Child abuse and neglect, social support, and psychopathology in adulthood: a prospective investigation

School connectedness as a protective factor between childhood adversity and adolescent mental health outcomes

School connectedness may offset mental health risks associated with childhood adversity. The present study examined the potential protective effects of school connectedness against childhood adversity when predicting adolescent mental health outcomes in 9,964 individuals (51% female, 81% white) from the Millennium Cohort Study. Structural equation models were fitted to examine the longitudinal relationships between childhood adversity, school connectedness, and adolescent mental health. Childhood adversity was a risk factor, predicting greater internalizing and externalizing problems and lower levels of positive mental health. School connectedness was a promotive factor as it predicted fewer mental health problems and greater positive mental health. Furthermore, school connectedness at age 11 was protective against childhood adversity when predicting internalizing and externalizing problems at age 14. That is, students with a history of adversity who felt more connected to school were less likely to exhibit internalizing and externalizing symptoms than those who felt less connected to school. Only school connectedness at age 11 was protective against childhood adversity, indicating that feeling connected to school at younger ages may disrupt processes linking childhood adversity to adolescent mental health. Schools should foster students' feelings of connectedness to protect vulnerable individuals and benefit all pupils' mental health.

Intergenerational continuity of child maltreatment exposure, mother-offspring relationship quality, and adult romantic attachment in emerging adults

BACKGROUND

Child maltreatment (CM; sexual and physical abuse, emotional maltreatment, neglect, and exposure to intimate partner violence) is a prevalent and harmful public health problem, with severe consequences for children's physical, psychological, and social development. CM exposure has been found to recur in families, indicating intergenerational continuity, which may stem from attachment-related factors.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to examine whether mothers' CM exposure is associated with attachment insecurity in their emerging adult offspring, through the emerging adult's CM exposure and mother-emerging adult relationship quality.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

A sample of 139 mother-emerging adult dyads were recruited across Canada.

METHODS

Participants completed an online survey documenting CM exposure, attachment, and relationship quality. A sequential mediation model was tested.

RESULTS

An indirect association was found for mother's CM exposure with emerging adult romantic attachment anxiety, through emerging adult's CM exposure and mother-emerging adult relationship quality (β = 0.02, p = .036), and with romantic attachment avoidance through emerging adult CM exposure alone (β = 0.03, p = .047). Findings suggest that mothers reporting greater CM exposure tended to have offspring reporting greater CM exposure, which was negatively associated with mother-emerging adult relationship quality, and in turn greater emerging adult romantic attachment insecurity.

CONCLUSIONS

Future research should replicate these findings using dyadic modeling with larger samples and longitudinal data. Policies increasing the accessibility of individual and group interventions for emerging adults and their parents who experienced CM are needed, particularly targeting interpersonal functioning, which may increase their social resources and reduce revictimization risk.

Violence against children and later substance use in low- and middle-income countries

BACKGROUND

Globally, one in two children experience violence; experiences which may lead to later risky behaviors such as substance use. In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), however, the association between childhood violence and substance use remains underexplored.

OBJECTIVE

This study assessed the association between childhood violence and substance use among LMIC youth.

PARTICIPANTS

Data from the Violence Against Children and Youth Surveys (VACS) in eight LMICs (2017-2019) were analyzed, comprising 33,408 children and young adults (ages 13-24).

METHODS

Exposure variables included the experience of childhood violence (physical, sexual, emotional) and polyvictimization (experience of two or more types). Outcomes were current smoking and past-month alcohol and drug use. Multivariable logistic regressions with country-fixed effects were estimated. Stratified analyses were performed based on participant's sex and age, and effect modification analyses examined whether associations differ by the presence of peer support.

RESULTS

Childhood physical violence was the most prevalent type of violence (40.7 %), and about 10 % of the participants experienced polyvictimization. All types of violence increased the odds of smoking, binge drinking, and drug use, and polyvictimization elevated the risk substantially. Stronger associations were observed in young women with a history of childhood sexual violence (current smoking aOR: 1.5, 95 % CI: 1.2-1.9; binge-drinking aOR: 2.1, 95 % CI: 1.7-2.5; and drug-use aOR: 2.3, 95 % CI: 1.5-3.5) compared to young men. Additionally, the associations between childhood sexual violence and substance use were more pronounced among adolescents (current smoking aOR: 1.7, 95 % CI: 1.2-2.2; binge-drinking aOR: 2.3, 95 % CI: 1.8-2.9; and drug-use aOR: 2.4, 95 % CI: 1.5-3.9), relative to young adults. Lack of peer support significantly increased the likelihood of drug use.

CONCLUSION

Childhood violence prevention programs can reduce substance use in LMICs, and they should take into account the survivor's sex and age. Our findings suggest that peer support can mitigate risky behaviors among the survivors of childhood violence.

Childhood Maltreatment and Biological Aging in Middle Adulthood: The Role of Psychiatric Symptoms

Background

Childhood maltreatment and psychiatric morbidity have each been associated with accelerated biological aging primarily through cross-sectional studies. Using data from a prospective longitudinal study of individuals with histories of childhood maltreatment and control participants followed into midlife, we tested 2 hypotheses examining whether 1) psychiatric symptoms mediate the relationship between childhood maltreatment and biological aging and 2) psychiatric symptoms of anxiety, depression, or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) act in conjunction with childhood maltreatment to exacerbate the association of child maltreatment to aging.

Methods

Children (ages 0-11 years) with documented histories of maltreatment and demographically matched control children were followed into adulthood (N = 607) and interviewed over several waves of the study. Depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms were assessed at mean ages of 29 (interview 1) and 40 (interview 2) years. Biological age was measured from blood chemistries collected later (mean age = 41 years) using the Klemera-Doubal method. Hypotheses were tested using linear regressions and path analyses.

Results

Adults with documented histories of childhood maltreatment showed more symptoms of depression, PTSD, and anxiety at both interviews and more advanced biological aging, compared with control participants. PTSD symptoms at both interviews and depression and anxiety symptoms only at interview 2 predicted accelerated biological aging. There was no evidence of mediation; however, anxiety and depression moderated the relationship between childhood maltreatment and biological aging.

Conclusions

These new findings reveal the shorter- and longer-term longitudinal impact of PTSD on biological aging and the amplifying effect of anxiety and depression on the relationship between child maltreatment and biological aging.

Childhood Interpersonal Trauma and Depression of Middle-Aged and Older Adults in China: The Mediation Effect of Social Integration

Objectives: This study investigates the associations between five types of childhood interpersonal trauma (CIT) and depression in mid-later life, as well as the mediation roles of social integration in the associations. Methods: Two waves of data from a nationally representative survey in China were used, with participants aged 45 years and older (N = 14,180). Measures of CIT included physical abuse, physical neglect, emotional neglect, bullying victimization, and exposure to interparental violence. Binary logistic regression and Karlson-Holm-Breen mediation analysis were used as statistical methods. Results: People who were bullied, physically abused, and witnessed interparental violence during childhood were more likely to develop depression in mid-later years. The associations between CIT and depression were mediated by satisfaction with marriage, satisfaction with children, and perceived social support. Discussion: Although CIT elevates the risk of depression in later life, effective interventions that strengthen integration across family and social domains could benefit mental health.

The role of problem solving appraisal and support in the relationship between stress exposure and posttraumatic stress symptoms of military spouses and service member partners

Using a stress process lens, this paper considers the interrelationship between individual and family-level stress exposures and military spouse resources, including problem-solving appraisals and problem-solving support (PSS), and their associations with posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) among both partners in military marital dyads. The study employs data from the Millennium Cohort Family Study, a longitudinal survey of married military dyads, with an initial panel of 9,872 spouses enroled from 2011 to 2013. A structural equation model explored the associations between service member and spouse childhood maltreatment exposure, nonmilitary and military stressors, as well as interactions with spouse resources on self-reported PTSS among both service member (SM) and spouse (SP). Among our findings, spouse childhood maltreatment muted later self-reported problem-solving appraisal and support. Spouse resources, in turn, had both protective (problem-solving appraisal) and promotive (problem-solving support) effects on PTSS for both service members and spouses. These findings emphasise the central role of spouses in military families, as more psychological resources among spouses appeared to buffer against the deleterious effects of stress exposure on both their own and their partners mental health.

