Prevalence, pattern and predictors of intimate partner violence amongst female undergraduates in Abia State, Nigeria; public health implications.

BACKGROUND: Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is the range of sexually, psychologically and physically coercive acts used against adult and adolescent women by a current or former male partner. It is a major public health problem globally. This study determined the prevalence, patterns and predictors of IPV amongst female undergraduates in Abia State. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted from January - February 2022 amongst 306 female undergraduates in Abia State. A mixed method of an online structured questionnaire created on Google forms & onsite self-administered questionnaire were deployed for data collection. Descriptive, bivariate and multivariate analyses were done using IBM SPSS Version 26.0. The level of significance was set at 5%. RESULTS: A total of 306 respondents participated in the survey. The overall prevalence of IPV amongst female undergraduates was 51.2% (95% CI: 44.8-57.6%). Emotional abuse was the most common form of abuse 78.9%, followed by Physical abuse 42.0% and Sexual abuse 30.8%. Predictors of IPV reported include female earning/receiving more than their partner monthly (aOR = 2.30; 95% CI: 1.20-4.41); male (partner) alcohol consumption (aOR = 5.17; 95% CI: 2.46-10.88), being a smoker of cigarette/marijuana (aOR = 11.01; 95% CI: 1.26-96.25) and having witnessed domestic violence as a child (aOR = 3.55; 95% CI: I.56-8.07). Adverse effects such as unwanted pregnancies (12%), miscarriages (10%), eating/sleeping disorders (21%) and bruises (23%) amongst others were noted in some of the victims. CONCLUSION: Over half of all female undergraduates in Abia State have experienced IPV with emotional abuse being the commonest. Some Individual and relationship factors were identified as predictors of IPV. We recommend intensifying primary prevention campaigns against risk factors identified like smoking and alcohol consumption.

The association between emotional abuse in childhood and healthcare utilization in adulthood among sami and non-sami: the SAMINOR 2 questionnaire survey.

BACKGROUND: Emotional abuse in childhood is the most common type of childhood abuse worldwide and is associated with a variety of somatic and mental health issues. However, globally and in indigenous contexts, research on the associations between emotional abuse in childhood and somatic and mental specialist healthcare utilization in adulthood is sparse. AIM: The main aim of this study was to investigate the association between emotional abuse in childhood and somatic and mental specialist healthcare utilization in adulthood in Sami and non-Sami populations, and to examine whether this association differs between the two ethnic groups. METHOD: This study used cross-sectional data from the SAMINOR 2 Questionnaire Survey - a population-based study on health and living conditions in areas with Sami and non-Sami populations in Middle and Northern Norway. In total, 11 600 individuals participated in SAMINOR 2. Logistic regression was used to present the association between emotional abuse in childhood and somatic and mental specialist healthcare utilization. RESULTS: Emotional abuse in childhood was significantly associated with somatic specialist healthcare utilization in adulthood (fully adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.31, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.15-1.49), with no differences observed between ethnic groups. Emotional abuse in childhood was also associated with mental specialist healthcare utilization (fully adjusted OR 3.99, 95% CI 3.09-5.14), however this association was weaker among Sami (crude OR 2.38, 95% CI 1.37-4.13) compared with non-Sami (crude OR 5.40, 95% Cl 4.07-7.15) participants. CONCLUSIONS: Emotional abuse in childhood is associated with somatic and mental specialist healthcare utilization in adulthood, with a stronger association to mental healthcare utilization. The association between emotional abuse in childhood and mental specialist healthcare utilization was weaker among Sami than non-Sami participants. Future studies should investigate the reason for this ethnic difference. Our results highlight the need to strengthen efforts to prevent childhood abuse and develop strategies to reduce its societal and personal burden.

The mediating role of trait mindfulness and dissociative experiences in the relationship between childhood emotional abuse and problematic internet use in Italian adolescents.

