scholarly journals Child maltreatment (neglect and abuse) in the 1958 birth cohort: an overview of associations with developmental trajectories and long-term outcomes

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 431-458
Author(s):  
Chris Power ◽  
Leah Li ◽  
Snehal M. Pinto Pereira

Childhood maltreatment types (neglect and psychological, physical or sexual abuse) are associated with many poor outcomes in adulthood. Yet, research mainly focuses on the cumulative adversity burden rather than specificities and commonalities of associations with adult outcomes and intervening pathways. This overview therefore summarises evidence from several research studies using the 1958 British Birth Cohort on specific maltreatment types, child development trajectories, adult intermediaries and outcomes. About one in five participants were identified as neglected or abused in childhood. Neglect was associated with key dimensions of development: slower height growth, delayed maturation, faster BMI gain, and poorer emotional and cognitive development. Associated adulthood outcomes included harmful behaviours (notably smoking), poorer physical health (shorter height, excess BMI, poorer blood lipids and glucose, poor-rated health and physical functioning), worse mental health, lower socio-economic circumstances (e.g. poorer living conditions) and elevated mortality in mid-adulthood. Childhood abuse associations were less widespread and were often only for specific types: most were unrelated to childhood height and cognitive abilities, but all were associated with poorer child emotional development, adult mental health, smoking, blood lipids and self-rated health. Additionally, physical abuse was associated with faster BMI gain, higher adult BMI, blood glucose, inflammation and mortality in mid-adulthood; sexual abuse with faster BMI gain, higher adult BMI, poor physical functioning at 50y and higher mortality in mid-adulthood. Adult health measures associated with child maltreatment are key predictors of serious disease, disability and death. Therefore, child maltreatment associations with these measures represent an important burden for individuals and society.

BMJ Open ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (10) ◽  
pp. e017900 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gemma Archer ◽  
Snehal Pinto Pereira ◽  
Christine Power

ObjectiveChild maltreatment (abuse and neglect) has established associations with mental health; however, little is known about its relationship with physical functioning. Physical functioning (ie, the ability to perform the physical tasks of daily living) in adulthood is an important outcome to consider, as it is strongly associated with an individual’s ability to work, and future disability and dependency. We aimed to establish whether maltreatment was associated with physical functioning, independent of other early-life factors.Setting1958 British birth cohort.Participants8150 males and females with data on abuse and who participated at age 50 years.Outcome measuresThe primary outcome was poor physical functioning at 50 years (<65 on the Short-Form 36 survey physical functioning subscale). Secondary outcomes included mental health and self-reported health at 50 years.Results23% of participants reported at least one type of maltreatment; 12% were identified with poor physical functioning. Neglect (ORadj1.55, 95% CI 1.24 to 1.93), psychological abuse (ORadj1.49, 1.17–1.88) and sexual abuse (ORadj2.56, 1.66–3.96) were associated with poor physical functioning independent of other maltreatments and covariates, including childhood social class, birth weight and childhood illness. Odds of poor physical functioning increased with multiple types of maltreatment (ptrend<0.001); ORadjranged from 1.49 (1.23–1.82) for a single type to 2.09 (1.53–2.87) for those reporting>3 types of maltreatment, compared with those with none. Associations of similar magnitude were observed for mental and self-reported health outcomes.ConclusionsChild neglect, psychological and sexual abuse were associated with poor physical functioning at 50 years, with accumulating risk for those with multiple types of maltreatment. Associations were independent of numerous early-life factors and were comparable in magnitude to those observed for mental health and self-rated health. Prevention or alleviation of the ill effects of maltreatment could be an effective policy intervention to promote healthy ageing.


2018 ◽  
Vol 213 (6) ◽  
pp. 698-703 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steve Kisely ◽  
Amanuel Alemu Abajobir ◽  
Ryan Mills ◽  
Lane Strathearn ◽  
Alexandra Clavarino ◽  
...  

BackgroundRetrospective studies have shown a high association between child abuse and subsequent psychiatric morbidity. Prospective studies are rarer.AimsTo examine, using a prospective record-linkage analysis, whether substantiated child maltreatment is associated with adverse psychological outcomes in early adulthood.MethodThe participants were 3778 mother and child pairs enrolled in a population-based birth cohort study in Brisbane, Australia. Exposure to suspected child maltreatment was measured by linkage with state child protection agency data. The primary outcomes were the internalising and externalising scales of the Youth Self-Report and the Centre for Epidemiological Studies-Depression scales (CES-D) at approximately 21 years of age. A subset completed the Composite International Diagnostic Interview-Auto version (CIDI-Auto).ResultsIn total, 171 (4.5%) participants had a history of substantiated child maltreatment, most commonly emotional abuse (n= 91), followed by physical abuse (n= 78), neglect (n= 73) and sexual abuse (n= 54). After adjustment for potential confounders, depressive symptoms on the CES-D, as well as internalising and externalising behaviours were strongly associated with substantiated abuse in all forms, except sexual abuse. The results for the subset of the sample who completed the CIDI-Auto were less clear. Anxiety, especially post-traumatic stress disorder, showed the strongest association whereas the findings for depressive disorder were equivocal. However, across all diagnostic categories, emotional abuse and neglect, as well as multiple forms of abuse, showed a consistent association.ConclusionsChild maltreatment, particularly neglect and emotional abuse, has serious adverse effects on early adult mental health. These two warrant the attention given to other forms of child maltreatment. Children experiencing more than one type of maltreatment are at particular risk.Declaration of interestNone.