Childhood maltreatment and Internet addiction among Chinese adolescents: A moderated mediation model

Although childhood maltreatment has been suggested to play an important role in developing Internet addiction among adolescents, little is known about the mediating and moderating mechanisms underlying this association. The present study investigated (a) the mediating role of maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategy (MCERS) in the association between childhood maltreatment and Internet addiction, and (b) the moderating role of peer support in the relationship between childhood maltreatment and Internet addiction. A sample of 4163 Chinese adolescents (50.3 % females, Mage = 14.25, SD = 1.53) were recruited. The moderated mediation model showed that MCERS mediated the relationship between childhood maltreatment and Internet addiction. Furthermore, the mediating process was moderated by peer support. Interestingly, peer support can protect adolescents from being affected by higher levels of MCERS while it displays limited protective effect when adolescents suffered from higher levels of childhood maltreatment. These findings indicate that reducing the MCERS and enhancing peer support can contribute to the alleviation of negative influences of childhood maltreatment on Internet addiction.

The mediating role of social support in associations between childhood adversity, military sexual trauma, and homelessness in a nationally representative sample of US veterans

Among veterans, availability of social support and histories of military sexual trauma (MST) and/or adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are particularly salient correlates of homelessness. Using path analyses, we investigated whether social support (i.e., interpersonal social support and community integration) would at least partially account for the relationships of MST and ACEs with any lifetime homelessness in a large, nationally representative sample of veterans (N = 4069, 9.8% female). Interpersonal social support and community integration partially explained the relationship between ACEs and any lifetime homelessness. However, they did not mediate the relationship between MST and any lifetime homelessness. Female veterans also reported higher trauma rates and lower perceived social support than male counterparts during correlational analyses. These results reinforce existing literature on the importance of research and interventions tailored to veterans with low social support and integration. Results have potential to inform interventions and policy for veterans experiencing and/or at risk for homelessness.

Childhood maltreatment and depressed mood in female college students: A daily diary analysis

BACKGROUND

Childhood maltreatment has well-documented relations with depressed mood. However, few studies have used a daily diary methodology to investigate the association between all five forms of childhood maltreatment (emotional, physical, and sexual abuse, emotional and physical neglect) and depressed mood, and the mechanisms underlying the association remain unclear.

OBJECTIVE

The current study sought to examine the associations of multiple forms of childhood maltreatment with depressed mood via a 14-day daily diary methodology, and investigate the mediating effects of self-compassion and perceived social support.

METHODS

A sample of 220 Chinese female college students (Mage = 19.13 years) participated in this study and completed questionnaires regarding childhood maltreatment, self-compassion, perceived social support and depressed mood.

RESULTS

The multilevel regression analysis indicated that only emotional abuse was slightly associated with depressed mood, while emotional neglect, physical abuse, physical neglect, or sexual abuse were not associated with depressed mood. The multilevel mediation analysis further revealed that self-compassion and perceived social support independently mediated the association of childhood emotional abuse with depressed mood.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, these results emphasize the specific association between childhood emotional abuse and daily depressed mood, and further support self-compassion and perceived social support as explanatory mechanisms linking childhood emotional abuse with later depressed mood.

Fostering resilience and well-being in emerging adults with adverse childhood experiences: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the FACE self-help app

BACKGROUND

Adverse childhood experiences (ACE) are linked to an increased risk of psychological disorders and lower psychosocial functioning throughout life. This study aims to evaluate the FACE self-help app, designed to promote resilience and well-being in emerging adults with a history of ACE. The app is based on cognitive-behavioural principles and consists of two thematic components: (1) self- and emotion regulation (SER) and (2) social skills and biases in social information processing (SSIP).

METHODS

The efficacy of the app will be tested through a single-centre, two-arm randomized controlled trial, comparing an active intervention group against a waiting list control group. The active group is divided into two subgroups, in which the two components are delivered in a different order to investigate differential effects in a crossover design. Up to 250 emerging adults aged 18 to 25 years with a history of ACE from a general population cohort study will be recruited. The primary objective is to test the efficacy of the app in improving resilience (primary outcome) and well-being (co-primary outcome) compared to a waiting list control group and to examine the stability of these effects. The secondary objectives include testing the efficacy of the app in improving the secondary outcomes, i.e., self-efficacy in managing emotions, problem solving, fear of evaluation, social avoidance, and self-esteem; examining the differential effects of the two components; and assessing the effect of the app on real-life data on resilience, affective states, distress in social interactions and coping strategies. Furthermore, the study will investigate potential moderators (e.g. ACE severity) and mediators of intervention outcomes (e.g. self-efficacy in managing emotions).

DISCUSSION

The results will provide insights into the efficacy of the self-help intervention as well as mediators and moderators of outcomes. Furthermore, results will extend the existing knowledge by testing the differential effects of the SER and SSIP component on the outcomes. Findings can inform improvements to the FACE app and the development of other interventions for this target group and assess its potential as a scalable, low-threshold intervention to support emerging adults with a history of ACE in their transition to adulthood.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT05824182.

Heightened response to positive facial cues as a potential marker of resilience following childhood adversity

Background: Childhood maltreatment profoundly influences social and emotional development, increasing psychiatric risk. Alterations in the implicit processing of threat-related cues following early abuse and neglect represent a marker of mental health vulnerability. Less is known about how early adversity influences the perception of positive social cues, despite their central role in establishing and maintaining social interactions and their association with better mental health outcomes.Methods: The sample consisted of 42 children and adolescents with substantiated childhood maltreatment experiences and 32 peers (mean age 13.3), matched on age, pubertal status, gender, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and cognitive ability. A computerised experimental task assessed the perceived emotional intensity of positive (happy) and negative (fearful) facial expressions. Mental health symptoms were measured via self- and parental reports, and perceived social support was self-reported.Results: The experience of abuse and neglect was associated with heightened perceived intensity of positive facial cues. Cross-sectional post-hoc moderation and mediation analyses, employing a model-building approach, revealed that in maltreatment-exposed participants: (i) their increased response to positive facial cues was associated with lower symptoms; (ii) the presence of social support accounted for their heightened perceived intensity of positive facial cues; (iii) the presence of social support putatively contributed to lower symptoms by increasing the perceived intensity of positive facial cues. No group differences in perceived intensity of negative expressions were observed.Conclusions: These findings provide fresh insight into how positive faces are processed following maltreatment experience in childhood. Maltreatment experience was found to be associated with heightened perceived intensity of happy faces, which in turn was associated with better mental health and greater levels of social support. This suggests that heightened saliency of positive emotions acts protectively in children with maltreatment experience.

Associations Between Forced Intercourse and Subsequent Depression Among Women in the U.S. General Population

Forced intercourse is a high prevalence experience among US women, with high potential to produce subsequent major depressive episodes (MDE). However, the extent to which prior risk factors are associated with the timing of both sexual assault experiences and subsequent MDE onset is not known. The aim of this study was to document the associations between childhood depression, subsequent forced intercourse, and later MDE. We used retrospective information on childhood depression, forced intercourse, and MDE after forced intercourse from female respondents in the nationally representative 2017 US Panel Study of Income Dynamics-Transition to Adulthood Supplement (PSID-TAS, N = 1298, response rate: 87%). Multivariable logistic regression estimated these associations, controlling for age, race, poverty, religiosity, family history of depression, and adverse childhood experiences (such as parental physical abuse or parental violence). Women who experienced childhood depression (prevalence: 15%) had 2.57 times the odds of experiencing forced intercourse after depression onset, even after adjusting for these other risk factors. However, even though childhood depression is a powerful risk factor for later MDE, independent of that women who experienced forced intercourse had 2.28 times the odds of experiencing MDE after the occurrence of forced intercourse, adjusting for childhood depression and other risk factors. This study provided the first clear evidence for time-ordered associations between forced intercourse and subsequent MDE among women in the general population.

The effects of childhood maltreatment on social support, inflammation, and depressive symptoms in adulthood

RATIONALE

Social Safety Theory (SST) suggests that social threats increase inflammation, exacerbating health risks, but that social support may decrease inflammatory signaling. One of the key health problems affected by both social forces and inflammation is major depression.

OBJECTIVE

The present study sought to test aspects of the SST, to understand how social support and inflammation may mediate the effects of childhood maltreatment on depressive symptoms in adulthood.

