History Of Childhood Emotional Abuse Research Articles

Adaptation of Childhood Emotional Abuse Measurement Instrumen in Indonesia

Childhood emotional abuse has long-term impacts on individuals. A specific measuring instrument to measure the history of childhood emotional abuse in Indonesian adolescents is needed. The current study adapted the Emotional Abuse Questionnaire developed by Momtaz et al. (2022) into an Indonesian version (ID-EAQ). Participants in this study were 100 adolescents aged 17-21 years, selected using a purposive sampling technique. The adaptation was carried out with the guidance of the International Test Commission (2016). The results showed that the ID-EAQ has a high level of validity and reliability with a value of 0.921. It can be concluded that the ID-EAQ is a valid and reliable measuring instrument to measure the history of childhood emotional abuse in adolescent samples

The Influence of Childhood Emotional Abuse and Neglect on Love Addiction: The Indirect Effect of Vulnerable Narcissism Among Female and Male Emerging Adults.

Childhood maltreatment is a key precursor to vulnerable narcissism since it likely lead to a narcissistic injury that triggers defenses against rage and abandonment. In later life, this pattern may contribute to a maladaptive model of love relationships. The present study explored the association between different types of childhood maltreatment (i.e., emotional, physical, and sexual abuse; physical and emotional neglect) and love addiction via vulnerable narcissism in a community sample of 505 cisgender emerging adults (M = 24.90, SD = 2.67; 76.6% assigned female at birth (AFAB); 68.5% heterosexual) residing in Italy. Data collection relied on self-report questionnaires administered online through the Qualtrics platform, and study hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling. The results showed that childhood emotional abuse and emotional neglect directly influenced love addiction, while physical and sexual abuse, as well as physical neglect, showed no significant effects. Greater childhood emotional abuse and neglect were associated with increased vulnerable narcissism, leading to higher levels of love addiction. Gender differences emerged, with the indirect effect of vulnerable narcissism on the relationship between emotional neglect and love addiction significant only for AFAB. The findings emphasize the risk of love addiction in emerging adults with a history of childhood emotional abuse and neglect, highlighting the importance of addressing childhood emotional maltreatment and vulnerable narcissistic personality traits in interventions to treat this condition.

Childhood trauma and factors influencing primary school teachers' reporting of child abuse: Insights from Italy

BackgroundChildhood traumatic experiences can profoundly impact individuals, posing risks to the physical and psychological well-being of children and influencing their psychological development. Teachers in primary schools play a critical role in identifying and reporting suspected cases of child abuse and maltreatment (CAM), which initiates child protection interventions. However, the psychological factors that influence teachers' likelihood of reporting suspected CAM cases remain largely unexplored. AimThis study investigates the influence of teachers' childhood traumatic experiences and psychological factors (i.e., cognitive empathy and psychological detachment) on their reporting behavior regarding child abuse and maltreatment, addressing an important social issue. ParticipantsThe study involved 1380 primary school teachers from Italy (88.3 % female; aged 21–69, Mage 46.7, DS 10.3). ResultsThe results reveal that teachers with a history of childhood emotional abuse tend to report a higher number of suspected child abuse and maltreatment cases. Other forms of traumatic childhood experiences were not significantly associated with teachers' reporting suspected cases of CAM. Additionally, cognitive empathy and psychological detachment emerge as significant predictors of teachers' reporting behavior. ConclusionsThis research contributes to the existing literature by providing unique insights into actual reporting behavior within an unexplored cultural context.

Childhood emotional abuse and gamebullying among Chinese youths: The mediating roles of mindfulness and Machiavellianism

This study investigated the relationship between childhood emotional abuse and gamebullying among youths, and the roles of mindfulness and Machiavellianism in that relationship. The study sample comprised 504 Chinese youths (female = 51.2%) who completed the Childhood Emotional Abuse Scale, Gamebullying Scale, Mindful Attention Awareness Scale, and Machiavellianism Scale. Path analysis results indicated a history of childhood emotional abuse to predict gamebullying. Mindfulness mediated the relationship with childhood emotional abuse to predict gamebullying to be lower. Machiavellianism mediated the relationship between childhood emotional abuse and gamebullying to be higher. In our sample, demographic variables, including gender and education, did not predict gamebullying. Younger youths had lower levels of gamebullying than older youths. These findings indicate a need to reduce gamebullying among youths with a history of adverse childhood events. Mindfulness healing can be used to lower the negative effects of gamebullying.

