers and mothers with limited T-RF. The association between T-RF and insightfulness was observed even when controlling for maternal reflective functioning, trauma-processing strategies, maternal education and sociodemographic risk. T-RF was associated neither with depression, PTSD nor the characteristics of trauma. Findings suggest that mentalizing trauma would be an important protective factor in the intergenerational trajectories of trauma.

Childhood maltreatment, social connectedness, and depression: A prospective analysis of trajectories over time.

Childhood maltreatment is associated with a range of negative social and psychological outcomes at different developmental stages. Using data from a prospective longitudinal study of the consequences of childhood maltreatment, we examine whether childhood maltreatment predicts lower levels of social connectedness and more depression symptoms over a 30-year time period and examine the directionality of the trajectories from childhood into middle adulthood. Children (ages 0-11 years) with documented histories of maltreatment and demographically matched controls were followed into adulthood across four waves: 1989-1995 (n = 1,196; Mage = 29.2 years, SD = 3.9), 2000-2002 (n = 896; Mage = 39.5 years, SD = 3.6), 2003-2005 (n = 808; Mage = 41.2 years, SD = 3.6), and 2009-2010 (n = 649; Mage = 47.0 years, SD = 3.5). Social connectedness and depressive symptoms were measured at all four time points. Random intercept cross-lagged panel models were used to estimate bidirectional relationships between social connectedness and depression symptoms and the extent to which the trajectories differed for the maltreated and control groups. Individuals with documented histories of childhood maltreatment generally had significantly lower levels of social connectedness and higher levels of depression compared to matched controls. Depression was associated with lower levels of social connectedness concurrently at ages 39, 41, and 47. Depression predicted lower social connectedness, and social connectedness predicted lower depression in middle adulthood, but not young adulthood. Better understanding of the long-term impact of childhood maltreatment on social connectedness and depression has implications for designing effective interventions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Community Interaction, Influence, and Child Maltreatment: Variations by Rural and Urban Residence Status

Community Interaction, Influence, and Child Maltreatment: Variations by Rural and Urban Residence Status

Abuse and neglect as indicators of unhealthy behaviours among 15-year-old schoolchildren in Albania

ObjectiveWe assessed the independent associations of lifetime child abuse and neglect indices with behavioural characteristics of children. Study designA cross-sectional study was conducted in Albania in 2022. MethodsParticipants consisted of a nationwide representative sample of 1877 schoolchildren aged 15 years (55 % girls; response: 96 %). Data on lifetime child abuse and neglect were collected, along with behavioural factors and sociodemographic characteristics. Binary logistic regression was used to assess the independent associations of child abuse and neglect with behavioural factors of schoolchildren. ResultsIrrespective of sociodemographic characteristics, lifetime physical abuse was positively related to lifetime smoking (OR = 1.8, 95%CI = 1.4–2.3), lifetime alcohol consumption (OR = 2.4, 95%CI = 1.9–2.9), and breakfast skipping (OR = 1.3, 95%CI = 1.0–1.6). Furthermore, positive independent factors associated with emotional abuse included lifetime alcohol intake (OR = 1.7, 95%CI = 1.3–2.1) and breakfast skipping (OR = 1.4, 95%CI = 1.0–1.8). Additionally, positive factors associated with lifetime emotional neglect consisted of lifetime smoking (OR = 2.2, 95%CI = 1.6–3.0) and alcohol intake (OR = 2.0, 95%CI = 1.5–2.6), and a lower fruit consumption (OR = 1.7, 95%CI = 1.3–2.3). Positive factors associated with lifetime sexual abuse included lifetime alcohol consumption (OR = 2.4, 95%CI = 1.4–4.1) and especially smoking (OR = 4.3, 95%CI = 2.6–7.3). Also, lifetime witnessing of family violence was positively related to lifetime smoking (OR = 2.7, 95%CI = 1.8–4.1) and alcohol intake (OR = 1.7, 95%CI = 1.2–2.6). ConclusionsWe evidenced strong and consistent links between child maltreatment indices and unhealthy behavioural practices among 15-year-old children in Albania. These findings underscore the potential impact of early trauma on developmental trajectories. The association between child abuse and the adoption of detrimental behaviours highlights the urgent need for comprehensive support and intervention strategies to break the cycle of harm.

Child Care Subsidy Generosity and Child Maltreatment: The Moderating Effects of Administrative Burden

Child Care Subsidy Generosity and Child Maltreatment: The Moderating Effects of Administrative Burden

Contrast Avoidance and Anxiety Sensitivity Mediate the Relationship Between Childhood Maltreatment and Psychological Distress in Young Adulthood.

