The Impact of Childhood Abuse and Current Mental Health on Young Adult Intimate Relationship Functioning

Attachment and mentalization among survivors of sexual abuse: A questionnaire survey

Knowledge of the long-term consequences of child sexual abuse (CSA) is crucial to further develop preventive strategies and treatment programs. The aim of this study is to investigate attachment and mentalizing ability in people who have experienced CSA. Attachment style, measured with the Experiences in Close Relationships-Relationship Structures Questionnaire (ECR-RS), and mentalization, measured with the Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (RFQ), were examined through a quantitative questionnaire survey in a sample of 49 individuals who had experienced CSA, and a control group of 612 with no history of CSA. The CSA group was, to a greater extent, identified with insecure attachment style. In addition, participants with insecure attachment were more likely to use hypomentalizing compared to individuals identified with a secure attachment. No significant association was found between attachment style and the relationship between the victim and the offender or the length of traumatic episodes.

As the Twig is Bent so the Tree is Inclined? Exploring the Associations of Adverse Childhood Experiences and Adult Relational Impairments in Ghana

Studies on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), which have been conducted predominantly with samples from Western cultures have found ACEs to be associated with poor health outcomes and relational impairments in adulthood. This study sought to contribute to the ACEs literature by investigating the long-term consequences of ACEs on the interpersonal functioning of adult survivors in Ghana, a non-Western culture. In the current study, the associations of five ACEs (high parental conflict, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect) with four types of relational impairments (alienation, insecure attachment, egocentricity, and social incompetence) were examined using a community sample of 403 adults who retrospectively provided self-reports of ACEs. The most frequently reported ACE in this sample was high parental conflict, while sexual abuse was the least frequently reported ACE. Participants with ACE histories had significantly more relational impairments than those with no ACE histories, however multiple regression analyses revealed no significant relational impairments in adulthood following any ACE experience, whether alone or in any combination, suggesting that cultural values such as collectivism and religiosity may play a protective role against ACEs negative effects in the interpersonal domain. The study's limitations, and the implications of these findings for the Ghanaian and other similar contexts are discussed.

Childhood Maltreatment and Relationship Quality: A Review of Type of Abuse and Mediating and Protective Factors

Childhood maltreatment (CM) has long been recognized as a risk factor for good intimate relationships. Research on the effects of CM on relationship functioning has focused on sexual abuse in girls. However, CM also includes emotional and physical abuse and neglect and is also common in boys. Moreover, prior research has mostly focused on individuals in isolation, ignoring that marriage is a system in which two partners mutually influence each other. Questions also remain about mediating and protective factors for healthy relationships in the context of CM. This article reviews the literature on the link between different forms of CM and one's own and one's partner relationship quality. It reviews 43 empirical studies that assessed associations between CM in any form and relationship quality. Also, mediating and protective factors and major methodological topics are examined. The review indicated that CM (neglect, sexual, emotional, or physical abuse) is associated with lower relationship quality in men and women. Psychological distress, cognitive and behavioral problems, insecure attachment, and self-dysregulation were identified as mediating factors. Protective processes involve good coping strategies, emotion regulation, parental support, and early secure attachment, but not partner characteristics. The results regarding gender are inconclusive. It is crucial to broaden the research on the dyadic effects of CM of various forms on relationship quality and study mediating and protective factors. More studies on neglect and diverse populations are needed, as well as prospective studies. This will enable the development of prevention programs for couples with a partner exposed to CM.

Child Sexual Violence: Interpersonal Relationship and Self-Image Evaluated by Zulliger R-Optimized Application

Abstract This study aimed to verify the validity of Zulliger criteria in the evaluation of interpersonal relationships and self-image of children victims of sexual violence. Population: 42 children between 7 and 13 years old participated, divided into three groups: 19 Victims of sexual violence (G1); 10 Cancer patients (G2); 13 Control group (G3). Instruments: Zulliger in the Comprehensive System (ZSC) R-Optimized application; Personality Scale for Children (ETPC, EPQ-J); Social Skills Inventory for Children (SSRS); Intelligence Test (CPM-Raven). G1, when compared to other groups, showed more tendency to problematic or less adaptive understanding of interpersonal interactions [p < 0.05 in PHR, GHR and p (ZSC); Psychosis (ETPC, EPQ-J); EG and F2 (SSRS)], more self-critical and negative self-image [p < 0.05 in MOR (ZSC)] and increased traumatic content [p < 0.05 in Bl (ZSC)]. The ZSC demonstrated preliminary evidence of validity in the evaluation of Interpersonal Relationship and Self-image of victims of child sexual violence.