METHODS

This study utilized data from the national Midlife Development in the United States study (n = 1969; mean age 53; 77.2% White; 53.6% female) to model the effects of childhood maltreatment on depressive symptoms in adulthood and the potential serial mediating effects of social support and inflammation. Analyses were conducted via structural equation modeling, using the four subscales of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale to indicate depressive symptoms, the five subscales of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire to indicate childhood maltreatment, and the Positive Relations Scale and a network level measure of support as indicators of social support. Inflammation was indexed using C-reactive protein (CRP). The model was estimated via maximum likelihood with robust standard errors and significance of indirect effects were assessed via a Sobel test.

RESULTS

Childhood maltreatment was associated with increased depressive symptoms and CRP but decreased social support. Social support was associated with decreased depressive symptoms while CRP was associated with increased depressive symptoms. Assessing indirect effects yielded no serial mediation effect; however, a significant indirect effect from childhood maltreatment to depressive symptoms through social support was identified.

CONCLUSIONS

Analyses indicate mixed support for the SST with respect to depressive symptoms. Results highlight the role of social support in mitigating the effects depressive symptoms in adulthood; although, alternative strategies may be needed to decrease the effects of childhood maltreatment on inflammation as indexed by CRP.

Sibling support exchange in late adulthood moderates the long-term impact of childhood neglect on psychological outcomes

Objectives: Sibling relationships are often the longest-lasting and serve as a source of support and comfort for many older adults. The current study examined the moderating effect of sibling support exchange in the association between childhood maltreatment and mental health outcomes.Method: Using data from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study (WLS), we analyzed a sample of older adults whose selected sibling was alive across the three data collections (baseline N = 4,041). Longitudinal multilevel regression models were estimated.Results: Key results showed that a history of neglect was associated with decreased psychological well-being, and all three forms of childhood maltreatment were related to increased depressive symptoms. We also found that sibling support exchange mitigated the negative mental health effects of childhood neglect.Conclusion: Our findings suggest that siblings may be uniquely positioned to support older adults who grew up in a neglectful family environment. Older adults may be encouraged to promote resilience by strengthening their sibling relationships.

Prevalence of childhood trauma in patients with psychiatric disorders and its association with perceived social support and suicide attempts: A cross-sectional observational study in a tertiary hospital in South India

Background

Adverse childhood experiences include exposure of children to physical abuse, physical neglect, emotional neglect, emotional abuse, and sexual abuse. Children exposed to severe maltreatment and trauma during their early childhood are at a higher risk of early onset of psychiatric disorders.

Aim

To find the prevalence of childhood adverse experiences in psychiatric patients and its association with perceived social support and suicidal attempts.

Materials and Methods

A cross-sectional observational study was conducted in the psychiatry outpatient department at a tertiary care hospital in Kerala. Patients with a diagnosis of substance use disorders, psychotic disorders, mood disorders, and neurotic disorders according to ICD-10 (F10-F45) and in remission were included in the study. Institutional Ethical Committee approval and informed consent from the participants were obtained. Socio-demographic and clinical details were obtained. Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form and Multidimensional scale of Perceived Social Support were administered. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square test were employed for data analysis.

Results

Eighty-five per cent of the subjects had a history of at least one type of childhood trauma. Emotional abuse was the most commonly reported type of trauma. Among patients with childhood trauma, 47.2% reported high levels of perceived social support, whereas 18.5% individuals reported a history of at least one suicide attempt.

Conclusions

A significant proportion of patients with psychiatric disorders in an Indian setting have experienced childhood trauma. Childhood trauma in psychiatric disorders is associated with a higher risk of attempting suicide.

Atypical Interpersonal Problem-Solving and Resting-state Functional Connectivity in Adolescents with Maltreatment Experience

BACKGROUND

Childhood maltreatment is associated with altered neurocognitive functioning, which is thought to reflect, in part, adaptation to early adverse environmental experiences. However, we continue to lack a precise mechanistic understanding linking atypical neurocognitive processing with social functioning and psychiatric outcomes following early adversity.

OBJECTIVE

The present work investigated interpersonal problem-solving, resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC), and mental health symptoms in adolescents with documented maltreatment experience and explored whether altered neural function contributes in part to poorer social functioning.

METHODS

Forty adolescents (aged 12-17) with documented experiences of abuse or neglect and a carefully matched group of 42 non-maltreated peers participated in this study that measured task-based interpersonal problem-solving skills and rsFC.

RESULTS

Adolescents with maltreatment experience showed poorer interpersonal problem-solving performance, which partly accounted for their elevated mental health symptoms. Resting-state seed-based analyses revealed that adolescents with maltreatment experience showed a significant increase in rsFC between medial Default Mode Network (DMN) hubs, the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), with a posterior cluster, including the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), precuneus (PCu), retrosplenial cortex (RSC), and lingual gyrus (LG). Moderation analyses revealed that maltreatment-related increased DMN rsFC partly accounted for poorer performance in interpersonal problem-solving.

CONCLUSION

Poorer interpersonal problem-solving, partly accounted for by atypical coupling between DMN medial hubs, was associated with maltreatment exposure. Interventions tailored to enhance interpersonal problem-solving represents a promising avenue to promote resilience and reduce the likelihood of mental health disorder following maltreatment experience.

Abnormal spontaneous activity of regions related to mood regulation mediates the effect of childhood emotional neglect on major depressive disorder

This study investigated the mediating factors between childhood emotional neglect (EN) and major depressive disorder (MDD) and whether combining multi-indicator could help diagnose MDD. Regional homogeneity (ReHo) and clinical features were compared between 33 MDD patients and 36 healthy controls (HC). Mediation analysis was employed to explore whether social support or ReHo mediates the association between EN and MDD. The linear discriminant analysis model was constructed with EN, social support, and ReHo, and applied to distinguish MDD from HC in both primary and replication cohorts. We found that MDD patients experienced severer EN and poorer social support, and exhibited lower ReHo in the left middle occipital gyrus and bilateral postcentral gyrus, and higher ReHo in the right cerebellum crus1. EN could affect MDD directly and indirectly through ReHo in these discrepant brain regions and social support. Combining ReHo values of these four distinct brain regions, EN, and objective support could classify MDD patients from HC, and the 10-fold cross-validation accuracy within-study replication and in the independent cohort was 83.78 % ± 1.49 % and 82.72 % ± 2.22 %, respectively. These findings suggested that childhood EN, social support, and emotional-related regions' ReHo were associated with risks of MDD, providing new insights into the pathological mechanisms underlying MDD.

A systematic review of childhood maltreatment and resting state functional connectivity

Resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) has the potential to shed light on how childhood abuse and neglect relates to negative psychiatric outcomes. However, a comprehensive review of the impact of childhood maltreatment on the brain's resting state functional organization has not yet been undertaken. We systematically searched rsFC studies in children and youth exposed to maltreatment. Nineteen studies (total n = 3079) met our inclusion criteria. Two consistent findings were observed. Childhood maltreatment was linked to reduced connectivity between the anterior insula and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, and with widespread heightened amygdala connectivity with key structures in the salience, default mode, and prefrontal regulatory networks. Other brain regions showing altered connectivity included the ventral anterior cingulate cortex, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and hippocampus. These patterns of altered functional connectivity associated with maltreatment exposure were independent of symptoms, yet comparable to those seen in individuals with overt clinical disorder. Summative findings indicate that rsFC alterations associated with maltreatment experience are related to poor cognitive and social functioning and are prognostic of future symptoms. In conclusion, maltreatment is associated with altered rsFC in emotional reactivity, regulation, learning, and salience detection brain circuits. This indicates patterns of recalibration of putative mechanisms implicated in maladaptive developmental outcomes.

