Child maltreatment and romantic relationships in adolescence and young adulthood: The mediating role of self-perception

The association between childhood adversity and hippocampal volumes is moderated by romantic relationship experiences

Reduced hippocampal volumes are a feature of many mental disorders. Childhood maltreatment is a known risk factor for the development of psychopathology and has consistently been linked to hippocampal volume reductions in adults, but not in children and adolescents. We propose that maltreatment-related difficulties in coping with developmental tasks in adolescence and young adulthood might underlie the delayed emergence of hippocampal volume reductions in maltreated individuals. In a study with 196 healthy young adults (mean age [years]: 24.0 ± 3.2, 50% female, 20.6% living with a partner (missings: n = 2)), we investigated the interaction between childhood maltreatment (Childhood Trauma Screener) and the breakup of a steady romantic relationship (List of Threatening Experiences Questionnaire) on hippocampal magnetic resonance imaging grey matter volumes. The experience of a romantic relationship breakup moderated the association between childhood maltreatment and bilateral hippocampal volumes, revealing more negative associations with hippocampal volumes in participants with at least one breakup compared to those with no breakup experience (right hippocampus: β = - 0.05 ± 0.02, p = 0.031, p (FDR) = 0.031; left hippocampus: β = -0.06 ± 0.02, p = 0.005, p (FDR) = 0.009). Moreover, our findings provide some evidence that childhood maltreatment is related to smaller bilateral hippocampal volumes only in those adults who suffered from a relationship breakup (right hippocampus: β = -0.23 ± 0.10, p = 0.018, p (FDR) = 0.018; left hippocampus: β = -0.24 ± 0.10, p = 0.016, p (FDR) = 0.018;). Our study highlights the interaction of adult social bonds with early adversity on vulnerability to psychopathology.

Causal and common risk pathways linking childhood maltreatment to later intimate partner violence victimization

Childhood maltreatment and intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization are major psychiatric risk factors. Maltreatment substantially increases the likelihood of subsequent IPV victimization, but what drives this association is poorly understood. We analyzed retrospective self-reports of maltreatment and IPV victimization in 12,794 participants (58% women, 42% men) from the Twins Early Development Study at ages 21 and 26 using quantitative genetic methods. We estimated the etiological influences common to maltreatment and IPV, and the effect of maltreatment on IPV beyond such common influences. Participants who reported childhood maltreatment ( ~ 7% of the sample) were 3 times more likely than their peers to also report IPV victimization at age 21, 4 times more likely at 26. The association between maltreatment and IPV was mostly due to environmental influences shared by co-twins (42-43%) and genetic influences (30-33%), as well as nonshared environmental influences (25-27%). The association between maltreatment and IPV was similar for women and men, but its etiology partly differed by sex. Maltreatment had a moderate effect on IPV in phenotypic models (β = 0.25-0.30), decreasing to a small-to-moderate range in causally informative models accounting for their common etiology (β = 0.15-0.21). Risk factors common to maltreatment and IPV victimization are largely familial in origin, environmental and genetic. Even considering common risk factors, experiencing maltreatment may be causally related to subsequent IPV victimization. Interventions promoting safe intimate relationships among young adults exposed to maltreatment are warranted and should address family-level environmental risk and individual-level risk shaped by genetics.

Social competencies of children with disinhibited social engagement disorder: A systematic review

Background

Children with Disinhibited Social Engagement Disorder (DSED) have specific difficulties with indiscriminate sociability, yet little is known about their broader social competencies as DSED tends not to be identified within samples in the wider 'maltreatment literature.'

Aim

To systematically review the literature to determine the social competencies of children with DSED.

Methods

A comprehensive search following PRISMA guidelines was undertaken using PsycINFO, Medline, Embase, and Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health.

Results

From a total of 553 articles, 16 studies were selected and critically evaluated. Children with DSED were consistently reported to have poorer social competencies than non-maltreated peers and environmental controls. Greater peer problems were consistently found, and they may present with poor self-esteem/concept related to social acceptance. Findings regarding social interaction/communication skills were mixed.

