Childhood experiences of maltreatment,reflective functioning and attachment in adolescent and young adult mothers: Effects on mother-infant interaction and emotion regulation

BackgroundMaternal childhood experiences of maltreatment affect parenting and have consequences for a child’s social-emotional development. Adolescent mothers have a higher frequency of a history of maltreatment than adult mothers. However few studies have analyzed the interactions between adolescent mothers with a history of childhood maltreatment and their infants.ObjectiveThe aim of the study was to examine the effect of maternal childhood experiences of maltreatment on mother-infant emotion regulation at infant 3 months, considering both infant and mother individual emotion regulation and their mutual regulation.ParticipantsParticipants were 63 adolescent and young adult mother-infant dyads recruited at a hospital.MethodsThe mothers were administered the Adult Attachment Interview to evaluate reflective functioning and attachment and the Childhood Experiences of Care and Abuse was used to evaluate maternal childhood experiences of maltreatment. Mother-infant interactions were coded with a modified version of the Infant Caregiver Engagement Phases.ResultsDyads with mothers with childhood maltreatment (vs dyads with mothers with no maltreatment) spent more time in negative emotional mutual regulation (p = .009) and less time in positive and neutral mutual emotion regulation (p = .019). Cumulative maternal childhood experiences of maltreatment were associated positively with mother and infant negative states at individual and dyadic level and with the AAI scales of Passivity and Unresolved Trauma (p < .05). The effect of cumulative maternal childhood experiences of maltreatment on mother-infant emotion regulation was direct and not mediated by maternal attachment and reflective function.ConclusionsMaternal childhood experiences of maltreatment increase the risk connected to early motherhood, affecting mother-infant emotion regulation.     

The relation of emotional maltreatment to early adolescent competence: Developmental processes in a prospective study

ObjectivesThis investigation examined developmental pathways between childhood emotional maltreatment and adaptational outcomes in early adolescence. This study utilized a developmental psychopathology perspective in adopting a multidimensional approach to the assessment of different forms of emotional maltreatment and later adjustment outcomes. Specifically, emotional abuse (i.e., verbal criticism, hostility) and emotional neglect (i.e., psychological unavailability) were compared using a process-level analytic approach to examine if and how different forms of emotional maltreatment would contribute to adolescent adjustment via aggression and social withdrawal in middle childhood.MethodsThe current study sample is drawn from a longitudinal, prospective study of a high-risk community sample (N = 196), incorporating a multi-method and multi-informant design. Multiple mediator models were tested via bootstrapping regression techniques.ResultsBivariate correlations revealed that both emotional neglect and emotional abuse were associated with increased aggression and social withdrawal in middle childhood, and lower ratings of socioemotional competence in early adolescence. However, the mediational model, which controlled for child gender and concurrent physical and sexual maltreatment, was only significant for the contribution of emotional abuse to lower adolescent competence via social withdrawal in middle childhood. Post hoc analyses revealed that this association was only significant for boys.ConclusionsWhile social withdrawal in middle childhood significantly explained the observed relation between emotional abuse and decreased competence in adolescence, this process did not emerge as salient in understanding the relation between emotional neglect and adolescent adaptation. Furthermore, these developmental processes appeared to vary by gender. The results are in need of replication and extension to other outcome domains, but represent an important contribution to the empirical study of specific forms of emotional maltreatment.Practice implicationsEmotional maltreatment is generally overlooked and unrecognized as compared to physical or sexual forms of maltreatment. This study adds to the accumulating empirical evidence that the effects of emotional maltreatment are disabling, enduring, and should be carefully assessed by clinicians. Furthermore, this assessment should specify the particular form of emotional maltreatment that has occurred, as the results of the study indicate that developmental processes and adjustment outcomes may vary according the type of emotional maltreatment (i.e., emotional abuse, emotional neglect) that is experienced. Finally, clinicians must recognize that a single maltreatment type may vary in its impact on subsequent adjustment, as significant gender differences emerged in the current study that point to the role of individual differences that warrant further investigation.     