Child maltreatment and resilience in adulthood: a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Although child maltreatment (CM) has been linked to health problems and poor psychosocial functioning, not all individuals exposed to CM develop or experience negative consequences later in life. This suggests that some individuals show resilience after being exposed to CM. However, conclusions have been limited by inconsistent findings across different CM subtypes and resilience domains.Objective: To develop a protocol for conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis to quantify associations between CM (overall and its subtypes) and resilience (global and its multiple domains) in adulthood, and to examine moderators and mediators of these associations.Method: PubMed, PsycINFO, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science will be searched to identify relevant studies on the association between CM (exposure) and resilience (outcome) in adults (≥ 18 years). Data will be screened and extracted by at least two independent reviewers. The methodological quality of the included studies will be independently assessed with a modified version of the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). If deemed viable, a meta-analysis will be conducted using a random effects model. Heterogeneity of evidence will be estimated with the I2 statistic, and publication bias will be assessed. The effects of potential moderators (e.g. timing and severity of CM, age, sex, family cohesion, socio-economic status, country/region) will be analysed using meta-regression and subgroup analyses, and meta-analytical structural equation modelling will be employed to synthesise indirect mediation effects. Candidate moderators and mediators (e.g. genetic factors, brain functioning, attachment style, personality traits, physical activity, and social support) will be also examined qualitatively.Conclusions: This protocol will facilitate a systematic review and meta-analysis that has the potential to enhance our knowledge about the association between CM exposure in early life and resilience in adulthood. Understanding associations and underlying mechanisms between CM and resilience is potentially important in informing prevention and interventions to sustain health and improve outcomes among adults with a history of CM.PROSPERO registration: CRD42023394120.

The stress-buffering role of friendships in young people with childhood threat experiences: a preliminary report

Background: High-quality friendships have a positive impact on the mental health of young people with childhood adversity (CA). Social stress buffering, the phenomenon of a social partner attenuating acute stress responses, is a potential yet unexplored mechanism that may underlie this relationship.Objective: This study examined whether perceived friendship quality was related to better mental health and lower neural stress response in young people with CA.Method: A total of N = 102 young people (aged 16-26) with low to moderate CA were included in the study. We first investigated associations between friendship quality, mental health, and CA. In a representative subset (n = 62), we assessed neural stress responses using the Montreal Imaging Stress Task. In our sample, CA was best described along two dimensions resembling threat or deprivation like experiences. Hence, we investigated both cumulative and dimensional effects of CA.Results: We found no support for social thinning after CA, meaning that the severity of CA (cumulative or dimensional) did not differentially impact friendship quality. High-quality friendships, on the other hand, were strongly associated with better mental health. Furthermore, acute stress increased state anxiety and enhanced neural activity in five frontolimbic brain regions, including the left hippocampus. We found weak support that threat experiences interacted with friendship quality to predict left hippocampal reactivity to stress. However, this effect did not survive multiple comparison correction.Conclusion: The absence of social thinning in our sample may suggest that the risk of developing impoverished social networks is low for rather well-functioning young people with low to moderate CA. Regardless, our findings align with prior research, consistently showing a strong association between high-quality friendships and better mental health in young people with CA. Future research is needed to examine whether friendships aid neural stress responses in young people with childhood threat experiences.

Childhood maltreatment and midlife cognitive functioning: A longitudinal study of the roles of social support and social isolation

OBJECTIVE

Negative consequences of childhood maltreatment have been well-documented, including poorer executive functioning and nonverbal reasoning in midlife. However, not all adults with a history of childhood maltreatment manifest these outcomes, suggesting the presence of risk and protective factors. Based on growing empirical support for the importance of social variables in understanding neuropsychological development and functioning, we examined whether social support and social isolation mediate or moderate the effects of childhood maltreatment on cognitive functioning in midlife.

METHOD

In the context of a prospective cohort design study, individuals with documented histories of childhood maltreatment (ages 0-11 years) and demographically matched controls were followed up and interviewed in adulthood. Social support and isolation were assessed in young adulthood (Mage = 29), and cognitive functioning was assessed in midlife (Mage = 41). Structural equation modeling was used for mediation and linear regressions for moderation.

RESULTS

Childhood maltreatment predicted higher levels of social isolation and lower levels of social support and cognitive functioning. Only social isolation mediated the relationship between childhood maltreatment and midlife cognitive functioning, whereas childhood maltreatment interacted with social support to predict Matrix Reasoning in midlife. Social support was protective for the control group but not for those maltreated.

CONCLUSIONS

Social isolation and social support play different roles in understanding how childhood maltreatment impacts midlife cognitive functioning. Greater social isolation predicts greater deficits in cognitive functioning overall, whereas the protective effects of social support are limited to those without a documented history of childhood maltreatment. Clinical implications are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

"Silent screams": Family perceptions in the drawings of incest victim children

PURPOSE

This study aimed to examine the family perceptions in the drawings of children exposed to incest.

DESIGN AND METHODS

This qualitative research involved 25 child survivors of incest, all of whom were examined and subjected to forensic interviews at a facility in northern Türkiye specializing in cases of child sexual abuse. The data were collected using the "Child and Family Descriptive Information Form", the "Abuser Descriptive Information Form", the "Family Drawing Test", and the "Semi-structured Interview Form".

RESULTS

The children's drawings were subjected to a projective analysis, leading to the identification of three key themes: the distress of confronting incest; unbalanced power and role allocation in the family; and dysfunctional family dynamics.". These themes were discerned by examining the connections and coherence between the categories.

CONCLUSION

It is concluded in the study that who are exposed to incest perceived a trauma experience that affected the whole family, perceived unbalanced power and role allocation in the family with authoritarian-aggressive and submissive-oppressed roles, and had negative perceptions of family dynamics such as emotional ties, family integrity, and social interaction.

IMPLICATIONS TO PRACTICE

This study emphasizes the need to restructure the issues of familial trauma, power and role imbalance, and unmet needs within the family while planning for trauma in nursing approaches to children who are victims of incest.

Adverse Childhood Experiences, Depression, and Intimate Partner Violence Among Chinese Immigrant Women: Mediation by Social and Partner Support

BACKGROUND

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with an increased risk of depression and intimate partner violence (IPV). Social support and partner support may help explain this association. Few researchers have focused on Chinese immigrant women, who are less likely than native-born women to seek help for mental health challenges and IPV.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to examine the mediation effects of social and partner support on the relationship between (a) ACEs and (b) depressive symptoms and IPV among Chinese immigrant women living in the United States.

METHODS

This is a secondary analysis of data from 475 Chinese immigrant women recruited online. Depressive symptoms, IPV, ACEs, perceived social support, and perceived partner support were measured cross-sectionally. Mediation analyses were conducted to test the mediating role of social and partner support on the associations between ACEs and depressive symptoms and IPV.

RESULTS

Social support and partner support fully mediated the relationship between ACEs and depressive symptoms. However, partner support only partially mediated the relationship between ACEs and IPV.

DISCUSSION

ACEs indirectly affect depressive symptoms by undermining both general perceptions of support and perceived partner support. The findings of this study underscore the critical influence of a lack of partner support in mediating the effects of ACEs on Chinese immigrant women's risk of IPV. Promoting strong existing support networks, creating new support resources, and improving partner relationships are important targets for interventions to mitigate the effects of ACEs on depression and IPV in Chinese immigrant women.

Risk Factors in Depression and Anxiety Disorders from the Framework of Developmental Psychopathology

Depression and anxiety disorders are among the most prevalent psychiatric disorders that negatively affect individuals’ life in many ways. Understanding how these highly comorbid emotional disorders develop and persist might guide prevention, intervention, and treatment studies. Some common vulnerability factors underlie depression and anxiety disorders. Developmental psychopathology deals with these vulnerabilities and risk factors from a lifetime perspective. The aim of this review is to present the risk factors associated with depression and anxiety from the perspective of developmental psychopathology. For this purpose, we discussed genetic and biological factors, temperament, negative childhood experiences, family and peer relationships, and some cognitive and emotional factors as risk factors. Also, we discussed how these risk factors lead to depression and anxiety disorders. This review emphasizes that some common transdiagnostic risk factors underlie emotional disorders and highlights the importance of a developmental psychopathology perspective to understand the developmental pathways of depression and anxiety disorders.

Childhood adversity and late-life depression: moderated mediation model of stress and social support

Background

As life expectancy increases, understanding the mechanism for late-life depression and finding a crucial moderator becomes more important for mental health in older adults. Childhood adversity increases the risk of clinical depression even in old age. Based on the stress sensitivity theory and stress-buffering effects, stress would be a significant mediator, while social support can be a key moderator in the mediation pathways. However, few studies have tested this moderated mediation model with a sample of older adults. This study aims to reveal the association between childhood adversity and late-life depression in older adults, taking into consideration the effects of stress and social support.

Methods

This study used several path models to analyze the data from 622 elderly participants who were never diagnosed with clinical depression.

