Charlotte A.M. Cecil|Essi Viding|Pasco Fearon|Danya Glaser|Eamon McCrory
Disentangling the mental health impact of childhood abuse and neglect
King's College London|University College London|University College London|University College London|University College London
unclear whether maltreatment types exert common specific effects mental health current study aimed systematically characterize unique shared cumulative effects maltreatment types psychiatric symptoms using data drawn community sample highrisk youth n 204 1885 analyses controlled range potentially confounding variables including sociodemographic variables neighbourhood deprivation levels community violence exposure outcome measures included multiinformant reports internalizing difficulties well data externalizing problems traumarelated symptoms found consistent previous studies maltreatment types highly interrelated frequently cooccurred ii symptom severity linearly increased number maltreatment types experienced selfreport vs informant ratings iii forms maltreatment significantly associated mental health outcomes examined individually unique effects observed modelling maltreatment types simultaneously pointing important role shared variance driving maltreatment effects mental health emotional abuse emerged main independent predictor psychiatric symptomatology maltreatment types effect comparable males females ie significant interaction sex findings contribute better understanding heterogeneity individual responses maltreatment