Child and adolescent abuse and subsequent victimization: a prospective study

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the possible reciprocal relationship between victimization experiences and psychological functioning by assessing abuse experiences in childhood, adolescence, and during a 2-month follow-up period. METHOD: At the beginning of the study (Time 1), abuse histories, trauma and depressive symptoms, and interpersonal functioning were assessed in 551 college women. Subsequent victimization experiences and psychological outcomes were assessed at the follow-up (Time 2). RESULTS: Path analyses indicated that verbal abuse by the mother and father were predictive of various psychological outcomes as measured at Time 1 and emerged as the only significant predictors of adolescent dating violence. Adolescent dating violence subsequently predicted the experience of dating violence during the 2-month follow-up period. Paternal physical abuse predicted adolescent sexual victimization which subsequently predicted all symptom measures at Time 1. Conversely, the experience of adolescent physical dating violence was not predictive of any of the symptom measures at Time 1. For those women who experienced dating violence during the follow-up, however, the severity of their abusive experiences was related to both depression and interpersonal problems assessed at Time 2. In comparison, for those women who experienced sexual victimization during the follow-up period, the severity of their abusive experiences was related to trauma symptoms. Interpersonal problems emerged as both an aftereffect of adolescent sexual victimization experience and a predictor of a subsequent sexual victimization experience during the follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Given that emotional abuse emerged as a predictor of adolescent dating violence and psychological outcomes, researchers and clinicians need to continue to explore this problem. Further, it is important to assess how interpersonal problems contribute to the risk of subsequent sexual victimization and to try to break the cycle between adolescent abuse experiences and subsequent physical and sexual assaults.     

A sex-disaggregated analysis of how emotional violence relates to suicide ideation in low- and middle-income countries

BackgroundIn recent years, research has increasingly focused on examining the relationship between one type of child maltreatment -- emotional violence -- and suicidal behaviors. However, the growing body of empirical evidence supporting these associations has been mostly limited to high-income contexts.ObjectiveThis study examines how exposure to emotional violence is associated with suicide ideation in childhood and adolescence in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), and whether this association differs by sex.Participants and settingWe employ nationally representative samples of 13–24 year-old males and females from the Violence Against Children Surveys in Tanzania (conducted in 2009), Kenya (2010), and Haiti (2012).MethodsWe use logistic regressions to estimate the odds of ever reporting suicide ideation, separately, for each country; models control for self-reported exposure to emotional violence, physical violence from a caregiver, physical violence by an adult in the community, sexual violence, intimate partner violence, and age. Formal moderation by sex for each form of child maltreatment is tested using interaction terms.ResultsWe find the odds of suicide ideation are consistently and significantly greater for adolescents who report ever exposure to emotional violence. This same consistency is not observed for any other form of maltreatment across countries. The size of the relationship between emotional violence and suicide ideation is statistically significantly larger for males in Kenya only.ConclusionResearch in LMICs should explore the mediating factors linking emotional abuse in childhood and adolescence to suicide ideation in adolescence, paying special attention to whether these pathways might operate differently by sex.     

The whole picture: Child maltreatment experiences of youths who were physically abused

The purpose of the current study was to describe the maltreatment experiences of a sample of urban youths identified as physically abused using the Maltreatment Case Record Abstraction Instrument (MCRAI). The sample (n = 303) of 9–12 year old youths was recruited from active child protective services (CPS) cases in 2002–2005, and five years of child protective service records were reviewed. The demographic and maltreatment experiences of MCRAI-identified youths with physical abuse were compared to maltreated youths who were not physically abused and youths who were identified as physically abused by CPS when they entered this longitudinal study. T-tests and chi-square tests were used to compare the demographics and maltreatment experiences of the sample MCRAI-identified physically abused to the sample MCRAI-identified as nonphysically abused maltreated by gender. Of the total sample, 156 (51%) were identified by MCRAI as physically abused and 96.8% of these youth also experienced other types of maltreatment. Whereas youth with the initial CPS identification of physical abuse showed little co-occurrence (37.7%) with other forms of maltreatment. The MCRAI-identified physically abused youths had a significantly higher mean number of CPS reports and higher mean number of incidents of maltreatment than MCRAI-identified nonphysically maltreated youths. Lifeline plots of case record history from the time of first report to CPS to entry into the study found substantial individual variability in maltreatment experiences for both boys and girls. Thus, obtaining maltreatment information from a single report vastly underestimates the prevalence of physical abuse and the co-occurrence of other maltreatment types.     