Results

We found that childhood adversity increases the odds ratio of depression by approximately 20% in older adults. Path model with mediation demonstrates that stress fully mediates the pathway from childhood adversity to late-life depression. Path model with moderated mediation also illustrates that social support significantly weakens the association between childhood adversity and perceived stress.

Conclusion

This study provides empirical evidence to reveal a more detailed mechanism for late-life depression. Specifically, this study identifies one crucial risk factor and one protective factor, stress and social support, respectively. This brings insight into prevention of late-life depression among those who have experienced childhood adversity.

Intergenerational Transmission of Child Abuse Among Married Women in South Korea: A Multigroup Analysis of Empathetic Communication (TSL: Thanks, Sorry, and Love)

Intergenerational transmission of child abuse (hereinafter referred to as ITCA) has been continuously reported. Supportive relations with others have also been discussed as a protective factor to prevent this cycle. However, research has mainly investigated supportive adult and peer relationships formed in childhood, with little discussion of the impact of supportive partner relationships formed after becoming an adult. This study examined whether empathetic communication (hereinafter referred to as TSL: "Thanks, Sorry, and Love") attenuates the transmission of married women's child abuse experiences to subsequent generations mediated by intimate partner violence (hereinafter referred to as IPV). TSL is a communication strategy that promotes positive communication between intimate partners. We expected TSL to promote positive communication between couples through a process of self-transformation. Data from 1,122 married women were obtained from a nation-wide survey conducted in South Korea. All the survey respondents lived with partners and their own children simultaneously. For this study, structural equation model multigroup analysis was conducted to determine whether the pathways would be attenuated by TSL levels, showing that a high level of TSL communication attenuated the ITCA mediated by IPV. However, this process was maintained in the low-level TSL group. TSL is thus a protective factor against the ITCA. The findings suggest that healing processes can occur not only through childhood relationships but also through those formed after adulthood. Ultimately, to help victims recover, it is necessary to expand communication programs such as TSL that help victims learn how to express their feelings through healthy relationships with their partners.

Web-Based Social Networks of Individuals With Adverse Childhood Experiences: Quantitative Study

BACKGROUND

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), which include abuse and neglect and various household challenges such as exposure to intimate partner violence and substance use in the home, can have negative impacts on the lifelong health of affected individuals. Among various strategies for mitigating the adverse effects of ACEs is to enhance connectedness and social support for those who have experienced them. However, how the social networks of those who experienced ACEs differ from the social networks of those who did not is poorly understood.

OBJECTIVE

In this study, we used Reddit and Twitter data to investigate and compare social networks between individuals with and without ACE exposure.

METHODS

We first used a neural network classifier to identify the presence or absence of public ACE disclosures in social media posts. We then analyzed egocentric social networks comparing individuals with self-reported ACEs with those with no reported history.

RESULTS

We found that, although individuals reporting ACEs had fewer total followers in web-based social networks, they had higher reciprocity in following behavior (ie, mutual following with other users), a higher tendency to follow and be followed by other individuals with ACEs, and a higher tendency to follow back individuals with ACEs rather than individuals without ACEs.

CONCLUSIONS

These results imply that individuals with ACEs may try to actively connect with others who have similar previous traumatic experiences as a positive connection and coping strategy. Supportive interpersonal connections on the web for individuals with ACEs appear to be a prevalent behavior and may be a way to enhance social connectedness and resilience in those who have experienced ACEs.

Hidden hurt: A qualitative study of the microaggressions experienced by disabled children in education in China

BACKGROUND

Microaggressions are brief, commonplace indignities expressed through verbal or behavioral means. In China, microaggressions have proliferated with the wide implementation of education protection policies for disabled children (including learning in regular classes (LRC), special school education (SSE), and home-delivery education (HDE)), resulting in severe consequences. However, related issues have not been discussed yet.

OBJECTIVE

This study explores concrete forms of microaggressions that disabled children have experienced under three educational policies.

METHODS

We took a qualitative phenomenological approach and used semi-structured interviews to collect data. 22 disabled children, their guardians, and eight educators from three compulsory education schools in Jinan, China, were included in this study.

RESULTS

Microaggressions are categorized into three types: microassaults, microinsults, and microinvalidations. In LRC, typical microaggressions include the microassaults of refusal, extra requirements, avoiding needs, and accusations; the microinsults of labeling, differential patronization, and over-protection; and the microinvalidation of suspicion. In SSE, typical microaggressions include the microassaults of refusal, belittling, hiding, and ignoring; the microinsults of assumptions of low intelligence, ignoring, and distancing; and the microinvalidation of suspicion. In HDE, typical microaggressions include the microassaults of denial of privacy and denial of expression; and the microinsults of infantilization and blame.

CONCLUSIONS

The microaggressions that disabled children experience under educational policies produce serious disciplinary effects. To eliminate microaggressions, it is necessary to publicize the new disability rights paradigm, engage disabled children and their families in participation in the political process, develop demand-oriented assessment criteria, and standardize educators' discretion.

Disrupting the cycle of youth violence: The role of social support for youth in a Northern Irish Youth Work Programme

Youth violence is a significant concern and previous research has found that violence is both trauma inducing and violence inducing. Meta-analyses have demonstrated that peri-trauma contextual factors such as the presence or absence of social supports following the onset of trauma may be predictive of the onset and duration of psychological stress. The aim of this study is to build upon the existing research evidence to clarify the links between social support, psychological stress and physical violence among a cross-section of youth living in high-violence areas of Northern Ireland. Participants were a sample of 10-25-year-olds (N = 635) who participated in a targeted youth work programme in Northern Ireland. This study conducted a mediation analysis, entering social support as the independent variable, psychological distress as the mediator and self-reported violence as the outcome variable. Violent victimisation was entered as a covariate in the analysis. After controlling for violent victimisation, social support operates through psychological stress to influence the risk of physical violence. Social support may contribute to reductions in psychological stress and thus buffer against the risks of living in areas of elevated community violence. Specialist youth work approaches may provide an opportunity to reduce psychological stress and thus help to mitigate the risk of further violence. Combined, these insights provide opportunities for harm reduction and prevention. At the same time, these findings advance our understanding of the distinct mechanisms of change involved in youth work-led violence prevention efforts.

Parental neglect, anxious attachment, perceived social support, and mental health among Chinese college students with left-behind experience: A longitudinal study

The harm of childhood parental neglect to emerging adults' maladjustment has garnered empirical support. For college students who have left-behind experience (LBE), this relationship is rarely discussed and the psychological process underlying this relationship is not well understood. Using a longitudinal study and guided by the Risky Families model, this study aimed to explore the mediating roles of anxious attachment and perceived social support in the link between parental neglect and maladjustment of LBE college students. We used two-wave longitudinal data, with a time lag of 3 months, collected among Chinese college students with LBE in Chongqing (N = 391). The results revealed that parental neglect in wave one was positively associated with maladjustment (depression, anxiety, and stress) in wave two. Anxious attachment and perceived social support in wave two separately mediated the relationship between parental neglect in wave one and maladjustment in wave two. Anxious attachment and perceived social support in wave two only sequentially mediated the pathway from parental neglect to later depression. These findings emphasize the importance of anxious attachment and social support in resilience and have significant implications for LBE college students' social work practice in China.

Childhood maltreatment and sense of parenting competence: The mediating role of parental reflective functioning and perceived social support

OBJECTIVES

Childhood maltreatment has a negative impact on a sense of parenting competition. However, its underlying mechanisms are still unknown. The present research aimed to investigate the roles of parental reflective functioning and social support as mediating factors in the relationship between childhood maltreatment and negative feeling of parenting competence.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was carried out on 489 parents of children aged 5 to 13 between October 23 and December 12, 2021, in Shiraz, Iran. Participants completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), Parenting Sense of Competence Scale (PSOC), Perceived Social Support Scale (PSSS), and Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (PRFQ). Structural equation modeling (SEM) was applied using AMOS 22 to test our conceptual model.

RESULTS

The results of structural equation modeling indicated that childhood maltreatment had a negative direct effect on the sense of parenting competence. Furthermore, childhood maltreatment had a negative indirect effect on the sense of parenting competence through both parental reflective functioning and perceived social support.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings suggested that increased exposure to childhood maltreatment may have decreased parental competence. However, the important role of parental reflective functioning and perceived social support in the relationship between childhood maltreatment and parenting competence should not be ignored. These results can have some implications for counselors working with parents with childhood trauma experiences.