There is clear evidence linking trauma, mindfulness, dissociation and problematic internet use (PIU). Nonetheless, little is known about the role trait mindfulness and dissociative experiences may have in the relationship between childhood emotional abuse (CEA) and PIU, as well as the role that gender may have in such relationships. In the current research, self-report questionnaires on CEA, trait mindfulness, dissociative experiences and PIU were administered to 1074 Italian adolescents (50% females) aged 14-17 years old, to test whether trait mindfulness and dissociative experiences mediated the relationship between CEA and PIU, and whether the proposed mediation was invariant across genders. Furthermore, the main analyses were controlled for background variables. The findings highlighted significant associations between all direct and indirect paths and invariance of the mediation model across boys and girls. The results of this study highlight that emotionally abused boys and girls with high levels of dissociation and inadequate mindful skills may be more exposed to dysfunctional online activities. Hence, developing dissociation-focused and mindfulness-based interventions for emotionally abused adolescents may be clinically effective when building tailored approaches for the prevention and management of PIU. Further implications are discussed.

Impact of abuse on migraine-related sensory hypersensitivity symptoms: Results from the American Registry for Migraine Research.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Prior studies have established an association between a history of abuse and the development of migraine. This cross-sectional observational study explored the relationship between self-reported abuse history with migraine-related sensory hypersensitivity symptoms. METHODS: In total, 588 adult patients with migraine from the American Registry for Migraine Research completed questionnaires: Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, Patient Health Questionnaire-2 for depression, Photosensitivity Assessment Questionnaire, Hyperacusis Questionnaire, and Allodynia Symptom Checklist. Using four binary screening questions, patients were asked to self-report if they believed they had suffered emotional, physical, or sexual abuse in their lifetime. Differences in questionnaire scores between groups with and without a history of abuse were determined. Regression models adjusted for age, sex, and basic headache features analyzed the relationship between abuse history and sensory hypersensitivity symptoms. Moderation analysis explored the role of headache frequency in this relationship. Mediation analysis assessed the indirect (Mediated) effect (IE) of abuse on sensory hypersensitivity through depression or anxiety. Additional models analyzed relationships between sensory hypersensitivity symptoms and abuse subtypes or the number of abuse subtypes. RESULTS: Of 588 participants, 222 (38%) reported a history of abuse. Patients with a history of abuse reported statistically significantly greater average headache frequency (7.6 vs. 4.7 days, p = 0.030). Patients with a history of abuse also reported higher average or median questionnaire scores: anxiety (7.6 vs. 4.7, p < 0.001, d = 0.56), depression (1.7 vs. 1.3, p = 0.009, d = 0.24), photophobia (0.54 vs. 0.44, p < 0.001, d = 0.32), hyperacusis (19.6 vs. 14.9, p < 0.001, d = 0.49), ictal allodynia (6.0 vs. 3.0, p < 0.001, d = 0.46), and interictal allodynia (1.0 vs. 0.0, p < 0.001, d = 0.30). After controlling for patient age, sex and years lived with headache, abuse maintained a significant association with every sensory hypersensitivity measure. Headache frequency significantly moderated the relationship between a history of abuse with increased ictal allodynia (p = 0.036). Anxiety significantly mediated the relationships between abuse with photophobia (IE = 0.03, 95% CI = 0.01-0.04), hyperacusis (IE = 1.51, 95% CI = 0.91-2.24), ictal allodynia (IE = 0.02, 95% CI = 0.01-0.04), and interictal allodynia (IE = 0.02, 95% CI = 0.01-0.06). Depression significantly mediated the relationship between abuse with photophobia (IE = 0.02, 95% CI = 0.01-0.03) and with hyperacusis (IE = 0.45, 95% CI = 0.11-0.88). The association between the individual subtypes of abuse and the number of subtypes of abuse with sensory hypersensitivity symptoms varied. CONCLUSION: A history of abuse is associated with greater migraine-related sensory hypersensitivity symptoms. To reduce the impact of abuse on migraine symptoms, future studies should explore mechanistic connections between abuse and migraine-associated symptoms.

The Association of Childhood Maltreatment with Adulthood Mental Disorders and Suicidality in Korea: a Nationwide Community Study.