Attachment insecurity accounts for the relationship between maternal and paternal maltreatment and adolescent health

ObjectivesMaltreatment is linked with poor health outcomes. Attachment and affect regulation may mitigate the long-term impact of these adverse experiences on health outcomes. Little is known about the relative impact of maternal versus paternal maltreatment and interparental violence (IPV) on general health status of female and male youth.MethodThe present study examined the impact of exposure to maternal and paternal emotional and physical maltreatment, neglect, IPV, and cumulative maltreatment exposure in adolescence on general physical health problems reported five years later. High-risk youth (N = 179; Mage = 15.34, SD = 1.53; 46.4% female) self-reported maltreatment experiences, attachment insecurity, and affect dysregulation at Time 1; and affect dysregulation and physical health five years later at Time 2.ResultsAttachment insecurity accounted for the effect of maternal and paternal emotional maltreatment, and maternal and paternal cumulative maltreatment exposure, on physical health. Additionally, attachment insecurity accounted for the effect of paternal neglect on physical health. Further sex differences were found with regard to maltreatment type and are discussed.ConclusionBoth maternal and paternal maltreatment in adolescence predicted poor general health five years later via attachment insecurity. Youth who lack a secure attachment with their parents are most vulnerable to these impacts.     

Parents’ son preference,childhood adverse experience and mental health in old age: Evidence from China

BackgroundSon preference is an enduring phenomenon in China and may often be related to childhood adverse experiences. According to a life-course perspective, adverse experiences during a childhood period may have a long-term effect on mental health in later age. However, little is known about this relationship between parents’ son preference, childhood adverse experiences and adulthood mental health in China.ObjectiveThe study aims to evaluate the association of parents’ son preference and individual mental health in old age in China. The mediating role of childhood adverse experiences was also estimated.Participants and settingThe China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) 2015 combined with CHARLS life history survey was analyzed (N = 11,666).MethodsMental health was measured by a shortened modification of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale including seven items, and higher scores indicated worse mental health status. A four-step mediating model was applied.ResultsRespondents growing in families with son preference had on average 0.75 (P < 0.001) points higher on the mental health scale than their counterparts, and the effects were consistent for both males and females. Childhood adverse experiences measured by physical maltreatment, emotional adverse experiences and witnesses of inter-parent violence mediated the relationship between parents’ son preference and individual adulthood mental health by 47.87%. For females, physical maltreatment and emotional adverse experiences explained the most parts of health effects of parents’ son preference, whereas witnesses of inter-parent violence was the most influential mediator for males.ConclusionParents’ son preference led to adverse childhood experiences, which influenced mental health in adulthood.     

Variations in emotional abuse experiences among multiply maltreated young adolescents and relations with developmental outcomes

Objective

Based on the data obtained through Child Protective Services (CPS) case records abstraction, this study aimed to explore patterns of overlapping types of child maltreatment in a sample of urban, ethnically diverse male and female youth (n= 303) identified as maltreated by a large public child welfare agency.

Methods

A cluster analysis was conducted on data for 303 maltreated youth. The overall categorization of four types of abuse (i.e., physical, sexual, emotional abuse and neglect) was used to provide a starting point for clustering of the 303 cases and then the subtypes of emotional abuse were broken down in the clusters. The different clusters of child maltreatment were compared on the multiple outcomes such as mental health, behavior problems, self-perception, and cognitive development.

Results

In this study, we identified four clusters of child maltreatment experiences. Three patterns involved emotional abuse. One cluster of children experienced all four types. Different clusters were differentially associated with multiple outcome measures. In general, multiply-maltreated youth fared worst, especially when the cluster involved sexual abuse. Also, sex differences were found in these associations. Boys who experienced multiple types of maltreatment showed more difficulties than girls.

Conclusion and practice implications

These results reiterate the importance of creating more complex models of child maltreatment. Children who have experienced various types of maltreatment are especially in need of more attention from professionals and resources should be allocated accordingly.     