The Rating of Emotional Abuse in Childhood (REACH) Questionnaire: A new self-report measure assessing history of childhood emotional abuse

BackgroundA history of childhood emotional abuse (CEA) is prevalent among adults with affective disorders; therefore, a comprehensive measure of it is vital. The Rating of Emotional Abuse in Childhood Questionnaire (REACH) was developed to assess history of CEA in relation to parental behaviours of threat, ignoring, humiliation/denigration, scapegoating, antipathy, and overcontrol/conditionality in a single measure. This paper investigated the psychometric properties of REACH in a community sample and proposes values for classifying individuals as high-risk for CEA. MethodA convenience sample of N = 483 adults (Female, 78.3%) was recruited to complete questionnaires that included the REACH alongside measures of mental health, insecure attachment, emotion regulation, and childhood abuse. A subset of participants (n = 198) completed the REACH 7 days later. ResultsFactor analysis indicated a 2-factor model provided a good fit. Factors were named ‘threatening’ and ‘devaluing’. A total scale score of CEA was also recommended. The threatening, devaluing, and total scales demonstrated strong psychometric properties with high internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and convergent validity, while cutoff values for identifying a high-risk CEA group demonstrated good discriminant utility. ConclusionsThe results support REACH as a valid measure and suggest a history of CEA should be measured in relation to threatening and devaluing CEA as they represent unique dimensions of CEA even though they often co-occur.

Emotion regulation weakens the associations between parental antipathy and neglect and self-harm

Using a representative sample of 7918 Portuguese adolescents (Mage = 15.5, SD = 1.7, 53.3% female gender) and three self-report measures of parental antipathy and neglect, self-harm and its functions, and emotion regulation, this cross-sectional study examined the moderating role of emotion regulation in the links between these negative childhood experiences and self-harm in adolescence. Maternal and paternal antipathy and neglect had the largest effects on self-harm for youth with low levels of emotion regulation. These results emphasize the relevance of promoting emotion regulation across multiple contexts (e.g., school, family, legal system) for the prevention of adolescent self-harm, even in situations with a history of childhood emotional abuse and/or neglect.

Childhood emotional abuse and adolescent flourishing: A moderated mediation model of self-compassion and curiosity

BackgroundResilience and positive mental health may be negatively influenced by childhood maltreatment. While many scholars have noted that adolescents exposed to childhood emotional abuse could meet the criteria for flourishing, little research has investigated the mediating effect of self-compassion and the moderating effect of curiosity on the relationship between childhood emotional abuse and adolescent flourishing. ObjectiveThis study proposed and tested a moderated mediation model that attempted to explain the pathway from childhood emotional abuse to adolescent flourishing. Participants and settingThe sample consisted of 315 female students (mean age 12.81 years, range 12–14 years) in a girls' secondary school in Hong Kong, China. MethodsWe conducted a three-wave study with six-month intervals. The participants completed self-administered questionnaires at school under the guidance of trained research assistants. ResultsSelf-compassion at Time 2 mediated the relationship between childhood emotional abuse at Time 1 and adolescent flourishing at Time 3. Furthermore, the mediating effect was moderated by adolescent curiosity at Time 1 and Time 2. ConclusionsThe findings of this study suggested that although childhood emotional abuse may hinder the development of self-compassion, reduced levels of self-compassion and curiosity (especially the stretch dimension of curiosity) could work together to promote flourishing in adolescents with a history of childhood emotional abuse. The results lent further support to the developmental psychopathology and resilience perspectives in explaining the relationship between childhood trauma and positive developmental outcomes.

Childhood emotional abuse and problematic social networking sites use in a sample of Italian adolescents: The mediating role of deficiencies in self-other differentiation and uncertain reflective functioning.