BACKGROUND: Although childhood maltreatment is a known risk factor for adulthood mental health, the impact of different types of childhood maltreatment on mental disorders is not yet clear. This study explored the association of each type of childhood maltreatment with adulthood mental disorders and suicidality in South Korea. METHODS: A total of 5,102 individuals from the general populations over the age of 18 responded to the Korean version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview and questions about childhood maltreatment (emotional neglect, psychological abuse, physical abuse, and sexual abuse). To evaluate the odds ratio for mental disorders and suicidality associated with each type of childhood maltreatment, we used logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: About 17.0% of the respondents reported having experienced a type of maltreatment in childhood. According to the type, 9.4% reported physical abuse, 9.3% reported emotional neglect, 7.9% reported psychological abuse, and 3.8% reported sexual abuse. Exposure to each type of childhood maltreatment was associated with most types of mental disorders after adjusting for sociodemographic factors. Each type of childhood maltreatment victim was associated with suicidality (suicidal ideations, suicide plans, and suicide attempts). Dose-response patterns for suicide attempts were observed in all types of victims. Moreover, the respondents who experienced frequent childhood emotional neglect were 14 times more likely to have attempted suicide. CONCLUSION: Childhood maltreatment was associated with mental health in adulthood. The findings show the need for early detection and intervention of victims of childhood maltreatment to minimize its negative impact on adult mental health.

Culture and domestic violence amongst ever-married women in Malawi: an analysis of emotional, sexual, less-severe physical and severe physical violence.

Nearly 42% of ever-married women in Malawi have experienced some form of physical, sexual or emotional violence perpetrated by their current or most recent spouse - higher than the global estimate of 35%. This study used national-level data for ever-married women aged 15-49 years from the 2015 Malawi Demographic and Health Survey to explore the association between cultural factors and the likelihood of women experiencing sexual, physical and emotional violence after controlling for socioeconomic factors using multilevel logistic regression modelling. Key cultural factors found to be associated with violence against ever-married women in Malawi were type of marriage (polygynous or monogamous), age at marriage, religion and ethnicity. Husband's consumption of alcohol also emerged as a very important factor in violence against married women. Interventions to tackle violence against married women in Malawi should aim at promoting monogamous marriages and discouraging polygynous marriages, and address the culture of heavy alcohol consumption amongst husbands. Future studies could explore further if there are key lessons that families can learn from Muslim families and across ethnic groups.

The Cumulative and Differential Relation of Adverse Childhood Experiences and Substance Use During Emerging Adulthood.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have far-reaching effects on a wide range of health outcomes in adulthood, however, less is known about their consequences in emerging adulthood or in a geographically distinct sample. We examined the cumulative and individual relation of ACEs and two risky behaviors: alcohol and illegal drugs consumed by 490 Spanish emerging adults (mean age = 18.9). Participants answered the ACEs questionnaire, and two items about alcohol and illegal drugs consumption. Results showed that the overall experience of suffering different ACEs was a significant predictor of drug but not of alcohol consumption. Moreover, ACEs subtypes presented differential effects on substance use. Whereas some increased the likelihood of either drug or alcohol use, others reduced it. This study supports the importance of examining specific adverse experiences rather than only using an overall measure and provides some counterintuitive results that may be linked to resilient mechanisms.

Childhood adversity and borderline personality disorder: a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this meta-analysis was to better understand the magnitude and consistency of the association between childhood adversity and borderline personality disorder (BPD) across case-control, epidemiological and prospective cohort studies. METHOD: Following the review protocol (reference: CRD42017075179), search terms pertaining to adversity and BPD were entered into three search engines. Random-effects meta-analysis synthesised the size and consistency of the effects. RESULTS: A total of 97 studies compared BPD to non-clinical (k = 40) and clinical (k = 70) controls. Meta-analysis of case-control studies indicated that individuals with BPD are 13.91 (95% CI 11.11-17.43) times more likely to report childhood adversity than non-clinical controls. This effect was smaller when considering retrospective cohort (OR: 2.59; 95% CI 0.93-7.30) and epidemiological (OR: 2.56, 95% CI 1.24-5.30) studies. Findings were significant across adversity subtypes with emotional abuse (OR: 38.11, 95% CI: 25.99-55.88) and neglect (OR: 17.73, 95% CI = 13.01-24.17) demonstrating the largest effects. Individuals with BPD were 3.15 (95% CI 2.62-3.79) times more likely to report childhood adversity than other psychiatric groups. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis corroborates theoretical proposals that exposure to adverse life experiences is associated with BPD. It highlights the importance of considering childhood adversity when treating people diagnosed with BPD.