The association between five forms of child maltreatment and depressive and anxiety disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundChild maltreatment is a global public health issue that encompasses physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, neglect, and exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV). This systematic review and meta-analysis summarises the association between these five forms of child maltreatment and depressive and anxiety disorders.MethodsPublished cohort and case-control studies were included if they reported associations between any form of child maltreatment (and/or a combination of), and depressive and anxiety disorders. A total of 604 studies were assessed for eligibility, 106 met inclusion criteria, and 96 were included in meta-analyses. The data were pooled in random effects meta-analyses, giving odds ratios (ORs) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for each form of child maltreatment.ResultsAll forms of child maltreatment were associated with depressive disorders (any child maltreatment [OR = 2.48, 2.14–2.87]; sexual abuse [OR = 2.11, 1.83–2.44]; physical abuse [OR = 1.78, 1.57–2.01]; emotional abuse [OR = 2.35, 1.74–3.18]; neglect [OR = 1.65, 1.35–2.02]; and exposure to IPV [OR = 1.68, 1.34–2.10]). Several forms of child maltreatment were significantly associated with anxiety disorders (‘any child maltreatment’ [OR = 1.68, 1.33–2.4]; sexual abuse [OR = 1.90, 1.6–2.25]; physical abuse [OR = 1.56, 1.39–1.76]; and neglect [OR = 1.34, 1.09–1.65]). Significant associations were also found between several forms of child maltreatment and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).ConclusionsThere is a robust association between five forms of child maltreatment and the development of mental disorders. The Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) includes only sexual abuse as a risk factor for depressive and anxiety disorders. These findings support the inclusion of additional forms of child maltreatment as risk factors in GBD.     

Intergenerational transmission of child maltreatment: Predictors of child emotional maltreatment among 11 to 17 years old children residing in communities of Karachi,Pakistan

ObjectiveFamilies where parents had childhood history of victimization may likely to abuse their children; hence contributing as an important predictor of child emotional maltreatment (CEM). This study aimed to determine the relationship of intergenerational abuse with CEM among 11–17 years old children residing in peri-urban and urban communities of Karachi, Pakistan.MethodStructured interviews were conducted with 800 children and parents-pair using validated questionnaire “International Child Abuse Screening Tool for Child (ICAST-C)” comprised of 4 domains. Domain of child emotional maltreatment was considered as outcome (CEM-score). The relationship between Parental history of childhood victimization and CEM-Score was measured using linear regression.ResultsThe average CEM-score was came to be 19+5.2 among children whom parental history of childhood victimization was present (P < 0.001). The estimated mean CEM-score increased by 5.59 units (95% CI= {2.61, 8.51}) among children whom parents had a history of childhood victimization (Intergenerational abuse) with severe physical familial abuse.ConclusionThe current study provided evidence on intergenerational transmission of maltreatment suggesting early prevention to break the cycle of child maltreatment through generations. Preventive measures can be taken, once a parental history of childhood victimization has been identified, by providing appropriate services to those families who belong to lower socioeconomic status, where mothers are young, presence of siblings’ rivalry/ bullying and/or violence among family members. However, these factors do not explain a complete causality of the intergenerational transmission therefore additional factors, for instance parenting styles must be taken into consideration.     

Reflective function mediates the relationship between emotional maltreatment and borderline pathology in adolescents: A preliminary investigation

Deficits in mentalizing, particularly within the context of attachment relationships i.e., reflective function (RF), are posited to result from childhood maltreatment and to influence the development of borderline personality disorder (BPD). Whilst a mentalization-based model of BPD provides a theoretical explanation, direct empirical support for this model, in linking childhood maltreatment to borderline pathology remains limited. This study examined the interrrelationships between childhood maltreatment, RF, and borderline pathology in a mixed adolescent sample, consisting of adolescents with BPD (n = 26) and a group of non-clinical adolescents (n = 25). With the aim of directly testing the mentalization-based model of BPD, we additionally investigated the influence of each form of childhood maltreatment within this developmental pathway. Self-report data supported the hypothesized indirect effect of childhood maltreatment on elevated borderline pathology through lowered RF in adolescents. Both emotional abuse and emotional neglect were found to indirectly influence borderline pathology through adolescent RF, however, only emotional abuse indirectly influenced borderline pathology through RF, after all other maltreatment types were controlled for. Findings support the promotion of mentalization, within attachment-related contexts, as an intervention target for adolescents with borderline pathology and as a potential target of prevention for at-risk children and adolescents with histories of childhood maltreatment, especially emotional abuse. Future research should delineate other underlying mechanisms, independent of RF, which may also link the influence of childhood maltreatment, and in particular, emotional abuse, to BPD.     