ObjectiveChildhood emotional abuse (CEA) is associated with various negative mental health outcomes. This study aimed to investigate the association between CEA and problematic social networking site (SNS) use in a sample of Italian adolescents.DesignUsing structural equation modeling, the study examined whether the relationship between CEA and problematic SNS use was sequentially mediated by self‐other differentiation and uncertain reflective functioning in 1308 Italian adolescents (628 males, age range 13–19 years).ResultsA history of CEA was positively associated with problematic SNS use. Furthermore, deficiencies in self‐other differentiation and uncertain reflective functioning partially mediated the relationship between CEA and problematic SNS use.ConclusionsThe present study provides additional insight into the psychological dynamics underpinning problematic SNS use among adolescents. The clinical implications of these findings are discussed.

Mapping data-driven individualized neurobehavioral phenotypes in heavy alcohol drinkers.

Recent studies have examined the factor structure and associated correlates of three neurofunctional domains, executive function, incentive salience, and negative emotionality in the development and maintenance of alcohol use disorders in clinical samples. The current study sought to replicate and extend prior work by testing this 3-factor model, utilizing both exact and similar phenotypic measures, as well as novel measures, in a non-treatment-seeking sample. Self-report measures of alcohol addiction, impulsivity, behavior, and exposure to early-life stress were collected as part of baseline assessments for alcohol imaging and pharmacotherapy studies in 335 individuals. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to examine model structure and fit. A multiple indicators, multiple causes (MIMIC) model identified predictors of latent factors identified by CFA. Results supported an intercorrelated model with three factors: executive function, incentive salience, and emotionality. All factors were associated with current AUD, and incentive salience was uniquely associated with past 30-day drinking frequency. MIMIC results identified multiple significant predictors of these latent factors, including history of alcohol use disorder, positive family history of alcohol dependence, earlier age of first drink, and a history of childhood emotional abuse and physical neglect. Our results support an intercorrelated 3-factor model of neurofunctional domains in alcohol use models, consistent with published findings. Because childhood physical neglect was a significant predictor of all latent factors, these results also highlight the significant negative impact of childhood neglect on later addiction development.

Sex-Dimorphic Interactions of MAOA Genotype and Child Maltreatment Predispose College Students to Polysubstance Use.

Polysubstance use (PSU) is highly prevalent among college students. Recent evidence indicates that PSU is based on gene x environment (G×E) interactions, yet the specific biosocial factors underlying this problem remain elusive. We recently reported that lifetime use of tobacco and cannabis in college students is influenced by the interaction of the X-linked MAOA (monoamine oxidase A) gene and child maltreatment. Building on these premises, here we evaluated whether the same G×E interaction may also predict PSU in this population. Students of a large Midwestern university (n = 470; 50.9% females) took part in a computer survey for substance use, as well as childhood trauma exposure, using the Child Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). DNA was extracted from their saliva samples and genotyped for MAOA variable-number of tandem repeat (VNTR) variants. Findings indicated that the highest number of substances were used by male students harboring low-activity MAOA alleles with a history of childhood emotional abuse. In contrast, female homozygous high-activity MAOA carriers with a history of emotional and physical abuse reported consumption of the greatest number of substances. Our results indicate that PSU among college students is influenced by the interaction of MAOA and child maltreatment in a sex-specific fashion. Further studies are warranted to understand the mechanisms of sex differences in the biosocial interplays underlying PSU in this at-risk group.

History of childhood emotional abuse predicts lower resting-state high-frequency heart rate variability in depressed women