Birth outcomes in a Swedish population of women reporting a history of violence including domestic violence during pregnancy: a longitudinal cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Victimisation of women is encountered in all countries across the world, it damages the mental and physical health of women. During pregnancy and the postpartum period, women are at a greater risk of experiencing violence from an intimate partner. The aim of this study was to explore childbirth outcomes in a Swedish population of women reporting a history of violence including domestic violence during pregnancy. METHODS: A longitudinal cohort design was used. In total, 1939 pregnant women ≥18 years were recruited to answer two questionnaires, both questionnaires were administered in the early and late stages of their pregnancy. The available dataset included birth records of 1694 mothers who gave birth between June 2012 and April 2014. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, T-test and bivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: Of 1694 mothers 38.7% (n = 656) reported a history of violence and 2% (n = 34) also experienced domestic violence during pregnancy. Women who were single, living apart from their partner, unemployed, smoked and faced financial distress were at a higher risk of experiencing violence (p = 0.001). They also had significant low scores on the SOC-scale and high EDS-scores ≥13 (p = 0.001) when compared to women without a history of violence (p = 0.001). Having a history of violence increased the woman's risk of undergoing a caesarean section (OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.02-1.70). A history of emotional abuse also significantly increased the risk of having a caesarean section irrespective of whether it was a planned or an emergency caesarean section (OR 1.50, 95% CI 1.09-2.06). Infants born to a mother who reported a history of violence, were at significant risk of being born premature < 37 weeks of gestation compared to infants born by mothers with no history of violence (p = 0,049). CONCLUSIONS: A history of violence and/or exclusively a history of emotional abuse has a negative impact on childbirth outcomes including caesarean section and premature birth. Therefore, early identification of a history of or ongoing violence is crucial to provide women with extra support which may have positive impact on her birth outcomes.

Intimate Partner Violence Among Patients Diagnosed With Severe Mental Disorder.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) has a remarkable impact on mental health and is common in people diagnosed with severe mental disorders (SMDs). Data of 102 outpatients were collected from clinical records and the Traumatic Life Events Questionnaire (TLEQ). Global estimation of lifetime IPV exposure was obtained by combining answers to selected TLEQ questions about physical, psychological, and sexual IPV. Overall, 24.5% of the participants reported at least one lifetime episode of IPV victimization. Female gender (odds ratio [OR] = 3.15, p = 0.016) and childhood trauma (OR = 4.7, p = 0.002) significantly increased the likelihood of IPV victimization. Conversely, posttraumatic stress disorder was not significantly increased in IPV victims. These findings are in line with current literature and suggest a remarkable and transdiagnostic prevalence of lifetime IPV victimization in SMD. Gender, childhood trauma, and SMD are relevant factors in IPV analysis and prevention. Diathesis of trauma, psychosocial vulnerability to revictimization and intersectional feminist theory help explain our results.

Features of Childhood Maltreatment and Resilience Capacity in Adulthood: Results from a Large Community-Based Sample.

Childhood maltreatment is consistently associated with poor outcomes. However, few epidemiological studies have examined the association between childhood maltreatment and adult resilience capacity, defined as one's perceived ability to cope successfully with challenges. This study aimed to determine associations between adult resilience capacity and specific types and features of childhood maltreatment. Participants were African American adults recruited from a public urban hospital in Atlanta, GA (N = 1,962) between 2005 and 2013. Childhood maltreatment, including witnessing domestic violence or physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, was assessed retrospectively using the Traumatic Events Inventory. Perceived resilience capacity was assessed using the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale. Linear regressions were performed assessing the association between resilience capacity and childhood maltreatment exposure in general, as well as specific dimensions of exposure, including type, co-occurrence, and developmental timing, adjusting for covariates. Participants exposed to any maltreatment reported lower resilience capacity than unexposed peers, B = -0.38, SE = 0.04, p < .001. All maltreatment types were negatively associated with resilience capacity, even after adjusting for other lifetime trauma exposure. Only emotional abuse remained significantly associated with resilience capacity after accounting for current psychological distress, B = -0.11, SE = 0.05, p = .022. Maltreatment co-occurrence followed an inverse dose-response relationship with resilience capacity: For each additional maltreatment type, scores decreased by 0.18 units (SD = 0.02), p < .001. Finally, the developmental timing of maltreatment did not reveal any differential influences on resilience capacity. The results suggest that childhood emotional abuse and co-occurrence of maltreatment types may be particularly deleterious to adult resilience capacity.

[Epidemiological profile of female victims of psychological violence during the pre and postpartum periods in the Sédhiou region, Senegal]. / Profil épidémiologique des femmes victimes de violences psychologiques en période pré- et post-partum dans la région de Sédhiou, Sénégal.