Childhood maltreatment and conduct disorder: Independent predictors of criminal outcomes in ADHD youth

ObjectiveChildren with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are at heightened risk for maltreatment in childhood and criminality as they enter into adolescence and early adulthood. Here, we investigated the effect of moderate to severe childhood maltreatment on later criminality among adolescents/young adults diagnosed with ADHD in childhood while accounting for the contributions of other known risk factors such as early conduct disorder (CD).MethodsEighty-eight participants from a longitudinal study of children diagnosed with ADHD and screened for comorbid disorders at age 7–11 years were assessed for maltreatment histories at the time of the 10-year adolescent follow-up. Detailed juvenile and adult criminal records were obtained from the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services approximately 3-years after commencement of the follow-up study. We used regression analyses to determine predictors of adolescent/young adult criminal behavior.ResultsModerate to severe childhood maltreatment increased the risk of adolescent/young adult arrest over and above the risk associated with childhood CD, while both childhood maltreatment and childhood CD significantly increased the risk of recidivism. ADHD youth classified as maltreated were three and a half times more likely to be arrested when compared to ADHD youth without a maltreatment classification.ConclusionWe established maltreatment as a risk factor for criminality in ADHD youth and demonstrated that this relationship was independent of the contributions of CD, and established risk factor for antisocial behavior in this population. The findings highlight the need for maltreatment screening in children with ADHD in order to identify those at heightened risk for criminal activity, and target treatment to improve outcome in this high-risk group of children.     

The linkages among childhood maltreatment, adolescent mental health, and self-compassion in child welfare adolescents

Objectives

Childhood maltreatment is a robust risk factor for poor physical and mental health. Child welfare youths represent a high-risk group, given the greater likelihood of severe or multiple types of maltreatment. This study examined the relationship between childhood maltreatment and self-compassion – a concept of positive acceptance of self. While not applied previously to a child welfare sample, self-compassion may be of value in understanding impairment among maltreatment victims. This may be most pertinent in adolescence and young adulthood, when self-identity is a focal developmental process.

Methods

The present sample was drawn from the Maltreatment and Adolescent Pathways (MAP) Longitudinal Study, which followed randomly selected adolescents receiving child protection services across two years within an urban catchment area. Child maltreatment was assessed at baseline using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire ( [Bernstein et al., 1994] and [Bernstein et al., 2003] ). Mental health, substance and alcohol use problems, suicide attempt, and self-compassion were assessed at the two-year follow-up point. There were 117 youths, aged 16–20 years (45.3% males) who completed the self-compassion scale (Neff, 2003). Bivariate correlations were computed between adolescent self-compassion and each form of self-reported maltreatment (physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, emotional neglect, and physical neglect). Finally, hierarchical, stepwise regression was used to examine unique contributions of child maltreatment subtypes in predicting adolescent self-compassion, as well as maltreatment-related impairment.

Results

Higher childhood emotional abuse, emotional neglect, and physical abuse were associated with lower self-compassion. Controlling for age and gender, emotional abuse was significantly associated with reduced self-compassion, even when the effects of emotional neglect and physical abuse were taken into account. Youths with low self-compassion were more likely to have psychological distress, problem alcohol use, and report a serious suicide attempt, as compared with those with high self-compassion. A number of maltreatment-related areas of impairment, identified by screening instruments, were significantly associated with lower self-compassion.

Conclusion

Self-compassion may be a fruitful aspect of research to pursue in an effort to better understand the impact of childhood emotional abuse on adolescent functioning, particularly considering the under-researched group of those receiving child protective services.     