Childhood emotional abuse impairs emotion regulation and increases risk for major depressive disorder in adulthood. Mounting evidence suggests that decreased resting-state high-frequency heart rate variability, an index of parasympathetic function, represents a transdiagnostic biomarker of emotion dysregulation. We propose that adults with histories of major depressive disorder and childhood emotional abuse represent a subpopulation at particularly high risk to exhibit deficits in parasympathetic control. The current report compared resting-state high-frequency heart rate variability across three groups: (1) depressed women who endorsed childhood emotional abuse (N = 11); (2) depressed women without childhood emotional abuse (N = 19), and (3) never-depressed women without childhood emotional abuse (N = 22). Participants completed childhood trauma self-reports and assessment of resting-state high-frequency heart rate variability. ANCOVAs comparing the three groups after controlling for health-related, psychiatric, and respiratory factors were significant. Depressed women with childhood emotional abuse exhibited lower high-frequency heart rate variability than both groups without childhood emotional abuse (d’s ranging from 0.81—0.92). Surprisingly, psychiatric factors were non-significant predictors, indicating that childhood emotional abuse may have a unique impact on autonomic functioning. Future research on larger samples is needed to disentangle the relative and synergistic burdens of depression and childhood trauma on physiologic indicators of emotion dysregulation.

Neural Signaling of Cortisol, Childhood Emotional Abuse, and Depression-Related Memory Bias

BackgroundCortisol has potent effects on learning and neuroplasticity, but little is known about its effects on negative memory biases in depression. Animal models show that aversive caregiving alters effects of glucocorticoids (primarily corticosterone in rodents and cortisol in primates) on learning and neuroplasticity into adulthood. MethodsWe investigated whether history of childhood emotional abuse (EA) moderated effects of cortisol administration (CORT) versus placebo on emotional memory formation in depression. Participants included 75 unmedicated women with varying levels of depression severity and/or EA history. In a double-blind crossover investigation, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging to measure effects of CORT (vs. placebo) on neural function during emotional memory formation. ResultsCORT eliminated the well-known relationship between depression severity and negative memory bias, a finding explained by EA severity. For women with a history of severe EA, CORT reduced depression-related negative memory bias and normalized recall for pleasant stimuli. EA severity also moderated CORT effects on neural function: in women with history of severe EA, CORT increased activation in the supplementary motor area during viewing of unpleasant relative to pleasant pictures. Additionally, supplementary motor area activation predicted reduced negative bias for pictures encoded during CORT. ConclusionsThese results suggest that increasing cortisol signaling may be neurocognitively beneficial in depressed women with a history of maltreatment. The findings corroborate prior research suggesting that presence or absence of adverse caregiving is etiologically important in depression. These findings suggest potential neurocognitive mechanisms of therapeutics targeting cortisol signaling, which show promise in treating affective disorders.

Vulnerability-specific stress generation: Childhood emotional abuse and the mediating role of depressogenic interpersonal processes

Stress generation in depression (i.e. the tendency for depression-prone individuals to experience more life stress that is in part influenced by the individual) has been well established. However, more research is necessary to clarify the role of specific types of life stress in this effect. The current study extends the stress generation hypothesis by examining whether the type of stress involved is contingent upon the nature of the individual’s particular vulnerability. Childhood emotional abuse and interpersonal vulnerability factors were predicted to be associated with prospective interpersonal dependent but not non-interpersonal or independent stress. These interpersonal factors were examined as mediators of the association between childhood emotional abuse and interpersonal stress generation. Data were collected from 185 undergraduate participants at two time-points, four months apart. At baseline, participants completed assessments of depressive symptoms, childhood abuse history, interpersonal risk factors (rejection sensitivity, excessive reassurance-seeking, and negative feedback-seeking), and a diagnostic interview for depression. At the follow-up assessment, participants completed a life stress interview. Childhood emotional abuse prospectively predicted greater interpersonal dependent stress, but not non-interpersonal dependent or independent stress. Only rejection sensitivity mediated this relationship. Consistent with the stress generation hypothesis, neither childhood emotional abuse nor the three interpersonal risk factors predicted independent stress. These findings suggest that targeting interpersonal vulnerabilities in clinical settings, particularly rejection sensitivity, among individuals with a history of childhood emotional abuse, may help to reduce the occurrence of interpersonal dependent stress, thus possibly decreasing risk for depression.