The Association Between a History of Sexual Violence and Romantic Relationship Functioning: A Systematic Review

The consequences of sexual violence are substantial and include both intra- and interpersonal problems. Notably, sexual violence has been associated with difficulties in interpersonal relationships including intimate relationships. While there have been prior reviews considering various interpersonal and dyadic consequences associated with sexual violence, there has not been a comprehensive review considering the various aspects of adult dyadic functioning including intimacy, relationship conflict, and satisfaction satisfaction among both child and adult victims of sexual violence. The databases PsycINFO and PubMed were searched for terms related to sexual victimization (e.g., sexual assault, sexual victimization, sexual abuse, rape, revictimization), terms related to relationships (e.g., romantic relationship, intimate relationship), and terms related to relationship functioning (e.g., satisfaction, relationship quality, conflict, communication, intimacy, sexual functioning). Eligible studies for this review were required to (1) be an original study, (2) be written in English, (3) identify a sample or subsample consisting of women reporting a history of sexual violence in either childhood or adulthood, and (4) measure at least one of the following relationship areas: intimacy, relationship conflict, or relationship satisfaction in heterosexual adult romantic relationships. A total of 20 articles met inclusion criteria and were included in this review. Results demonstrated mixed findings on the association between sexual violence and relationship functioning, with some studies demonstrating an association between sexual violence and relationship functioning, and others failing to find such associations. These findings are discussed within the context of gaps in the extant literature and future research directions.

Childhood maltreatment and suicidality among women seeking mental health care: the mediating effect of borderline personality features, moderated by age

Although childhood maltreatment is known to elevate women's risk for suicidal ideation and behavior, research concerning the mechanisms involved remains limited. While borderline personality disorder (BPD) has been implicated as mediating this association, such effects may differ depending on women's age. The present study examined borderline personality features as a dispositional mediator of the relationship between childhood maltreatment and suicidality, with the moderating effect of age, among help-seeking women. A sample of 151 women attending community mental health clinics completed measures of childhood maltreatment, BPD features, suicidality, and psychological distress. Regression analyses tested moderated mediation, controlling for psychological distress across each path. Results indicated a significant interaction between childhood maltreatment and age in predicting borderline personality features, and significant moderated mediation in predicting suicidality. Borderline personality features significantly mediated the association between maltreatment and suicidality among younger--but not among older--women, with the mediation effect becoming stronger as women were younger. The findings indicate borderline personality features as particularly salient among young women in accounting for the maltreatment-suicidality association. Thus, interventions addressing BPD may warrant consideration for young women with suicidal ideation and history of childhood adversity.

A Step Toward a Better Understanding of the Relationship Between Victimization and Emotional Distress: Indirect Effect of Adult Attachment and Interaction With Household Dysfunction

A history of victimization has been linked to the latter development of emotional distress. However, not all victims develop emotional distress in response to victimization, emphasizing the need to identify mediators that can guide intervention, as well as moderators to more targeted preventive actions. Within a developmental psychology framework, we aimed to test two models: (a) the role of adult attachment as a mediator in the relationship between victimization and emotional distress, and (b) the role of household dysfunctions as moderators in the relationship between victimization and emotional distress, in psychiatric patients. Participants were 120 adult psychiatric patients, between ages 20 and 79 years (M = -47.22, SD = 13.102) that responded to questions assessing household dysfunction in the family of origin, victimization, and adult attachment. Results revealed that adult attachment was a significant mediator in the association between victimization and emotional distress. Parental mental disorder and total household adversity were significant moderators for that same association. These results provide important clues for intervention. The focus on promoting secure adult relationships may contribute not only to the psychosocial adjustment of psychiatric patients but also to a healthier family functioning. Reducing the household dysfunction may provide a protective environment for the development of children, promoting a positive psychosocial adjustment, also preventing the intergenerational transmission of violence, insecure attachment, and emotional distress.

Time is nothing: emotional consistency of autobiographical memory and its neural basis

The emotional aspect of autobiographical memories (AMs) is associated with self-related processing, which plays an important role in mental health. However, the emotional consistency dimension of AMs and its neural underpinnings remain largely unexplored. Twenty-five healthy participants were involved in this study. Participants were first asked to recall important AMs and assess the emotional ratings of each AM. Four weeks later, they were asked to retrieve the details of both positive and negative AMs during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanning. Behavioral results showed that the emotional valence of negative memories changed more strongly than positive memories over time (i.e., lower consistency). fMRI data showed that the activation level of the precuneus was positively correlated with self-rating valence consistency in the positive AM condition. Additionally, the precuneus connected to a key region of the self-referential network, the medial prefrontal cortex, in both the positive and negative AM conditions. Finally, the precuneus showed stronger connections with the inferior parietal lobule when comparing the positive with the negative AM conditions. Our results suggest that the precuneus is a key area of emotional consistency in positive AMs; this brain area may be involved in the maintenance of a positive self-image by strengthening positive AMs.