BACKGROUND: In Senegal, psychological violence remains a taboo subject insofar as it often arises in the closed circle of family life. It has a highly negative impact on the health of pregnant women. The objective of this work was to study the epidemiological profile of female victims of psychological violence before and after birth in the Sédhiou region. METHOD: An observational, cross-sectional and analytical study was carried out from December 4, 2018 to April 4, 2019. The study population consisted of all the women received for postnatal consultation in one of the referral health structures in the Sédhiou region. Data were collected using a survey form and a questionnaire administered to the women having met the inclusion criteria. The data were entered using CS Pro software and subsequently analyzed using R 3.4.4 software. RESULTS: The mean age of the women was 25.4±7.8 (14-43 years). A total of 222 women (55.5 %) had suffered psychological violence during the prepartum period. Isolated psychological violence represented 44.3 % of the surveyed population, while psychological violence associated with sexual or physical violence represented 8.0 % and 5.4 % of the respondent population, respectively. The factors associated with psychological violence during the prepartum period were pursuit of a professional activity [ORaj=4.7 (1.3-17.0)], high educational status [ORaj=7.0 (4.2-11.5)] and performance of fewer than 3 antenatal consultations (ANC) [ORaj=2.2 (1.2-4.0)]. Maternal, fetal and neonatal complications were more frequent among victims of psychological violence (P<0.05). During the postpartum period, 26.5 % of the women who had been victims of violence during the prepartum period mentioned the fact that the aggression had ceased. The other women continued to endure violence, which was even more intense among 2.5 %. CONCLUSION: Psychological violence among pregnant women has a negative impact on the health of the mother and the newborn. This state of affairs should induce health care providers to increase popular awareness of its detrimental effects. Communication efforts aimed at behavioral change will need to be combined during prenatal consultations with strengthened screening for violence, the objective being to achieve improved care.

Daughters witnessing domestic violence perpetrated by fathers on mothers: Case study from a private University of Karachi.

Violence against women is a human rights issue and a major public health problem. The objectives of this study were to determine the magnitude and type of emotional and physical domestic violence perpetrated by fathers on mothers of female students of a private university. A total of 564 questionnaires were duly filled and returned with a response rate of 94.0%. The most common form of violence was reported by 93 (16.5%) of the respondents who witnessed their fathers either saying or doing something to humiliate the respondents' mothers. While the most common physical violence witnessed was fathers slapping their mothers as reported by 39 (6.9%) of the respondents. Empowerment of women, and effective endeavours in education of both sexes are important steps towards addressing and preventing domestic violence.

Workplace violence against emergency department nurses in Oman: a cross-sectional multi-institutional study.

AIM: To examine the prevalence, characteristics and factors associated with workplace violence against emergency department nurses in Oman. BACKGROUND: Violence against healthcare professionals, including nurses, is a global public health problem. Understanding the epidemiology of violence is crucial for the implementation of appropriate preventative and management policies. METHODS: We conducted a multi-centre cross-sectional study in February 2019 utilizing a widely employed self-report questionnaire developed by the World Health Organization. We invited all emergency department nurses working in four governmental hospitals in Al-Sharqiyah and Al-Dakhiliyah Governorates of Oman to participate in the study. RESULTS: Of the 103 respondents, most were Omani (57.3%), female (73.8%), and 30 years or older (65%). The majority (87.4%) were exposed to violence in the past 12 months, and non-physical violence (84.5%) was over fourfold greater than physical violence (18.4%). Most physical and non-physical incidents took place during weekends (68.4% and 82.8%, respectively) and in the afternoon or night shifts (78.9‬% and 93.1%, respectively), and family members and visitors were the most common perpetrators of violence (62.6% physical and 66.7% non-physical). Non-Omani nurses (P = 0.03) and those with education less than a bachelor's degree (P = 0.007) were less likely to experience physical violence. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: Workplace violence is highly prevalent among emergency department nurses in Oman. Future studies should investigate violent incident reporting, and the causes and consequences of workplace violence on nurses' psychological and physical well-being, work functioning and the quality of care provided to patients. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING POLICY: The high prevalence of workplace violence is alarming and demonstrates the need for additional interventions to reduce violence and limit its consequences on healthcare professionals and patients' quality of care. Findings from this study can be used to implement changes in existing anti-violence policies.