Emotion Dysregulation Mediates Relations Between Chinese Parents’ Histories of Childhood Emotional Abuse and Parenting Stress: A Dyadic Data Analysis

SYNOPSISObjective. This study focused on the intrapersonal and interpersonal effects of parents’ histories of childhood emotional abuse and emotion dysregulation on parenting stress in a sample of school-age children’s fathers and mothers in Mainland China. Design. One hundred ninety-four Chinese couples participated. Structural equation modeling within the framework of the actor–partner interdependence mediation model was used to assess whether emotion dysregulation mediates relations between parents’ childhood emotional abuse and parenting stress of both individuals and their spouses. Results. The childhood emotional abuse of one parent was significantly associated with the parenting stress of both parents through the emotion dysregulation of the parent who was emotionally abused. Conclusions. Links between emotional abuse and parenting stress in the family system are complex, and both parents’ childhood histories of emotional abuse play roles in parenting.

Linkages between childhood emotional abuse and marital satisfaction: The mediating role of empathic accuracy for hostile emotions

Research linking childhood emotional abuse (CEA) and adult marital satisfaction has focused on individuals without sufficient attention to couple processes. Less attention has also been paid to the effects of CEA on the ability to read other's emotions, and how this may be related to satisfaction in intimate relationships. In this study, 156 couples reported on histories of CEA, marital satisfaction and empathic accuracy of their partners’ positive and hostile emotions during discussion of conflicts in their relationships. Actor-Partner Interdependence Modeling was used to examine links between CEA and marital satisfaction, with empathic accuracy as a potential mediator. Both men's and women's CEA histories were linked not only with their own lower marital satisfaction but also with their partners’ lower satisfaction. Empathic accuracy for hostile emotions mediated the link between women's CEA and their satisfaction and their partners’ satisfaction in the relationship. Findings suggest that a history of CEA is associated with difficulties with empathic accuracy, and that empathic inaccuracy in part mediates the association between CEA and adult marital dissatisfaction.

The impact of childhood emotional abuse on violence among people who inject drugs

Childhood emotional abuse is a known risk factor for various poor social and health outcomes. While people who inject drugs (IDU) report high levels of violence, in addition to high rates of childhood maltreatment, the relationship between childhood emotional abuse and later life violence within this population has not been examined. Cross-sectional data were derived from an open prospective cohort of IDU in Vancouver, Canada. Childhood emotional abuse was measured using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. We used multivariate logistic regression to examine potential associations between childhood emotional abuse and being a recent victim or perpetrator of violence. Between December 2005 and May 2013, 1437 IDU were eligible for inclusion in this analysis, including 465 (32.4%) women. In total, 689 (48.0%) reported moderate to severe history of childhood emotional abuse, whereas 333 (23.2%) reported being a recent victim of violence and 173 (12.0%) reported being a recent perpetrator of violence. In multivariate analysis, being a victim of violence (adjusted odds ratio = 1.49, 95% confidence interval 1.15-1.94) and being a perpetrator of violence (adjusted odds ratio = 1.58, 95% confidence interval 1.12-2.24) remained independently associated with childhood emotional abuse. We found high rates of childhood emotional abuse and subsequent adult violence among this sample of IDU. Emotional abuse was associated with both victimisation and perpetration of violence. These findings highlight the need for policies and programmes that address both child abuse and historical emotional abuse among adult IDU.

Associations between the SS variant of 5-HTTLPR and PTSD among adults with histories of childhood emotional abuse: Results from two African American independent samples

BackgroundPrior studies have found that the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism in the promoter region of the serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4) interacts with stressful life events to increase general risk for PTSD, but this association has not extended to African American samples. Further, little is known about the effects of this interaction on specific PTSD symptom clusters, despite indications that clusters may have different biological substrates. The current study examined the interaction between exposure to childhood emotional abuse and 5-HTTLPR genotype on risk for PTSD symptom severity and severity of specific PTSD symptom clusters in two African American samples. MethodsParticipants were 136 African American household residents from Detroit, MI and 546 African American patients recruited from waiting rooms in primary care clinics in Atlanta, GA. Participants reported emotional abuse exposure and PTSD symptom severity, and provided DNA for triallelic 5-HTTLPR genotyping. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to examine main effects and interactions. ResultsIn both African American samples, 5-HTTLPR genotype modified the effect of emotional abuse on PTSD symptom severity. Participants with the low-expression SS genotype who were exposed to emotional abuse had significantly lower reexperiencing and arousal symptom severity scores. LimitationsThe DNHS genetic sample size was small, and abuse data were assessed retrospectively. ConclusionsThe SS variant of 5-HTTLPR appears to buffer against developing the reexperiencing and arousal symptoms of PTSD in two independent African American samples exposed to childhood emotional abuse. Findings also highlight the importance of considering emotional abuse experiences in patients with suspected PTSD.