Childhood Maltreatment and Dementia Risk Factors in Midlife: A Prospective Investigation

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have linked childhood adversities to dementia risk, yet most studies are cross-sectional in design and utilize retrospective self-reports to assess childhood experiences. These design characteristics make it difficult to establish temporal order and draw firm conclusions.

OBJECTIVES

Using a longitudinal design, we sought to determine whether childhood maltreatment predicts dementia risk factors in middle adulthood.

METHODS

Data have been obtained from a prospective cohort design study of children with documented cases of childhood maltreatment (ages 0-11 years at case identification) and demographically matched controls who were followed up and interviewed in middle adulthood. Outcomes were assessed through a medical examination and interview, and 807 of the cases that included blood collection at mean age 41. Dementia risk were investigated using 11 potentially modifiable risk factors.

RESULTS

Compared to controls, individuals with histories of childhood maltreatment had a higher risk of low educational attainment, low social contact, smoking, and clinical depression, and a higher total number of dementia risk factors. In general, childhood maltreatment predicted a higher risk of dementia for females, males, and Black and White participants. Black maltreated participants had a greater risk for traumatic brain injury compared to Black controls. Physical abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect, each predicted a higher number of dementia risk factors in mid-life.

CONCLUSION

These findings provide evidence that childhood maltreatment increases the risk for dementia in mid-life and has a demonstrable impact lasting over 30 years. Reducing the prevalence of mid-life dementia risk factors could reduce the risk of later-life dementia.

Development and validation of a shortened version of the Child Abuse Self Report Scale (CASRS-12) in the Arabic language

BACKGROUND

All available scales to screen for child abuse may be challenging to administer due to their length. Indeed, a higher number of items is associated with more administration time and less motivation to engage in responding. We aimed through this study to examine the psychometric properties of a brief Arabic version of the Child Abuse Self Report Scale (CASRS-12) in terms of factorial structure, internal consistency, divergent validity, and correlations with measures of bullying victimization, eating attitudes and perceived social support.

METHODS

We performed a cross-sectional, web-based study among Community Lebanese adolescents; where two samples have been used (Sample 1: N = 852, aged 15.34 ± 1.18 years, 54.8% females; Sample 2: N = 404, aged 16.60 ± 1.51 years, 57.2% females). The construct validity was tested using both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses.

RESULTS

Results revealed that both EFA and CFA yielded a four-factor structure for the CASRS-12 that mirrors the original four factors captured by the original CASRS. The scale also showed a good internal consistency as evidenced through McDonald's ω values ranging from 0.87 to 0.93 for the four subscales; and configural, metric, and scalar invariance across gender. Finally, we found that all CASRS-12 dimensions were significantly and positively correlated with more inappropriate eating attitudes and lower social support; and that psychological, physical, and sexual abuse correlated with higher bullying victimization CONCLUSION: In light of these findings, we potentially encourage clinicians and researchers to use this scale as a valid and reliable measure of child abuse among Arabic-speaking populations.

Sources of social support for postpartum women with a history of childhood maltreatment: Consequences for perceived stress and general mental health in the first year after birth

BACKGROUND

Women with a history of childhood maltreatment (CM) experience the postpartum period as particularly stressful and may benefit less from social support, implicating a higher risk for mental health problems and higher stress levels in mothers with CM.

OBJECTIVE

Thus, we investigated the complex relationship of CM and social support provided by different sources (intimate partner, parents, parents-in-law, friends) in predicting stress perception and mental health over the course of the first year postpartum.

PARTICIPANTS

In N = 295 postpartum women we assessed CM experiences, stress perception, perceived social support and general mental health 3 and 12 months postpartum.

METHOD

Linear mixed effect models were used to examine the course of social support over the first year postpartum and path analyses were used to investigate mediation and moderation effects.

RESULTS

We found that CM was linked to lower levels of perceived social support, accounted for more mental health problems, and amplified the negative association between perceived stress and maternal mental health. Most importantly, we showed that only partner support was beneficial for maternal mental health, and this association was mediated by reductions in perceived stress.

CONCLUSION

CM as a major risk factor for mental health impairs the stress resilience of affected postpartum women. Extending previous research, our results reveal that the source of postpartum social support determines its benefits for maternal health. Our findings emphasize the need of at-risk mothers to be provided with additional sources of support to cope with daily practical, organizational and emotional challenges.

To what extent do social support and mastery mediate the association between childhood maltreatment and depression? A sequential causal mediation analysis

AIMS

This study aimed to examine the independent roles of various childhood maltreatment (CM) subtypes in the development of depression; quantify the joint mediation effect of social support and mastery in the association between subtypes of CM and depression and examine the additional contribution of mastery beyond the effect that is operating through social support to this relationship.

METHODS

Data analysed were from the Zone d'Épidémiologie Psychiatrique du Sud-Ouest de Montréal, an ongoing longitudinal population-based study. In total, 1351 participants with complete information on the studied variables were included. The propensity score matching and inverse-probability weighted regression adjustment estimation methods were used to minimise the potential confounding in the relationship between CM and major depression. We then used inverse odds ratio-weighted estimation to estimate the direct effects of maltreatment and indirect effects of social support and mastery.

RESULTS

We found that exposures to all maltreatment subtypes increased the risk of subsequent depression. The joint mediating effect of social support and mastery explained 37.63-46.97% of the association between different maltreatment subtypes and depression. The contribution of these two mediators differed by maltreatment subtypes, with social support being the major contributor to the mediating effect.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of the study not only provide scientific evidence on the importance of psychosocial attributes in the development of major depression but also suggest that prevention and invention strategies should focus on these psychosocial attributes to effectively break the vicious cycle of CM on major depression.

Social thinning and stress generation after childhood maltreatment: a neurocognitive social transactional model of psychiatric vulnerability

Childhood maltreatment is associated with significant, enduring risk of psychiatric disorder. In this paper, we review how neurocognitive alterations after maltreatment might indirectly increase the risk of psychiatric disorder via their impact on social functioning. We propose a neurocognitive social transactional model, within which the neurocognitive sequelae of maltreatment are postulated to affect how an individual's social architecture is constructed across development, including the quality and quantity of relationships in an individual's social network. We review extant evidence in two areas in relation to maltreatment: stress generation (a process by which individuals are more likely to experience interpersonal stressor events) and social thinning (an attenuation in the number and quality of relationships over time). We consider how neurocognitive alterations could contribute to these interactive and autocatalytic social processes, which gradually impoverish an individual's actual or potential social environment and ultimately increase psychiatric risk. We conclude by considering the implications of this neurocognitive social transactional model for the prevention of psychiatric disorder after childhood maltreatment.

Risk and Protective Factors for Childhood Physical Abuse and Suicidal Ideation: The Effect of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Polymorphism and Social Support

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to explore the relationship between childhood physical abuse and suicidal ideation considering the effects of genetic and environmental factors in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by focusing on brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) polymorphism and social support, respectively.

METHODS

One-hundred fourteen patients with PTSD and 94 healthy controls (HCs) were genotyped with respect to BDNF Val66Met polymorphism. All participants underwent psychological assessments. The hierarchical regression analysis and the simple slope analysis were conducted.

RESULTS

As for patients with PTSD, the moderation effect of BDNF polymorphism was significant but not for social support. Specifically, the BDNF Val/Val genotype worked as a risk factor and strengthens the relationship between childhood physical abuse and suicidal ideation. As for the HCs, the significant moderation effect was found only in social support, but not for BDNF polymorphism. The relationship between childhood physical abuse and suicidal ideation was weakened for the HCs with high social support.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrated a significant BDNF genetic vulnerability for suicide in patients with PTSD who experienced childhood physical abuse. Our results suggested that social support provided a mitigating effect on the relationship between childhood physical abuse and suicidal ideation only in the HCs.