Depression,anxiety and PTSD in sexually abused adolescents: Association with self-efficacy,coping and family support

Sexual abuse has the potential to generate serious emotional consequences for its victims, but there is high variability in the symptoms reported by different victims. Therefore, it is necessary to ascertain the factors associated with the symptoms presented by sexual abuse victims. The aim of the study was to use a single model to evaluate the relationship between sexual abuse characteristics (frequency, violence, relation with the aggressor and physical commitment), cognitive and behavioral factors (self-efficacy, active coping and perceived family support) and internalizing symptoms (anxiety, depression and posttraumatic stress) in a group of sexually abused adolescents. The participants included 106 female adolescent victims of sexual abuse (M = 14.25 years, SD = 1.74). The results of a path analysis indicated that sexual abuse characteristics were unrelated to symptomatology. Only a negative relationship was observed between the victim’s relationship with the aggressor and PTSD symptomatology. The violence of the sexual abuse was negatively related to self-efficacy, and self-efficacy was positively related to active coping and negatively related to symptomatology. Finally, the perception of family support was positively related to self-efficacy and negatively related to symptomatology. These results suggest the need to consider the studied factors in the process of psychotherapy with victims of sexual abuse.     

Development and psychometric evaluation of a new assessment method for childhood maltreatment experiences: The interview for traumatic events in childhood (ITEC)

ObjectiveWe conducted a comprehensive assessment of the reliability and validity of the Interview for Traumatic Events in Childhood (ITEC, Lobbestael, Arntz, Kremers, & Sieswerda, 2006), a retrospective, semi-structured interview for childhood maltreatment. The ITEC aims to yield dimensional scores for severity of experiences of different childhood maltreatment dimensions.MethodsInitial psychometric properties were tested with the pilot version of the ITEC in 362 participants. A second study assessed the revised ITEC in 217 participants, patients and non-patients.ResultsFactor analyses produced the best fit for a five-factor model (sexual, physical and emotional abuse, physical and emotional neglect). The scales had good internal consistency, except for the physical neglect subscale, and excellent inter-rater reliability. The scales were highly associated with equivalent scales of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (i.e., good convergent validity), and showed good correspondence with patient file information (i.e., good criterion validity).ConclusionThese results support the reliability and validity of the ITEC, making it a potentially useful tool for assessing a broad range of traumatic events in childhood.Practice implicationThe first step in therapy for dealing with childhood maltreatment is to map abusive experiences and assess their severity and impact. Since maltreatment is a sensitive topic that is not reported on easily, trauma interviews are promising assessment instruments since they provide the opportunity to probe and clarify. There are hardly any well-validated trauma interviews available that assess the extent of maltreatment in and outside the family in various dimensions. The current study tries to fill this gap by presenting a new trauma interview; the Interview for Traumatic Events in Childhood.     

Long-term effects of interparental violence and child physical maltreatment experiences on PTSD and behavior problems: A national survey of Taiwanese college students

ObjectivesThis study investigated the joint long-term impact of witnessing interparental violence and experiencing child physical maltreatment on young adults’ trauma symptoms and behavior problems. It also explored Chinese traditional beliefs as a possible contributor to young adults’ trauma and behavior.MethodsThis study used self-reporting measures to collect data from a national proportionate stratified sample of 1,924 college students in Taiwan. The sample was divided into four groups: no violence; interparental violence only; child physical maltreatment only and dual violence, to compare the combined effect of dual violence on long-term outcome with the no violence group and the one type of violence group.ResultsThe results indicated a significant association of interparental violence and child physical maltreatment, and 11.3% of participants reported witnessing partner violence between parents and experiencing physical maltreatment during childhood. Participants experiencing dual violence reported more trauma symptoms and behavior problems than did those experiencing only one form of violence or none at all. Exposure to both interparental violence and child physical maltreatment during childhood is a significant predictor of young adults’ trauma symptoms and behavior problems, after controlling for other potentially confounding risk factors. Cultural factors also play a significant role in predicting young adults’ trauma symptoms and internalizing behavior problems, after accounting for control variables and violence-related variables. Moreover, cultural factors interact significantly with dual violence experiences in predicting young adults’ externalizing behavior problems.ConclusionsThis study extended Western co-occurrence study findings with large Taiwanese community samples. The results demonstrated that dual violence experiences during childhood have long-term detrimental impact on young adults’ trauma symptoms and behavior problems. Cultural beliefs and their interaction with dual violence experiences play a significant role in young adults’ trauma symptoms and behavior problems as well.Practice implicationsThe present findings underscore the need for interventions for young adults exposed to childhood dual violence. Moreover, the findings highlight the need for culturally sensitive interventions to address the cultural factor impact on young adults’ trauma symptoms and behavior problems.     