Childhood maltreatment (CM) is associated with elevated depression and anxiety in young adulthood; however, there is a dearth of research identifying the intermediary pathways that link CM to these phenomena. The present study investigated two psychological factors-contrast avoidance, sensitivity to and avoidance of sudden negative emotional shifts, and anxiety sensitivity, the fear of arousal-related body sensations-as potential mediators of the relationship between CM and psychological distress in young adulthood. Our sample consisted of 280 undergraduate students who completed self-report measures of childhood maltreatment, anxiety sensitivity, contrast avoidance (i.e., the Contrast Avoidance Questionnaire), and psychological distress. We constructed a series of parallel mediation models to test whether contrast avoidance and anxiety sensitivity mediate the relationships between child maltreatment and psychological distress. CM was related to anxiety and stress indirectly through both contrast avoidance and anxiety sensitivity but was related to depression only through contrast avoidance. There were no significant differences in the magnitude of the indirect effects between contrast avoidance and anxiety sensitivity for the models predicting anxiety and stress. Contrast avoidance and anxiety sensitivity both appear to play important roles in understanding how early experiences of CM relate to psychological distress in young adulthood. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed.

Long-term effects of grandparental child neglect on adult grandchildren's mental health: A three-generation study

Child neglect is a significant social problem with severe consequences for individuals and society. This study explores how intergenerational transmission of grandparental child neglect affects grandchildren's mental health in adulthood. We utilize a three-generational dataset from the Tromsø Study and estimate a linear probability model to find the distinct roles of both maternal and paternal grandparents. We test the additive risk hypothesis for continuous, intergenerational effects of child neglect in both the maternal and paternal lineages. Furthermore, we use structural equation modeling to test how sequential exposures to neglect across generations ultimately bear on adult mental health outcomes. Our results confirm the additive risk hypothesis but only for maternal grandparents: our findings show that only maternal parents' neglectful parenting is associated with an increased probability of depression in their grandchildren, conditional on whether their parents neglected them. These results contribute to research on intergenerational transmission by the finding that additive risks of child maltreatment flow down generations mainly through maternal lineages.

Childhood Maltreatment and Physical Health in College Students: Physical Activity and Binge Eating as Moderators

Childhood Maltreatment and Physical Health in College Students: Physical Activity and Binge Eating as Moderators

Impact trajectories of childhood maltreatment duration on affective and social development

Impact trajectories of childhood maltreatment duration on affective and social development

Research engagement and impact: The Australian Child Maltreatment Study and pathways to evidence-based policy and practice

Research engagement and impact: The Australian Child Maltreatment Study and pathways to evidence-based policy and practice

Association of child maltreatment and school bullying among Chinese adolescents: the mediating role of peer relationships

BackgroundSchool bullying, a serious problem for the physical and mental health of adolescents, is presently a significant issue in China. It is essential to recognize and comprehend potential risk factors and establish efficient preventive strategies. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between childhood maltreatment and school bullying in adolescents and to assess the mediating role of peer relationships.MethodsBetween March and April 2024, a cross-sectional survey was conducted among 2119 adolescents aged between 12 and 18 years in Guangdong Province, China. Self-report questionnaires were employed to collect data on childhood maltreatment, school bullying, and peer relationships. Subgroup analyses and mediating effects modeling were employed to analyze the data.ResultsThe results indicated that adolescents who had experienced maltreatment were more at risk of bullying victimization (OR: 2.92, 95% CI: 2.34–3.64, P < 0.001), bullying perpetration (OR: 2.84, 95% CI: 1.99–4.05, P < 0.001), and bully-victimization (OR: 2.93, 95% CI: 1.95–4.41, P < 0.001), compared to adolescents who have not. Sexual abuse showed the most significant connection with all forms of bullying. The mediating effect of peer relationships was found to mediate the association between child maltreatment and bullying behaviour. The results indicated that worse peer relationships may exacerbate the adverse effects of maltreatment experiences and increase the risk of adolescents becoming bullies, either perpetrators or victims of bullying.ConclusionsChild maltreatment has been identified as one of the most significant influences on bullying behaviour in adolescents. The quality of peer relationships has been demonstrated to play an important role in preventing and reducing the occurrence of bullying. The results underscore the crucial role of early intervention in cases of child maltreatment and the fostering of positive peer relationships in schools.

Understanding experiences of non-physical maltreatment in childhood in Canada: What is the relationship with suicidal ideation and mental health disorders?