Early life adverse experiences and loneliness among young adults: The mediating role of social processes

Loneliness has been described as endemic among young people. Such feelings of social isolation 'even in a crowd' are likely linked to adverse early life experiences that serve to diminish perceptions of social support and intensify negative social interactions. It was suggested in the present series of survey studies that childhood abuse, which compromises a child's sense of safety in relationships, may affect social processes that contribute to loneliness in young adulthood. Study 1 assessed different adverse childhood and adult experiences in relation to loneliness among young adults (N = 171). Linear regression analyses indicated that childhood abuse was uniquely associated with greater loneliness, and this relationship was partially mediated by the perceived availability of social support. Study 2 (N = 289) assessed different forms of childhood abuse and demonstrated that early life emotional abuse was a unique predictor of loneliness, and this relationship was fully mediated by lower perceived support or value in social connections (social connectedness) and more frequent unsupportive interactions with friends. Study 3 evaluated the implications of the age of occurrence of abuse (N = 566). Both emotional and sexual abuse predicted young adult loneliness regardless of age; abuse that was recalled to have occurred at very early ages (0-5 years) was not predictive of loneliness over and above consideration of events that happened in older childhood. These relationships were at least partially mediated by perceived social support, social connectedness, and in the case of emotional abuse, unsupportive interactions with friends. Our results add to mounting evidence pointing to the prevalence of loneliness among young adults and the links to adverse early life experiences that may serve to shape appraisals of safety, value, and personal worth in social relationships.

The association between childhood sexual abuse and historical intimate partner violence with body mass index and diabetes: Evidence from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health

The purpose of this study was to investigate the associations of childhood sexual abuse and historical intimate partner violence with body mass index and diabetes among mid-age women. Data from 5782 participants in the 1946-51 cohort of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health were used. The association of abuse reported to have occurred before 1996 with body mass index and incident diabetes during 20 years of follow-up were examined using longitudinal logistic regression. Women who experienced childhood sexual abuse only, historical intimate partner violence only, or both forms of abuse had higher risk of obesity compared to women who did not experience either form of abuse. The associations between experiencing childhood sexual abuse only, historical intimate partner violence only, or both forms of abuse and incident diabetes (adjusted odds ratios, AOR = 1.28, 95%CI = 1.00, 1.65, AOR = 1.27 (1.02, 1.58) and AOR = 1.74 (1.27, 2.38) respectively) were attenuated by adding body mass index and other variables in the model (AOR = 1.16, 95%CI = 0.90, AOR = 1.49, 1.17 (0.94, 1.46) and AOR = 1.41 (1.03, 1.95) respectively) compared with women who did not experience abuse. The clinical implication is that awareness of a woman's early life experience of abuse may provide insight into managing her weight and risk of diabetes.

A profile analysis of COVID-19 stress-related reactions: The importance of early childhood abuse, psychopathology, and interpersonal relationships

BACKGROUND

There is little argument that COVID-19 is potentially highly stressful for many people, however, little research has broken down COVID-19-related distress into different aspects clustering together, and how these clusters differ in terms of the vulnerability of the individuals.

OBJECTIVE

The primary aim of the present study was to identify distinct profiles of individuals' reactions to COVID-19-related stress, and analyze potential differences and risk and protective factors associated with these profiles in relation to childhood abuse, psychopathology, and interpersonal relationships.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

Data was collected online among a convenience sample of 914 men and women in Israel.

METHODS

A Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) for estimating distinct profiles in people's COVID-19-related distress was applied. Next, profiles were compared in childhood abuse, psychopathology, perceived social support and relationship satisfaction.

RESULTS

Five distinct profiles were identified: The distressed (23.75%), the worried (38.96%), the financially and socially distressed (15.20%), the caregivers (13.65%), and the untroubled (8.44Profiles in which individuals had more COVID-19 related distress are characterized by more childhood abuse, psychopathology, and less social support and relationship satisfaction.

CONCLUSION

An assessment of the psychological implications of COVID-19 (when screening the population and creating prevention/intervention programs) should take into account the different responses individuals have when facing COVID-19, and their vulnerability, including their history of abuse, psychopathology, social support and relationship satisfaction, so that these programs will be better tailored to each type of distress experienced.

Therapists' Perceived Competence in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Client Outcomes: Findings From a Community-Based Learning Collaborative

This study examined therapists' perceived competence in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) and its association with youth treatment outcomes (posttraumatic stress and depression). Participants included 99 community therapists enrolled in a TF-CBT-focused Learning Collaborative (LC), along with one of their randomly selected TF-CBT training cases. Analyzed data included: 1) caregiver/youth-reported posttraumatic stress and depressive symptoms, pre- and post-treatment, and 2) therapist-perceived competence with TF-CBT components across treatment delivery. Youth- and caregiver-reports indicated large, significant pre- to post-treatment decreases in youth posttraumatic stress (ds = 1.10-1.30, ps < .001) and depressive symptoms (d = 1.01, p < .001). Higher therapist-perceived competence with TF-CBT predicted positive treatment responses for posttraumatic stress (ds = 0.38-0.39, ps = .03) and depression (d = 0.25), though only the former association was significant (ps = .03 vs. p = .15). Findings highlight the need to monitor and improve therapists' competencies to enhance clinical outcomes for trauma-exposed youth and suggest that LCs may be an effective training/implementation model to help achieve those critical goals.

Social support and intimate partner violence in rural Pakistan: A longitudinal investigation of the bi-directional relationship

A large body of cross-sectional evidence finds strong and consistent associations between social support and intimate partner violence (IPV). However, the directionality of this relationship has not been firmly established due to a dearth of longitudinal evidence. Using cohort study data collected over a 3 year period from 945 women in rural Pakistan, we investigated the longitudinal relationship between IPV and social support. Friend and family social support was measured with the Multidimensional Perceived Social Support Scale, and IPV was measured with questions adopted from the World Health Organization's Violence Against Women Instrument, which was used to construct a measure of IPV severity. We estimated longitudinal associations in linear regression models that controlled for women's educational level, age at marriage, age, household composition, household assets, depressive symptoms, and Adverse Childhood Experiences. We found evidence of a bi-directional, mutually re-enforcing relationship that showed unique associations by type of social support. Specifically, we found that high social support from family, though not friends, decreased IPV severity 1 year later, and that higher IPV severity led to reductions in both friend and family social support 1 year later. Results suggest that interventions involving family members could be especially effective at reducing IPV in this context, and - given that low social support leads to many adverse health outcomes - results suggest that IPV can result in secondary harms due to diminished social support. In summary, our study confirms a bi-directional relationship between IPV and social support and suggests that IPV interventions that integrate social support may be especially effective at reducing IPV and mitigating secondary harms.

Identifying Risk and Resilience Factors in the Intergenerational Cycle of Maltreatment: Results From the TRANS-GEN Study Investigating the Effects of Maternal Attachment and Social Support on Child Attachment and Cardiovascular Stress Physiology

Introduction

Childhood maltreatment (CM) is a developmental risk factor and can negatively influence later psychological functioning, health, and development in the next generation. A comprehensive understanding of the biopsychosocial underpinnings of CM transmission would allow to identify protective factors that could disrupt the intergenerational CM risk cycle. This study examined the consequences of maternal CM and the effects of psychosocial and biological resilience factors on child attachment and stress-regulatory development using a prospective trans-disciplinary approach.

Methods

Mother-child dyads (N = 158) participated shortly after parturition (t 0), after 3 months (t 1), and 12 months later (t 2). Mothers' CM experiences were assessed at t 0, attachment representation at t 1 and psychosocial risk and social support were assessed at t 1 and t 2. At t 2, dyads participated in the Strange Situation Procedure (SSP). Children's attachmen status were classified as organized vs. disorganized, including their level of disorganized behavior, and heart rate (HR) and respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) were recorded as stress response measures of the autonomic nervous system. Maternal caregiving during SSP was assessed using the AMBIANCE scale. Child's single nucleotide polymorphisms rs2254298 within the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) and rs2740210 of the oxytocin gene (OXT) were genotyped using DNA isolated from cord blood.

Results

Maternal CM experiences (CM+) were significantly associated with an unresolved attachment status, higher perceived stress and more psychological symptoms. These negative effects of CM were attenuated by social support. As expected, maternal unresolved attachment and child disorganized attachment were significantly associated. Maternal caregiving did not mediate the relationship between maternal and child attachment but influenced children's HR and RSA response and disorganized behavior. Moreover, the rs2254298 genotype of the OXTR gene moderated the stress response of children from mothers with CM. Children carrying the rs2740210 risk allele of the OXT gene showed more disorganized behavior independent from maternal CM experiences.

Conclusion

We replicated and extended existing CM and attachment models by co-examining maternal attachment, social support, and child genetic susceptibility on child attachment and cardiovascular stress regulation. The findings contribute to an extended understanding of risk and resilience factors and enable professionals to target adequate services to parents and children at risk.