Childhood maltreatment and alcohol-related problems in young adulthood: The protective role of parental warmth

BackgroundAlcohol use among young adults is highly prevalent. Individuals exposed to childhood maltreatment are particularly vulnerable to alcohol use and alcohol-related problems. Few studies have examined family protective factors, such as parental warmth, that may mitigate the effects of childhood maltreatment on alcohol-related problems.ObjectiveThe current study seeks to examine the extent to which parental warmth reduces the effect of childhood exposure to maltreatment on alcohol-related problems in young adulthood.Participants and settingParticipants were young adults (N = 337; mean age = 21.7), who were recruited from an urban community and completed in-person interviews assessing childhood maltreatment, parental warmth, and alcohol-related problems.MethodsMultiple hierarchical linear regression models were used to examine whether maternal and paternal warmth reduced the impact of childhood exposure to maltreatment on alcohol-related problems in young adulthood. Common risk factors for alcohol-related problems, including psychological symptoms and peer and parental alcohol use, were also entered into the models.ResultsWe found a significant moderating effect of paternal warmth on the associations between childhood emotional abuse and alcohol-related problems (β= -0.29, p < .05). Specifically, the association between emotional abuse and alcohol-related problems was weaker among individuals with higher levels of paternal warmth. Moderating effects of maternal warmth on the maltreatment-problematic alcohol use relation were not supported.ConclusionThe results of this research suggest that parental warmth may not only relate to fewer alcohol-related problems among offspring, but may also modify the associations between childhood emotional abuse and alcohol-related problems during young adulthood.     

The child protection and juvenile justice nexus in Australia: A longitudinal examination of the relationship between maltreatment and offending

There is convincing evidence that many young people who are in the justice system have had contact with child protection services and that victims of childhood maltreatment are at increased risk of subsequent youth justice involvement. In Australia, however, there have been few longitudinal studies that have examined these associations and relatively less is known in this area. This study examines the overlap between the child protection and youth justice involvement in South Australia, and determines how substantiated maltreatment and variations in these experiences (e.g., the type, timing and recurrence of maltreatment) relate to criminal convictions as a youth. The results show that although the majority of child-protection involved youth do not become convicted offenders, the odds of subsequent convictions are significantly greater both for those with notifications and substantiated maltreatment and for those who had been placed in out-of-home care. Multivariate analyses revealed that the strongest predictors for receiving a conviction among maltreated youth were: male gender, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ethnicity, experiences of physical abuse and emotional abuse, a greater number of substantiations (recurrence), experiencing maltreatment that commenced in childhood and continued into adolescence, and placement in out-of-home care. The mechanisms through which maltreatment might be linked with behavior are then considered, along with directions for future research in this area.     

The maltreated adolescent: patterns of physical abuse

Although adolescents are severely and chronically physically abused, relatively little attention has been directed towards understanding this phenomenon. This study explored the family characteristics and the behavioral-emotional reactions of 77 adolescents who were physically maltreated. The youths were selected at a number of sites including a runaway shelter, a hospital-based child abuse team, and a protective service unit. Six different patterns of adolescent reaction to abuse were identified: acting-out, depression, generalized anxiety, extreme adolescent adjustment, emotional-thought disturbance, and helplessness-dependency. Abuse toward these youth had been ongoing for an average of nearly five years. As there were no differences in family characteristics and emotional-behavioral reactions between subjects who were abused only during adolescence (including single-incident abuse) and subjects for whom family violence was evident from childhood on, the utility of a developmentally specific system of abuse categorization is questioned. It is suggested that it is the pattern of parent and child interaction rather than the course of the maltreatment that is related to the emotional and behavioral dysfunction of the adolescent victim.