2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (7) ◽  
pp. 105-110
Author(s):  
Amanda Plácido da Silva Macêdo ◽  
Monnic Maria Lóssio Rocha Maia ◽  
Izadora De Sousa Pereira ◽  
Thânia Maria Rodrigues Figueiredo ◽  
Modesto Leite Rolim Neto

Child maltreatment has serious consequences, including increasing an individual's risk of physical and mental health problems across their life course. Objective: Here we show that there  is an important public health message to focus, not only on approaches that prevent or detect childhood maltreatment, but also to explore methods of prevention and detection of mental ill health. Results: The study Childhood maltreatment and adult suicidality: a comprehensive systematic review with meta-analysis (2019) showed that all different types of childhood maltreatment including sexual abuse [odds ratio (OR) 3.17, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.76–3.64], physical abuse (OR 2.52, 95% CI 2.09–3.04) and emotional abuse (OR 2.49, 95% CI 1.64–3.77) were associated with two- to three-fold increased risk for suicide attempts. Conclusion: It is important to highlight emotional violence may actually be more powerful than physical and sexual abuse in its impact on adolescent suicide behaviors in low- and middle-income countries. Keywords: Child Maltreatment; Mental Health; Prevention.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 461-461
Author(s):  
Laura Upenieks

Abstract Of all the various forms of adversity experienced during childhood, childhood maltreatment (emotional and physical abuse) is shown to have the largest impacts on mental health and well-being. Yet we still have a limited understanding of why some victims of early maltreatment suffer immense mental health consequences later on in the life course, while others are able to cushion the blow of these early insults. Using two waves of data from the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS), this study considers change in religiosity as a buffer across three dimensions for victims of childhood abuse: religious importance, attendance, and the specific act of seeking comfort through religion. Results suggest that increases in religious comfort during adulthood are positively associated with adult mental health for victims of abuse, while decreases in religious comfort over time were associated with worse mental health. Changes in religious attendance and religious importance were not significant associated with mental health for victims of abuse. Taken together, my results show that the stress-moderating effects of religion for victims of childhood maltreatment are contingent on the stability or increases or decreases in religiosity over the life course, which has been overlooked in previous work.


BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. e024079 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leah Li ◽  
Snehal M Pinto Pereira ◽  
Christine Power

ObjectivesResearch on associations between childhood maltreatment and adult cardiometabolic disease risk is sparse. We aimed to investigate associations between different forms of child maltreatment and mid-adult cardiometabolic markers and whether potential intermediaries could account for the associations observed.Setting1958 British birth cohort.ParticipantsApproximately 9000 cohort members with data on cardiometabolic markers.OutcomesAdult (45y) cardiometabolic markers (blood pressure, lipids and glycated haemoglobin [HbA1c]).ResultsSeventeen per cent of participants were identified as neglected; 6.1%, 1.6% and 10.0% were identified as experiencing physical, sexual and psychological abuse, respectively. Childhood neglect and physical abuse were associated with high body mass index (BMI) and large waist circumference when adjusting for early-life covariates. For neglect, the adjusted odds ratio (AOR) was 1.16 (95% CI: 1.02 to 1.32) and 1.15 (1.02 to 1.30) for general and central obesity, respectively, and for physical abuse, the respective AOR was 1.36 (1.13 to 1.64) and 1.38 (1.16 to 1.65). Neglect was also associated with raised triglycerides by 3.9 (0.3 to 7.5)% and HbA1c by 1.2 (0.4 to 2.0)%, and among females, lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) by 0.05 (0.01 to 0.08)mmol/L after adjustment. For physical abuse, the AOR was 1.25 (1.00 to 1.56) for high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, HbA1c was raised by 2.5 (0.7 to 4.3)% (in males) and HDL-c was lower by 0.06 (0.01 to 0.12)mmol/L (in females). Associations for sexual abuse were similar to those for physical abuse but 95% CIs were wide. For psychological abuse, the AOR for elevated triglycerides was 1.21 (1.02 to 1.44) and HDL-c was lower by 0.04 (0.01 to 0.07)mmol/L. Maltreatments were not associated with raised blood pressure. In analyses of potential intermediary factors, several associations attenuated after adjustment for adult lifestyles (mainly smoking and alcohol consumption rather than physical activity) and child-to-adult BMI.ConclusionsChildhood maltreatments, particularly neglect and physical abuse, were associated with greater adiposity and poorer lipid and HbA1c profiles decades later in adulthood. Associations were modest but independent of early-life factors linked to these outcomes. Findings implicate adult lifestyles as an important intermediary between child maltreatment and outcomes.