Childhood maltreatment and decision-making autonomy in adulthood: The mediating roles of self-esteem and social support

BACKGROUND

Childhood maltreatment (CM) is connected with a large number of maladaptive long-term outcomes. Effective prevention and intervention hinges partly on our understanding of the key mediating mechanisms that help account for the relationship between child maltreatment and its long-term consequences. We know the consequences of CM can extend into adulthood, including the intergenerational transmission of violence, re-victimization, high-risk behavior, and persisting mental health problems. We argue that CM also likely affects decision-making autonomy in adulthood, limiting their independence and exaggerating their risk for other poor outcomes. We suggest that the effects of CM on self-esteem and access to social support mediate this relationship, helping to explain how and why CM impacts autonomy in the long term.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to examine these relationships using a cross-sectional sample of currently married women of Bangladesh aged 15-49 years (N = 426).

METHOD

A multi-stage random sampling technique was employed for data collection and a multivariate logistic regression technique was applied for data analysis.

RESULTS

Results from the multivariate logistic regression model revealed a direct effect of a history of CM on limited decision-making autonomy in adulthood and a full mediating effect of self-esteem and social support on the associations between CM and decision-making autonomy in women, even after adjusting for theoretically and empirically relevant covariates.

CONCLUSIONS

The study findings provide insight into the mechanisms by which early childhood experiences impact autonomous decision-making. However, causality cannot be determined because of the cross-sectional design. Finally, our findings suggest that the influence of CM on autonomy could be augmented by self-esteem recovery through social support from family, friends, and peers.

Social Support and Depressive Symptoms in the Context of COVID-19 Lockdown: The Moderating Role of Attachment Styles

Objectives: COVID-19 sanitary measures (social distancing, school closures) have deeply impacted social life, support networks, and their protective role in mental health. The present study aims to understand how attachment styles influence the way individuals experience social support. Particularly, investigating its moderating role in the relationship between social support and depression. Methods: An online survey was designed to clarify the role of adult attachment styles (ECR-S) in the perceived social support (MOSS) and self-reported depressive symptoms (BDI-SF) in the COVID-19 context. Results: Positive social interactions was the most important dimension of social support for lower depression symptoms. Individuals attachment strategies have a moderating role in the relation between of social support and depression. Crucially, insecure attachment style wanes the positive impact of social support in depression. Conclusion: Aligned with the existing literature, attachment security is an essential factor in our current understanding of relationships and mental health. Exploring specific and indivual attachment strategies might be a powerful tool to protect population's mental healt.

Trust and childhood maltreatment: evidence of bias in appraisal of unfamiliar faces

BACKGROUND

Child maltreatment is associated with poorer social functioning and increased risk of mental health problems in adolescence and adulthood, but the processes underlying these associations remain unclear. Although crucial for establishing and maintaining relationships, trust judgements have not been experimentally investigated in children who have experienced abuse and neglect.

METHODS

A community-based sample of 75 children aged 8-16 years with maltreatment documented on the basis of social services records, and a group of 70 peers matched on age, gender, cognitive ability, socioeconomic status, and ethnicity took part in the study. Children completed a trustworthiness face-judgement task in which they appraised the trustworthiness of unfamiliar facial stimuli varying along a computationally modelled trustworthiness dimension.

RESULTS

In line with clinical observations that childhood maltreatment is associated with an atypical pattern of trust processing, children with maltreatment experience were significantly less likely than their peers to rate unfamiliar faces as trustworthy. Moreover, they were more variable in their trust attributions than their peers.

CONCLUSIONS

The study provides compelling experimental evidence that children with documented maltreatment perceive others as less trustworthy than their peers and are less consistent in their estimates of trustworthiness in others. Over time, alterations in trust processing may disrupt the development of social bonds and contribute to 'social thinning' (a reduction in the extent and quality of social relationships), leaving children more vulnerable to environmental stressors, increasing risk of mental health difficulties.

The relationship between childhood maltreatment and mental health problems: coping strategies and social support act as mediators

BACKGROUND

Childhood maltreatment significantly increases the risk of developing mental health problems in adolescence and adulthood. The present study examines if coping strategies and social support mediate the relationship between childhood maltreatment and mental health problems.

METHODS

Data analyzed were from the 2012 Canadian Community Health Survey Mental Health (CCHS-MH, N = 25,113), a national population survey. A structured diagnostic interview, the World Health Organization version of Composite International Diagnostic Interview (WHO-CIDI), was used to assess mental health status. Multiple mediation analysis with structural equation modelling is used to test the mediating effects of coping skills and social support in the relationship between childhood maltreatment and mental health problems.

RESULTS

Our findings demonstrate that both coping strategies and social support mediated the link between childhood maltreatment and major depressive episode (mediation proportion: 18.3%), generalized anxiety disorder (mediation proportion: 19.8%), and suicide ideation (mediation proportion: 15.9%). By and large, the study results showed that coping skills and social support had both direct and indirect effects on the studied mental health problems with coping skills having a stronger impact.

CONCLUSIONS

Personal resources play an important resilience role in the associations between maltreatment and mental disorders with positive coping strategies, an internal resource, having a stronger protective presence. This research reinforces the need for strengthening positive coping strategies as well as social support as preventive strategies to improve mental health for individuals who have experienced childhood maltreatment.

Longitudinal Association Between Child Psychological Abuse and Neglect and Academic Achievement in Chinese Primary School Children: A Moderated Mediation Model

To investigate the relationships among child psychological abuse and neglect (CPAN), children’s learning engagement, family socioeconomic status (family SES), and children’s academic achievement, 271 children (M_age = 9.41 ± 0.81 years old) and their parents participated in this study with a longitudinal design. Results revealed that learning engagement at T1 mediated the relationship between CPAN at T1 and academic achievement at T2 when gender, age, grade, and academic achievement at T1 were under control. Family SES at T1 moderated the relationship between children’s learning engagement at T1 and academic achievement at T2. The association between learning engagement and academic achievement was stronger among children from lower family SES. Our findings highlighted the negative impact of CPAN and the critical role of learning engagement in children’s academic achievement, especially for those from low SES families.

Relationship Between Socioeconomic Status and Win-Win Values: Mediating Roles of Childhood Neglect and Self-Continuity

The family plays a key role on the development of children. One with low socioeconomic status was more likely to suffer childhood neglect, which might impact on development of self-continuity and win-win values. Using cross-sectional data from 489 participants, this study conducted a mediation model to examine the roles of childhood neglect and self-continuity between socioeconomic status and win-win values. Our results showed that childhood neglect and self-continuity fully mediated the effect of socioeconomic status on win-win values. Specifically, socioeconomic status might affect win-win values through three roles: the individual mediating role of childhood neglect, the individual mediating role of self-continuity, and the multiple mediation roles of childhood neglect and self-continuity.

Mediating Roles of Intimate Partner Violence, Stress, and Social Support on Depressive Symptoms Among Thai Women

Prior research has shown that intimate partner violence (IPV), stress, and social support are associated with depressive symptoms. However, a possible mediating role of these variables linking depressive symptoms has not been fully investigated in Thailand. This study was conducted to assess the mediating roles of IPV, stress, and social support in the relationships between childhood abuse (CA), number of sexual partners (NSP), and depressive symptoms among 400 Thai women attending gynecology clinics. Results indicated that IPV was significantly positively correlated with stress and depressive symptoms but negatively correlated with social support. CA and NSP were significantly positively correlated with IPV, stress, and depressive symptoms, but negatively correlated with social support. Structural equation models (SEMs) showed that not only did IPV severity exhibit significantly indirect effect on depressive symptoms (β = .178; p < .05), but it also had a significant, positive total effect on depressive symptoms (β = .252; p < .05). In particular, IPV severity had the fully mediating effect on depressive symptoms through social support (β = -.204; p < .05) and stress (β = .158; p < .05). CA severity and NSP exhibited the significant indirect effect on depressive symptoms through IPV severity, stress, and social support. All the models analyzed showed that stress had an important mediator role (β = .583; p < .05) on depressive symptoms. The model fitted very well to the empirical data and explained 53% of variance. Findings affirmed the important role of these mediators as well as the need to design interventions for reducing stress or increasing support for women experiencing IPV. Utilizing an empowerment approach among female outpatients to decrease stress and depressive symptoms is recommended.