Prevalence and associated factors of adolescent psychological abuse, neglect in Western China a multi-center cross-sectional study.

Background: The western region of China has a dense population, relatively underdeveloped economy, and a significant number of left-behind children. Currently, the prevalence of adolescent psychological abuse, neglect, and the factors associated with these issues in the region remain unclear. This study aims to evaluate the current status of adolescent psychological abuse and neglect and its associated factors in this region.Methods: Data were collected from 50 schools in western China through cluster sampling to target adolescents aged 12 to 18. A comprehensive survey form was used to collect socio-demographic characteristics of adolescents. The Child Psychological Abuse and Neglect Scale was employed to assess the current psychological abuse and neglect of adolescents. Independent samples t-tests were used for inter-group comparisons. A Directed Acyclic Graph was constructed for controlling confounding variables. Subsequently, binary logistic regression analysis was performed, and a nomogram risk factors model was developed using R Studio.Results: This study included 12,743 teenagers, with an average age of 15.53(±1.39) years. Among them, 4,965 individuals, accounting for 39.0%, reported experiences of psychological abuse, while 4,167 individuals, accounting for 32.7%, reported experiences of neglect. The rates of psychological abuse and neglect in adolescents are influenced by gender, grade, left-behind experience, parental marital status, and living on campus (P < .05).Conclusion: Adolescents in western China exhibit higher rates of psychological abuse and neglect compared to those in the eastern and northern regions of China. Gender, grade, left-behind experience, and family factors significantly influence the psychological abuse and neglect of adolescents.

This study is the first large-scale, multi-centre, cross-sectional analysis of psychological abuse and neglect among youth in Western China, a region with relatively underdeveloped economic and social conditions.This article fills in the gap in the region's research on psychological abuse and neglect by addressing the issues of small sample size, limited coverage, and a lack of variables included.This provides a crucial theoretical foundation for enhancing the mental well-being of youth in this region and preventing psychological and mental illnesses among youth.

The Role of Childhood Trauma in Affective Stress Recovery in Early Psychosis: An Experience Sampling Study.

BACKGROUND AND HYPOTHESES: Affective recovery, operationalized as the time needed for affect to return to baseline levels after daily stressors, may be a putative momentary representation of resilience. This study aimed to investigate affective recovery in positive and negative affect across subclinical and clinical stages of psychosis and whether this is associated with exposure to childhood trauma (sexual, physical, and emotional abuse). STUDY DESIGN: We used survival analysis to predict the time-to-recovery from a daily event-related stressor in a pooled sample of 3 previously conducted experience sampling studies including 113 individuals with first-episode psychosis, 162 at-risk individuals, and 94 controls. STUDY RESULTS: Negative affective recovery (ie, return to baseline following an increase in negative affect) was longer in individuals with first-episode psychosis compared with controls (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.71, 95% confidence interval [CI; 1.03, 2.61], P = .04) and in at-risk individuals exposed to high vs low levels of emotional abuse (HR = 1.31, 95% CI [1.06, 1.62], P = .01). Positive affective recovery (ie, return to baseline following a decrease in positive affect) did not differ between groups and was not associated with childhood trauma. CONCLUSIONS: Our results give first indications that negative affective recovery may be a putative momentary representation of resilience across stages of psychosis and may be amplified in at-risk individuals with prior experiences of emotional abuse. Understanding how affective recovery contributes to the development of psychosis may help identify new targets for prevention and intervention to buffer risk or foster resilience in daily life.

Effect of childhood emotional abuse on depression and anxiety in adulthood is partially mediated by neuroticism: Evidence from a large online sample.