Limitations

50% of studies were of moderate quality due to sampling and possible confounding variables.

Conclusion

Children with DSED present with social relationship problems, beyond the core symptoms of the disorder, but the relative impact of co-occurring neurodevelopmental conditions is not yet clear. In addition, pragmatic language and communication skills require further research.

The Relationship Between Negative Self-Concept, Trauma, and Maltreatment in Children and Adolescents: A Meta-Analysis

Experiencing trauma in childhood is a global public health issue linked to worse physical and mental health outcomes, including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Self-concept is a transdiagnostic concept linked to various psychopathologies and understanding its unique relationship to trauma is important. This meta-analysis aimed to understand the size of the effect between trauma and maltreatment and self-concept in children and adolescents. The current meta-analysis searched PubMed, PILOTS, PsycINFO, and Web of Science databases. Inclusion criteria involved studies with defined trauma exposure, valid measures of self-concept, and participants' mean age under 18 years old. One-hundred-and-thirty-four studies were included in the meta-analysis (N = 255,334). A random-effects meta-analysis was performed. A small negative relationship was observed between trauma exposure and self-concept (r = - 0.20, 95% CI - 0.22, - 0.18). This relationship was significantly moderated by some variables (type and nature of trauma exposure) but not others (participant gender, type of self-concept measure, quality of studies, country economic status). A small relationship between trauma exposure and negative self-concept in children and adolescents was detected, with repeated trauma exposure and type of trauma exposure moderating this relationship. This provides important directions for clinical practice around providing support for those exposed or most vulnerable to experiencing trauma.

Childhood maltreatment and depressive symptoms among Chinese college students: A moderated mediation model of adult attachment styles and physical activity

BACKGROUND

Previous research has investigated the independent effects of childhood maltreatment, adult attachment, and physical activity, on depressive symptoms. However, explanatory mechanisms linking childhood maltreatment to current depressive symptoms are poorly understood. This study investigated the mediating role of adult attachment between childhood maltreatment and depressive symptoms among college students and explored the moderating effect of physical activity in the mediating pathway.

METHODS

The data for the present study were gathered in three waves with 6-month lags. A total of 3662 Chinese college students completed anonymous questionnaires concerning demographic variables, childhood maltreatment, and depressive symptoms in Wave 1, adult attachment and physical activity in Wave 2, and depressive symptoms in Wave 3.

RESULTS

Childhood maltreatment and adult attachment were significantly associated with depressive symptoms, identifying a mediating role of adult attachment in the relationship between childhood maltreatment and depressive symptoms, and a moderating role of physical activity between attachment anxiety and depressive symptoms in the mediating pathway.

LIMITATIONS

This study utilized self-reported questionnaires for data collection purposes, which could constitute key study limitations.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings highlight the need to consider early stress factors (childhood maltreatment), social psychological factors (adult attachment), and potential protective factors (physical activity) simultaneously when evaluating the occurrence and development of depressive symptoms.

Understanding the processes underlying self-harm ideation and behaviors within LGBTQ+ young people: A qualitative study

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to understand the processes underlying self-harmful thoughts and behaviors, with and without suicidal intent, among LGBTQ+ young people.

METHOD

Nineteen semi-structured interviews took place between October 2019 and May 2020. Participants were aged between 16 and 25 years, had experiences of self-harm ideation and behaviors, and were part of the LGBTQ+ umbrella. A range of sexualities and gender identities were represented: eleven participants were cisgender, six were transgender and two were non-binary. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and anonymised. Thematic analysis and reflective member-checking were used to develop a thematic framework.