Predictors of suicide in patients with conversion disorder

ObjectivePrevious studies have shown that the ratio of suicide attempts is between 19.6 and 34.2% in patients with conversion disorder (CD), yet few studies have addressed this issue. The present study compared demographic and clinical variables and predictors of suicide attempts in patients with CD. MethodsA total of 100 consecutive patients were recruited and divided into groups according to their history of suicide attempts. Socio-demographic variables such as economic status, age, gender, educational level, marital status, clinical variables such as the presence of psychiatric disorder in family, substance abuse, risky alcohol use, age of onset, subtype of CD, number of hospitalization were recorded. Participants also completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ-28), Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). ResultsSuicide attempters had a higher rate of risky alcohol use, more hospitalizations, and higher mean scores on the BAI, BDI, DES/DES-taxon, TAS-total and CTQ-total than did non-suicide attempters or healthy control (NHC). Patients with CD had a higher harm-avoidance and a lower self-directedness rather than NHC. Risky alcohol use, number of hospitalizations, and mean DES-taxon and emotional abuse scores were independent predictors of suicide attempts. ConclusionOur findings indicate that clinicians should be aware of the prediction of suicide in patients with CD who show dissociation and risky alcohol use. Moreover, a history of childhood emotional abuse should be considered in the management of CD. The fact that clinical variables distinguished between suicide attempters and non-attempters suggests that a history of suicide attempts may be used to clarify the heterogeneous nature of CD.

Childhood Abuse and Problematic Alcohol Use in College Females: The Role of Self-compassion

A history of childhood abuse has been consistently linked to heightened risk for subsequent difficulties across the lifespan, including problematic alcohol use and adolescent sexual assault (ASA). Researchers have begun to explore the added role of a lack of self-compassion in the pathway from childhood abuse to later alcohol-related problems. The present study sought to further examine these relationships in a sample at risk for problematic alcohol consumption, undergraduate females (N = 667). It was hypothesized that a history of three forms of childhood abuse (i.e., sexual, emotional, and physical) would directly predict subsequent alcohol problems, as well as indirectly via a history of ASA and low levels of self-compassion. Using path analysis, we found that a history of childhood sexual abuse (B = .24, z = 2.17, p < .05) and childhood physical abuse (B = .16, z = 3.50, p < .05), directly predicted later alcohol problems, whereas a history of childhood emotional abuse (CEA) was indirectly related to alcohol problems via low levels of self-compassion (B = .03, z = 2.18, p < .05). Findings support the emerging literature on the impact of self-compassion in relation to trauma exposure, and suggest that compassion-based skills training may be a worthwhile treatment target for individuals with a history of CEA and comorbid substance use.

Stressful Life Events and Depression Symptoms: The Effect of Childhood Emotional Abuse on Stress Reactivity

Stressful life events are associated with an increase in depressive symptoms and the onset of major depression. Importantly, research has shown that the role of stress changes over the course of depression. The present study extends the current literature by examining the effects of early life stress on emotional reactivity to current stressors. In a multiwave study (N = 281, mean age = 18.76; 68% female), we investigated the proximal changes that occur in depressive symptoms when individuals are faced with life stress and whether a history of childhood emotional abuse moderates this relationship. Results support the stress sensitivity hypothesis for early emotional abuse history. Individuals with greater childhood emotional abuse severity experienced greater increases in depressive symptoms when confronted with current dependent stressors, controlling for childhood physical and sexual abuse. This study highlights the importance of emotional abuse as an indicator for reactivity to stressful life events.