The effect of lifetime victimization on the mental health of children and adolescents.

Importance Childhood maltreatment is associated with mental illness. Researchers, clinicians, and public health professionals use prospective or retrospective measures interchangeably to assess childhood maltreatment, assuming that the 2 measures identify the same individuals. However, this assumption has not been comprehensively tested. Objective To meta-analyze the agreement between prospective and retrospective measures of childhood maltreatment. Data Sources MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Embase, and Sociological Abstracts were searched for peer-reviewed, English-language articles from inception through January 1, 2018. Search terms includedchild* maltreatment,child* abuse,child* neglect,child bull*,child* trauma,child* advers*, andearly life stresscombined withprospective*andcohort. Study Selection Studies with prospective measures of childhood maltreatment were first selected. Among the selected studies, those with corresponding retrospective measures of maltreatment were identified. Of 450 studies with prospective measures of childhood maltreatment, 16 had paired retrospective data to compute the Cohen κ coefficient. Data Extraction and Synthesis Multiple investigators independently extracted data according to PRISMA and MOOSE guidelines. Random-effects meta-analyses were used to pool the results and test predictors of heterogeneity. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was the agreement between prospective and retrospective measures of childhood maltreatment, expressed as a κ coefficient. Moderators of agreement were selected a priori and included the measure used for prospective or retrospective assessment of childhood maltreatment, age at retrospective report, sample size, sex distribution, and study quality. Results Sixteen unique studies including 25 471 unique participants (52.4% female [SD, 10.6%]; mean [SD] age, 30.6 [11.6] years) contained data on the agreement between prospective and retrospective measures of childhood maltreatment. The agreement between prospective and retrospective measures of childhood maltreatment was poor, with κ = 0.19 (95% CI, 0.14-0.24; P  Conclusions and Relevance Prospective and retrospective measures of childhood maltreatment identify different groups of individuals. Therefore, children identified prospectively as having experienced maltreatment may have different risk pathways to mental illness than adults retrospectively reporting childhood maltreatment. Researchers, clinicians, and public health care professionals should recognize these critical measurement differences when conducting research into childhood maltreatment and developing interventions.

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/articlepdf/2728182/jamapsychiatry_baldwin_2019_oi_190006.pdf

Agreement Between Prospective and Retrospective Measures of Childhood Maltreatment: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

This review addresses research on the overlap in physical child abuse and domestic violence, the prediction of child outcomes, and resilience in children exposed to family violence. The authors explore current findings on the intersection of physical child abuse and domestic violence within the context of other risk factors, including community violence and related family and environmental stressors. Evidence from the studies reviewed suggests considerable overlap, compounding effects, and possible gender differences in outcomes of violence exposure. The data indicate a need to apply a broad conceptualization of risk to the study of family violence and its effects on children. Further testing of competing theoretical models will advance understanding of the pathways through which exposure leads to later problems in youth, as well as protective factors and processes through which resilience unfolds.

Intersection of Child Abuse and Children's Exposure to Domestic Violence:

This study examines the effects of child abuse and domestic violence exposure in childhood on adolescent internalizing and externalizing behaviors Data for this analysis are from the Lehigh Longitudinal Study, a prospective study of 457 youth addressing outcomes of family violence and resilience in individuals and families Results show that child abuse, domestic violence, and both in combination (ie, dual exposure) increase a child’s risk for internalizing and externalizing outcomes in adolescence When accounting for risk factors associated with additional stressors in the family and surrounding environment, only those children with dual exposure had an elevated risk of the tested outcomes compared to non-exposed youth However, while there were some observable differences in the prediction of outcomes for children with dual exposure compared to those with single exposure (ie, abuse only or exposure to domestic violence only), these difference were not statistically significant Analyses showed that the effects of exposure for boys and girls are statistically comparable

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The Effects of Child Abuse and Exposure to Domestic Violence on Adolescent Internalizing and Externalizing Behavior Problems.

We are facing an unprecedented time during the COVID-19 pandemic. Measures have been taken to reduce the spread of the virus, including school closures and widespread lockdowns. Physical isolation combined with economic instability, fear of infection, and uncertainty for the future has had a profound impact on global mental health. For adolescents, the effects of this stress may be heightened due to important developmental characteristics. Canadian adolescents (n = 1,054; M age= 16.68, SD = 0.78) completed online surveys and responded to questions on stress surrounding the COVID-19 crisis, feelings of loneliness and depression, as well as time spent with family, virtually with friends, doing schoolwork, using social media, and engaging in physical activity. Results showed that adolescents are very concerned about the COVID-19 crisis and are particularly worried about schooling and peer relationships. COVID-19 stress was related to more loneliness and more depression, especially for adolescents who spend more time on social media. Beyond COVID-19 stress, more time connecting to friends virtually during the pandemic was related to greater depression, but family time and schoolwork was related to less depression. For adolescents with depressive symptoms, it may be important to monitor the supportiveness of online relationships. Results show promising avenues to stave off loneliness, as time with family, time connecting to friends, as well as physical activity were related to lower loneliness, beyond COVID-19 stress. These results shed light on the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic for adolescents and document possible pathways to ameliorate negative effects.

https://psycnet.apa.org/journals/cbs/52/3/177.pdf

Physically isolated but socially connected: Psychological adjustment and stress among adolescents during the initial COVID-19 crisis

Risk factors for unidirectional and bidirectional intimate partner violence among young adults.

This study investigates several factors as possible mediators of physical child abuse in the prediction of violence among adolescents. Prospective and retrospective measures of abuse are compared in mediation tests. Data are from the Lehigh Longitudinal Study, a prospective study of 457 children followed from preschool into adolescence. Structural equation models examined the degree to which abuse is mediated in the prediction of violence through youths' bonds to family, commitment to school, involvement with antisocial peers during adolescence, and attitudes about the use of violence. The model included measures of family socioeconomic status and youths' gender and age as controls on violence. Findings suggest that abuse (whether measured prospectively or retrospectively) is heavily mediated in its prediction of later violence and that a sizeable proportion of variance is accounted for in the violence outcome. A fuller pattern of mediation was shown when the retrospective abuse variable was modeled.

Examining the Link between Child Abuse and Youth Violence: An Analysis of Mediating Mechanisms

Using Lehigh Longitudinal Study data (N = 457), the authors compare prospective parent self-reports and retrospective adolescent reports of early childhood physical abuse, exploring their correspondence, predictive equivalence, and outcomes associated with conflicting reports. Correspondence between prospective and retrospective reports of child maltreatment was moderate (Phi = 0.27). Concurrence rates were similar for males and females. Analyses of the relative predictive capacity of prospective and retrospective measures revealed both to be significant predictors of key outcomes in adolescence. Findings support the predictive validity of both measures of childhood maltreatment and underscore the methodological challenges of measuring this important construct. Given the abundance and salience of research on the consequences of childhood maltreatment, greater attention to such measurement issues is due.

Stephen D. Whitney

Papers

Risk factors for unidirectional and bidirectional intimate partner violence among young adults.

Examining the Link between Child Abuse and Youth Violence: An Analysis of Mediating Mechanisms

Measuring child maltreatment: a comparison of prospective parent reports and retrospective adolescent reports.

Academic achievement despite child maltreatment: A longitudinal study

Protection against antisocial behavior in children exposed to physically abusive discipline.