Physical and sexual childhood abuse are associated with suicidal ideation and mental health disorders. However, less is known about non-physical types of maltreatment. This study examined associations between non-physical types of child maltreatment (e.g., emotional abuse, interpersonal aggression, exposure to physical intimate partner violence, emotional and physical neglect) and suicidal ideation, and mental health disorders. Data from the 2018 Survey of Safety in Public and Private Spaces were used to estimate the proportion of individuals 15 years and older in Canada who experienced non-physical maltreatment during childhood. Multivariable regression analyses were used to examine associations between five types of non-physical child maltreatment and suicidal ideation, and mental health disorders. Overall, interpersonal aggression was the most common (45.7%), followed by emotional abuse (40.4%) and emotional neglect (20.0%). Individuals who experienced any type of non-physical maltreatment in childhood had a higher probability of lifetime suicidal ideation than those who never experienced the maltreatment examined. Mood disorder diagnoses were more likely among those who experienced emotional abuse, interpersonal aggression, and emotional neglect than among those who never experienced these types of maltreatment. Compared with those who never experienced the maltreatment examined, individuals who experienced emotional abuse, interpersonal aggression, emotional neglect, or physical neglect were more likely to be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Diagnoses of post-traumatic stress disorder were more likely among those who experienced emotional and physical neglect than among those who never experienced these types of maltreatment. Non-physical child maltreatment is associated with suicidal ideation and mental health disorders. The findings highlight the importance of including non-physical types of child maltreatment on population-based surveys to differentiate associations with mental health outcomes to better align interventions and policies.

Characterizing the heterogeneity of disruptions in the resolution of trauma among women exposed to childhood maltreatment.

The previously observed heterogeneity in developmental and intergenerational trajectories of childhood trauma may root from interindividual differences in the way trauma-exposed individuals have resolved these experiences. The current study explored whether distinctive patterns of impaired mentalization in relation to trauma could be identified in a sample of 825 pregnant women who experienced childhood maltreatment and whether these heterogeneous patterns were marked by significant differences in internalized and externalized problems during pregnancy, intimate partner violence, personality dysfunctions, and antenatal attachment. A latent profile analysis applied to the seven subscales of the Failure to Mentalize Trauma Questionnaire unraveled interindividual variability in mentalizing impairments among pregnant women exposed to childhood maltreatment by identifying five distinctive types of psychological responses to trauma, each being associated in cross-sectional analyses with a specific set of symptoms and dysfunctions. Overall, the study highlights the need for tailored interventions based on the individuals' specific impairments in mentalizing trauma and calls for future developmental research exploring the longitudinal correlates of the five documented profiles of trauma processing.

How the COVID-19 Pandemic Influenced Veteran Parents’ Harsh Parenting: Do Parental PTSD and Parental Role Matter?

Prior studies show a heightened risk of child maltreatment during the COVID-19 pandemic because of financial difficulties and parenting stress, but little is known about what happened to the veteran families. This study aimed to examine the influences of the COVID-19 pandemic on veteran parents’ harsh parenting – creating a potential for child maltreatment. Further, we explored the potential moderating effects of parental PTSD and parental role on the association between COVID-19 impacts and veteran harsh parenting. We recruited 509 veteran parents from Qualtrics online research panel and assessed the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic (e.g., perceived threat, financial and psychological impacts) on the participants, parental PTSD, and parents’ past year prevalence of corporal punishment and psychological aggression. We used Mplus 8.8 to build main models, two-way moderation models, and three-way moderation models. There was a significant association between COVID-19 pandemic impacts and harsh parenting (Corporal punishment: β = 0.09, p < 0.05; Psychological aggression: β = 0.10, p < 0.05), while parental PTSD was a significant moderator (Corporal punishment: β = 0.10, p < 0.05; Psychological aggression: β = 0.08, p < 0.05). Parents with higher levels of PTSD were more vulnerable to the negative influences of COVID-19 on their harsh parenting. However, the association between COVID-19 pandemic impacts and harsh parenting did not differ by parental role. Our study findings contribute to the current knowledge of veteran families during the COVID-19 pandemic and provide implications for both Veteran Affairs services and child protective services.

Risk of self-harm ideation in mothers of children with orofacial cleft defects: the Japan environment and children's study.

Cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P), the most prevalent congenital anomaly, has been associated with higher rates of child maltreatment. In particular, the presence of cleft lip has more of an impact on external appearance and may increase the risks of negative health outcomes such as parental postpartum depression; however, this concept remains controversial. Item #10 of the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale is the assessment of parental self-harm ideation, and its presence in postpartum mothers merits risk assessments as an emergent issue that may affect the health of both mothers and infants. This study focused on the impact of CL/P on maternal self-harm ideation. Of 100,300 live births from a nationwide birth cohort in Japan, 238 mothers of infants with CL/P [186 children born with cleft lip (CL ± P) and 52 born with isolated cleft palate (CP)] were included in the analyses. The prospective association of children with CL/P and maternal self-harm ideation, which were acquired using item #10 in the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale at 1 and 6 months postpartum, was examined using binomial logistic regression analyses after multiple imputations and with adjustments for several maternal (age at delivery, smoking habit, and alcohol intake) and child-related (sex and prevalence of other congenital diseases) variables. The prevalence of self-harm ideation in 238 mothers of infants with CL/P at 1 and 6 months were 14.7% (35/238) and 18.8% (45/238) [8.2% (8,185/100,062) and 12.9% (12,875/100,062) in the control group], respectively. The odds ratio (95% confidence interval) for maternal self-harm ideation increased with CL/P prevalence [1.80 (1.22-2.65) and 1.47 (0.98-2.18)] at 1 and 6 months of age, respectively. After stratified by the prevalence of cleft lip, we found significant differences in the CL ± P group but not in the CP group. Furthermore, persistent self-harming ideation was associated with a higher risk in the CL ± P group [2.36 (1.43-3.89)]. CL/P, particularly cleft lip, which is more noticeable externally, was associated with an increased prevalence of maternal self-harm ideation. The findings in this study indicate some potential benefits of increasing support for mothers who have infants with CL/P.

Wissen zu und Umsetzung von institutionellen Schutzkonzepten in deutschen Krankenhäusern als Teil des medizinischen Kinderschutzes

ZusammenfassungHintergrundAktuelle Studien zeigen die hohe Prävalenz von Kindesmisshandlung in Deutschland und dass Übergriffe durch Krankenhauspersonal ebenfalls ein Problem darstellen. Seit 2020 fordert der Gemeinsame Bundesausschuss institutionelle Schutzkonzepte (ISK) zum Schutz und zur Unterstützung von Betroffenen in Kliniken. Diese Untersuchung hat zum Ziel, zu analysieren, wie hoch Wissen und Handlungskompetenzen zu Kindesmisshandlungen bei Krankenhausmitarbeitenden sind und inwiefern ISK in Krankenhäusern umgesetzt werden.MethodenEs wurden 1011 Teilnehmende vor dem Belegen zweier Online-Kurse zu Kinderschutz und Schutzmaßnahmen in Krankenhäusern zu selbsteingeschätztem Wissens- und Kompetenzstand im Kinderschutz und Auftreten von Misshandlungsfällen und Schutzmaßnahmen in der eigenen Einrichtung befragt. Die Daten wurden mittels deskriptiver Verfahren ausgewertet.ErgebnisseEs zeigt sich, dass Wissen und Kompetenzen von Krankenhausmitarbeitenden zu Kinderschutz im Mittelfeld liegen. Besonders häufig werden in Krankenhäusern Misshandlungsfälle wahrgenommen, die außerhalb der Institution begangen werden, aber auch Gewalt durch Mitarbeitende bzw. gleichaltrige Mitpatient*innen spielt eine bedeutende Rolle. 93,6 % der Befragten gaben an, dass ihre Einrichtung bereits mindestens ein Element eines ISK entwickelt habe, allerdings berichteten nur 1,0 % der Befragten, dass bereits alle abgefragten Elemente vollständig entwickelt wurden.DiskussionKrankenhäuser in Deutschland scheinen sich überwiegend auf den Weg gemacht zu haben, Kinder und Jugendliche besser vor Misshandlung zu schützen und Betroffene zu unterstützen. Allerdings bestehen nach wie vor noch Defizite bei den Kompetenzen der Mitarbeitenden und der Umsetzung der ISK-Elemente. Hierfür müssen mehr Ressourcen von den Trägern der Krankenhäuser und von der öffentlichen Hand zur Verfügung gestellt werden.

Service referral decisions for children involved in the child welfare system: modeling the decision-making ecology framework using latent profile analysis

ABSTRACT This paper empirically tests the Decision-Making Ecology (DME) framework to explore which characteristics of child maltreatment cases are most influential in the decision to refer children to services. We used latent profile analysis (LPA) to identify latent groups of child welfare organizations based on their climate and culture. We then use logistic regression models to determine whether organizational, external, case, and caseworker characteristics were predictive of children’s service referrals. Our findings revealed that organizational characteristics were a significant predictor of service referrals, as well as caseworker and external characteristics. These results support the DME framework in understanding service referral decisions.