Prevalence of child maltreatment in a nationwide sample of 18 to 31 year-olds in Germany.

BACKGROUND: Child maltreatment (CM) can have devastating and potentially lifelong effects for those affected and is a major contributor to mental health problems. To tackle public health problems it is crucial to have reliable data on CM. The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence and predictors of CM in a nationwide sample of the German population of young adults. METHODS: The study population (young adults aged 18 to 31 years) stems from the KiGGS Cohort study, the longitudinal branch of the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for children and adolescents. This sample meets the criteria of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) indicator 16.2.3. The data was collected between 2014 and 2017. CM were assessed with the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) in. In addition, socio-demographic variables and other known risk factors for CM were assessed. A total of 6433 (47.8% female) participants were included in the analyses. Binary logistic regression analyses were used to investigate predictors of maltreatment subtypes. Ordinal regression was used to examine their association with experience of multiple forms of CM. RESULTS: Overall, 18.4% (f: 20.9%, m: 16.1%) of the participants reported having experienced at least one type of CM; 6.7% (f: 8.8%, m: 4.8%) reported experiences of emotional abuse, 3.7% (f: 3.9%, m: 3.5%) physical abuse, 3.5% (f: 5.3%, m: 1.7%) sexual abuse, 9.0% (f: 9.9%, m: 8.2%) emotional neglect and 8.6% (f: 8.5%, m: 8.7%) physical neglect. Gender, subjective social status, education and household dysfunction (e.g. living with an individual who is using substances) emerged as significant predictors for different types of CM. Additionally, all these factors were significant risk factors for experiencing cumulative CM. CONCLUSIONS: CM is common in the German population, with almost one in five people experiencing at least one type of CM. The results reveal important risk factors for the occurrence of CM. In particular, people with lower social status and those who grew up in dysfunctional households are at higher risk of CM. Greater support for this vulnerable population may reduce the prevalence of CM.

Associations of childhood adversity with emotional well-being and educational achievement: A review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Profound negative implications of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have raised public health concern worldwide. METHOD: This systematic review and meta-analysis examined associations of three types of ACEs (abuse, neglect, and household dysfunctions) with experiential (emotional quality of momentary and everyday experiences) and reflective (judgments about life satisfaction, sense of meaning, and ability to pursue goals that can include and extend beyond the self) facets of emotional well-being (EWB) and educational achievement. The systematic review yielded 100 studies with 176 effect sizes that met criteria for inclusion in the meta-analysis. RESULTS: ACEs were related particularly strongly to lower EWB, r = -0.32, p < .001; [95 % CI: -0.44 to 0.01], but also to lower educational achievement, r = -0.18, p < .001; [95 % CI: -0.21 to -0.05]. Associations were stronger for abuse and composite indicators of ACEs than for household dysfunctions. Associations of ACEs with EWB and educational achievement were stronger in childhood and adolescence than in emerging or later adulthood. Associations did not differ for males and females or for Eastern versus Western cultural groups. Analyses provided evidence for the causal role of ACEs in the development of lower EWB and academic achievement as well as their reciprocal associations. LIMITATIONS: There is no standard conceptualization of well-being and studies are not always clear about the types of ACEs examined, with limited research on educational achievement. CONCLUSION: Findings have important implications for mental health professionals, policy makers and social service agencies in developing resources and intervention services that target ACEs to protect individuals and promote well-being and academic achievement.

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.