Childhood trauma is widely recognized as a potential risk factor for psychiatric illness in adulthood, yet the precise mechanisms underlying this relationship remain incompletely understood. One proposed mechanism involves the impact of childhood trauma on personality development, particularly in relation to neuroticism, which may subsequently heighten susceptibility to psychiatric disorders. In this study, we aimed to investigate this hypothesis through an online survey involving 1116 participants (232 male, 21 %). Participants completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), assessing emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional neglect, and physical neglect, along with the Trait Self-Description Inventory (TSDI) for personality assessment and the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 clinical questionnaires for depression and anxiety symptoms evaluation, respectively. Our analyses revealed significant positive correlations between all facets of childhood trauma and neuroticism (all p < .01). Linear regression analysis demonstrated that emotional abuse significantly contributed to neuroticism (ß = 0.267, p < .05), openness (ß = 0.142, p < .05), and agreeableness (ß = 0.089, p < .05), while sexual abuse was associated with agreeableness (ß = 0.137, p < .01) Emotional neglect was negatively correlated with conscientiousness (ß = -0.090, p < .01), extroversion (ß = -0.109, p < .01) and agreeableness (ß = -0.154, p < .01). Furthermore, linear regression analysis revealed that emotional abuse was positively and significantly correlated with PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores (r = 0.330, p < .01 and r = 0.327, p < .01, respectively). Mediation analysis supported a significant mediating role of neuroticism in the association between childhood emotional abuse and both depression (PHQ-9) (z = 8.681, p < .01) and anxiety (GAD-7) (z = 9.206, p < .01). Notably, the correlation between childhood emotional abuse and psychiatric symptoms was attenuated but not eliminated after controlling for neuroticism, suggesting partial mediation. While our cross-sectional design precludes causal inference, our findings support the notion that childhood emotional abuse may contribute to increased neuroticism, thereby elevating vulnerability to affective disorders in adulthood. These results underscore the importance of considering personality factors in understanding the long-term consequences of childhood trauma on mental health outcomes.

Associations between emotional maltreatment, depression and self-harm among Chinese adolescents: A three-wave longitudinal mediation model.

BACKGROUND: Self-harm seriously endangers adolescents' physical and mental health. However, the longitudinal mechanism of self-harm is not yet clear. OBJECTIVE: This study explored the inconsistent relationships between two types of emotional maltreatment and self-harm across three waves, regarding depression as a potential mediator and gender as a moderator of these associations. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: A sample of 588 Chinese adolescents (Mage at T1 = 12.79 years) in a middle school completed the assessment of demographic information, emotional maltreatment, depression and self-harm within one year. METHODS: Path analysis models were created to estimate the relationship of emotional maltreatment with self-harm and the mediating effect of depression. A multi-group analysis was applied to investigate the moderating effect of gender. RESULTS: There existed positive associations between emotional abuse at T1 and self-harm at T2 and T3 (ß = 0.12, SE = 0.05, p = 0.006; ß = 0.09, SE = 0.05, p = 0.054), and the mediating effect of emotional abuse at T1 on self-harm at T3 via depression at T2 was significant (Indirect effect = 0.05, SE = 0.02, 95 % CI [0.02, 0.08]). Multi-group analysis of gender revealed no significant differences in the cross-lagged pathways, but there were stronger links for girls than boys among self-harm at T1, T2, and T3 (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Emotional abuse but not emotional neglect could significantly predict self-harm. Furthermore, depression played a mediating role in the longitudinal relationship between emotional abuse and self-harm. Girls who had high levels of self-harm at a previous time point were more inclined than boys to harm themselves at a subsequent time point. These findings provide a different perspective to develop effective prevention and intervention measures.

Association between childhood emotional abuse and non-suicidal self-injury among Guangxi adolescents in China: A moderated mediation model.

BACKGROUND: Childhood Emotional Abuse (CEA) is a known risk factor for Non Suicidal Self-injury (NSSI), which could have devastating repercussions. This study aimed to establish whether Parent-Child Attachment (PCA) and depressive symptoms mediated the CEA-NSSI relationship, as well as whether school connectedness moderated both the direct and indirect relationships between CEA and NSSI. METHODS: Between November and December 2022, 7447 Chinese adolescents in high schools were surveyed through multi-stage cluster random sampling. The participants completed self-reported questionnaires that assessed CEA, PCA, depressive symptoms, school connectedness, and NSSI. Relationships between these variables were examined through moderated mediation analysis using SPSS macro-PROCESS. RESULTS: After controlling for sociodemographic variables, we found that CEA correlated positively with NSSI through two different pathways: the mediating role of depressive symptoms and the chain-mediating role of both PCA and depressive symptoms. Moreover, school connectedness could moderate the direct and indirect relationships between CEA and NSSI. LIMITATIONS: The study's cross-sectional design does not allow for causal inferences. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, PCA, depressive symptoms, and school connectedness could affect the CEA-NSSI relationship.