RESULTS

Three themes were developed from the interviews and evaluated by four participants who engaged with reflective member-checking. Findings indicated that internal processes and external responses to being LGBTQ+ resulted in self-harmful thoughts and behaviors. Alongside these, additional stressors related to being a young person were led to difficulties with self-harm.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings from this study indicate that young people often struggle with accepting their LGBTQ+ identity for a number of reasons, whether this is due to access to a resource or their own feelings about their identity. These negative self-perceptions can be enhanced by poor responses from others and additional life stressors which impact their self-esteem or self-perception.HIGHLIGHTSUnderstanding and accepting that one is LGBTQ+ is not always a simple process, struggling with these thoughts can influence self-harm.Lack of LGBTQ+ terminology hinders self-acceptance and caused young people to engage with self-harm.Peers and family members responses to a young people's LGBTQ+ identity is highly significant and can directly led to self-harmful thoughts and experiences.

Self-esteem in adolescents with reactive attachment disorder or disinhibited social engagement disorder

BACKGROUND

Low self-esteem predicts negative outcomes and mediates the association between childhood adversity and mental health problems in adolescence. Reactive attachment disorder (RAD) and disinhibited social engagement disorder (DSED) are presumably caused by early insufficient care, but their association with self-esteem is unknown.

OBJECTIVE

Investigate global and domain-specific self-esteem in adolescents with RAD or DSED.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

All adolescents living in Norwegian residential youth care (RYC) (N = 306; age 12-20) were compared with a sample from the general Norwegian adolescent population (N = 10,480; age 12-20).

METHODS

Self-esteem for scholastic competence (SC), social acceptance (SA), athletic competence (AC), physical appearance (PA), romantic appeal (RA), close friendship (CF), and self-worth (SW) was investigated using the revised version of the Self-Perception Profile for Adolescents.

RESULTS

Compared to the general population, adolescents with RAD diagnosis had lower SC (mean difference, MD = -0.30, p = .020) and higher CF (MD = 0.25, p = .021), whereas adolescents with DSED diagnosis had lower SC (MD = -0.42, p = .005), SA (MD = -0.40, p = .015), AC (MD = -0.22, p = .038), PA (MD = -0.33, p = .048), and SW (MD = -0.37, p = .013). Compared to adolescents in RYC without RAD/DSED diagnoses, adolescents with DSED diagnoses had lower SA (MD = -0.42, p = .012) and SW (MD = -0.32, p = .037). More RAD symptoms were associated with lower SA (B = -0.051, p = .013), AC (B = -0.048, p = .028), RA (B = -0.053, p = .007), and CF (B = -0.052, p = .005). More DSED symptoms were associated with lower SC (B = -0.125, p = .038).

CONCLUSION

Both global and domain-specific self-esteem in adolescents with RAD or DSED should be assessed; developmental support and treatment plans should be adjusted accordingly.

Childhood maltreatment and violent delinquency in Chinese juvenile offenders: Callous-unemotional traits as a mediator

BACKGROUND

Adolescents in China suffer a high prevalence of childhood maltreatment, which has been shown to facilitate juvenile violent delinquency. Studies have implicated a relationship between callous-unemotional traits and both juvenile violent delinquency and childhood maltreatment. However, the complex relationships among these three variables have not yet been examined.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the mediating role of callous-unemotional traits in the relationship between different types of childhood maltreatment and juvenile violent delinquency.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

Childhood maltreatment and callous-unemotional traits were assessed in a sample of 441 juvenile violent offenders and a control group of 543 non-offenders, using questionnaires.

METHODS

After controlling for socio-economic status, a mediation analysis determined the direct, indirect, and total effect of the mediation of callous-unemotional traits in the relationship between childhood maltreatment and juvenile violent delinquency.

RESULTS

The results showed no mediation of callous-unemotional traits in the relationship between physical abuse and juvenile violent delinquency. However, callous-unemotional traits mediated the relationship between sexual abuse and juvenile violent delinquency as well as between emotional neglect and juvenile violent delinquency.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that sexual abuse has both a direct and indirect effect on juvenile violent delinquency via callous-unemotional traits, whereas childhood emotional neglect had only an indirect effect on juvenile violent delinquency.