1996 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 129-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sally Davies-Netzley ◽  
Michael S. Hurlburt ◽  
Richard L. Hough

Previous studies of childhood abuse levels among homeless women have typically focused either on single homeless women or female heads of families; almost none have focused specifically on homeless women with severe mental illness. This study explores rates of childhood physical and sexual abuse among 120 homeless women with severe mental illness. Correlates of experiencing childhood abuse are considered, including mental health outcomes and when women first become homeless. The prevalence of childhood abuse in this sample of women was substantially higher than among homeless women in general. The experience of childhood abuse was related to increased suicidality, and resulted in symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder for some women. Women who had suffered abuse were also much more likely to become homeless during childhood and it is suggested that this is an important precursor to homelessness for many homeless women with chronic and severe mental illness.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Víctor De la Peña-Arteaga ◽  
Sarah O. Nogueira ◽  
Michael Lynskey ◽  
Lindsey A. Hines

Background: Among adolescents, cannabis use is a health concern due to associations with drug addiction and mental health disorders across the life course. It has been shown that childhood maltreatment is associated with drug addiction in adulthood. However, a better understanding of the relationship between maltreatment and drug use may improve targeted prevention and interventions. The aim of this systematic review is to describe the association between exposure to childhood maltreatment, specifically physical and sexual abuse, with adolescent cannabis use.Methods: A systematic search strategy was applied to Embase, PsycINFO, and Ovid MEDLINE(R) databases. Methods followed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Abstract and title screening was performed to identify papers which reported an estimate of the association between childhood physical or sexual abuse and adolescent cannabis use. Full text screening of each paper was performed, and data were extracted and study quality assessed. Weighted means meta-analysis was performed on studies reporting odds ratios as effect estimates.Results: Of 8,780 screened articles, 13 were identified for inclusion. Eight papers received a quality rating score indicating lower risk of bias. Eleven papers reported the relationship between childhood sexual abuse and adolescent cannabis use; effect estimates ranged from AOR 0.53–AOR 2.18 (weighted mean OR 1.29, 95% CI 1.08–1.49). The relationship between childhood physical abuse and adolescent cannabis use was reported in 7 papers; effect estimates ranged from AOR 1.25–AOR 1.87 (weighted mean OR 1.39, 95% CI 1.12–1.66). Differences in the strength of the evidence were observed by the method of exposure ascertainment, and there was some evidence of differences in association by gender, age of cannabis initiation, and the severity of the abuse.Conclusions: This systematic review indicates childhood physical or sexual abuse may increase risk of adolescent-onset cannabis use. Few studies considered variation in timing of onset, or by gender. Adolescent cannabis use precedes is strongly associated with increased risk of negative mental health outcomes; further exploration of adolescent cannabis use's place on the causal pathway between childhood abuse and adult mental health problems is warranted to improve intervention.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Divyangana Rakesh ◽  
Nicholas B. Allen ◽  
Sarah Whittle

Abstract Background Understanding the neurobiological underpinnings of childhood maltreatment is vital given consistent links with poor mental health. Dimensional models of adversity purport that different types of adversity likely have distinct neurobiological consequences. Adolescence is a key developmental period, during which deviations from normative neurodevelopment may have particular relevance for mental health. However, longitudinal work examining links between different forms of maltreatment, neurodevelopment, and mental health is limited. Methods In the present study, we explored associations between abuse, neglect, and longitudinal development of within-network functional connectivity of the salience (SN), default mode (DMN), and executive control network in 142 community residing adolescents. Resting-state fMRI data were acquired at age 16 (T1; M = 16.46 years, s.d. = 0.52, 66F) and 19 (T2; mean follow-up period: 2.35 years). Mental health data were also collected at T1 and T2. Childhood maltreatment history was assessed prior to T1. Results Abuse and neglect were both found to be associated with increases in within-SN functional connectivity from age 16 to 19. Further, there were sex differences in the association between neglect and changes in within-DMN connectivity. Finally, increases in within-SN connectivity were found to mediate the association between abuse/neglect and lower problematic substance use and higher depressive symptoms at age 19. Conclusions Our findings suggest that childhood maltreatment is associated with altered neurodevelopmental trajectories, and that changes in salience processing may be linked with risk and resilience for the development of depression and substance use problems during adolescence, respectively. Further work is needed to understand the distinct neurodevelopmental and mental health outcomes of abuse and neglect.


2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 542-547
Author(s):  
Kate Guastaferro ◽  
Bethany C. Bray

The aim of the current study was to identify patterns of child maltreatment experienced prior to age 18 and examine the relationship between those patterns and substance use and mental health disorders among emerging adults. Data were from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III. The analytic sample consisted of 5,194 adults between 18 and 25 years old. Latent class analysis revealed a three-class model: Rare Maltreatment (59%); Occasional Maltreatment, Rare Sexual Abuse (37%); and Frequent Maltreatment, Some Sexual Abuse (4%). Risk of substance use disorders and poor mental health was higher for the two classes who experienced maltreatment; however, those with Frequent Maltreatment had higher risk of poor mental health, but not substance use disorders compared to those with Occasional Maltreatment. Patterns of child maltreatment are important predictors of substance use and mental health disorders in emerging adulthood, but different patterns may necessitate specific intervention efforts.


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