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Background: Childhood trauma plays a crucial role in the dysfunctional reward circuitry in major depressive disorder (MDD). We sought to explore the effect of abnormalities in the globus pallidus (GP)-centric reward circuitry on the relationship between childhood trauma and MDD. Methods: We conducted seed-based dynamic functional connectivity (dFC) analysis among people with or without MDD and with or without childhood trauma. We explored the relationship between abnormal reward circuitry, childhood trauma, and MDD. Results: We included 48 people with MDD and childhood trauma, 30 people with MDD without childhood trauma, 57 controls with childhood trauma, and 46 controls without childhood trauma. We found that GP subregions exhibited abnormal dFC with several regions, including the inferior parietal lobe, thalamus, superior frontal gyrus (SFG), and precuneus. Abnormal dFC in these GP subregions showed a significant correlation with childhood trauma. Moderation analysis revealed that the dFC between the anterior GP and SFG, as well as between the anterior GP and the precentral gyrus, modulated the relationship between childhood abuse and MDD severity. We observed a negative correlation between childhood trauma and MDD severity among patients with lower dFC between the anterior GP and SFG, as well as higher dFC between the anterior GP and precentral gyrus. This suggests that reduced dFC between the anterior GP and SFG, along with increased dFC between the anterior GP and precentral gyrus, may attenuate the effect of childhood trauma on MDD severity. Limitations: Cross-sectional designs cannot be used to infer causality. Conclusion: Our findings underscore the pivotal role of reward circuitry abnormalities in MDD with childhood trauma. These abnormalities involve various brain regions, including the postcentral gyrus, precentral gyrus, inferior parietal lobe, precuneus, superior frontal gyrus, thalamus, and middle frontal gyrus. Clinical trial registration: ChiCTR2300078193, Introduction Childhood trauma refers to distressing experiences that occur during the formative years, typically from 0-16 years of age. (1) Childhood trauma can be classified into 5 distinct categories, namely [...]

Adults' experience of psychological maltreatment in childhood has devastating consequences on almost all aspects of their life including their parenting practice and relationship with their children. This study aimed to gain a better understanding of the effects of parents' childhood psychological maltreatment on their children's emotional and behavioral problems. The further aim of this study was to explore the mediating role of parents' attachment styles on the relationship between parents' maltreatment experience and youth mental health problems. A sample of 210 parents, ranging in age from 25 to 60 years (M = 38.86, SD = 6.32), who have children aged between 6 and 15 were included in the study. Mediation analyses were performed to examine the study's proposed model. Study results showed that parents' secure and anxious attachment style mediated the relationship between parents' childhood psychological maltreatment and young people's internalizing and externalizing problems. These findings indicate that parents' attachment styles play an important role in the link between parents' childhood adverse experiences and youth mental health. Practical implications for mental health professionals working with children and families are discussed., Author(s): Emel Genc [sup.1] , Gökmen Arslan [sup.2] [sup.3] Author Affiliations: (1) https://ror.org/03te4vd35, grid.449350.f, 0000 0004 0369 647X, Department of Psychology, Bartin University, , Kutlubey- Bartin, Turkey (2) https://ror.org/04xk0dc21, grid.411761.4, [...]

Despite the numerous adverse consequences of exposure to parental domestic violence (PDV), some of those with a history of PDV thrive in adulthood and achieve complete mental health (CMH). This study investigates whether lifetime history of mental illness (depression, anxiety, substance use disorder) and social support (social provision scale) mediate the relationship between exposure to PDV and CMH in adulthood. A sample of 17,739 respondents from the 2012 Canadian Community Health Survey-Mental Health including 326 with a history of chronic PDV (> 10 times before age 16). CMH was defined as: 1) the absence of mental illness and substance dependence; 2) happiness or life satisfaction; and 3) psychological and social well-being. Path analyses were used to test the objective. Those exposed to PDV had a significantly lower prevalence of CMH compared to the general population (62.5% vs 76.1%, p < .001). Evidence of mediation was found for depression (indirect effect = -.19; 95%CI = -.30, -.09, p = .002), anxiety (indirect effect = -.12; 95%CI = -.20, -.05, p = .005), substance use disorder (indirect effect = -.04; 95%CI = -0.07, -.01, p = .016) and social provisions (indirect effect = -.13; 95%CI = -.19, -.07, p < .001). Among those with a history of PDV the odds of CMH were lower among those with lower social support and those with a history of substance use disorder or anxiety. It is important to consider mediators, such as mental health and social support, when addressing the negative outcomes of witnessing PDV., Author(s): Esme Fuller-Thomson [sup.1] , Deirdre Ryan-Morissette [sup.2] , Shalhevet Attar-Schwartz [sup.3] , Sarah Brennenstuhl [sup.4] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.17063.33, 0000 0001 2157 2938, Institute for Life Course & Aging, [...]

This study explores the experiences of child maltreatment (CM) survivors as subordinates in the workplace. Relational theories suggest that, due to their histories, CM survivors may be more vulnerable to interpersonal difficulties, especially with authority figures. Based on both relational theories and job crafting theory, this exploratory study aims to yield a richer understanding of the relationships of CM survivors with their supervisors by focusing on two main questions: How do survivors perceive these relationships? And how do they cope with challenges in such relationships throughout their careers? Phenomenological analysis is applied to retrospective data, regarding 48 relationships reported in 19 in-depth interviews with working adults who were maltreated as children (including multiple subordinate-supervisor relationships experienced by the same employee over time). Three main patterns of relationships with supervisors emerge: role reversal (parental subordinates), vulnerability/revictimization, and supportive ties. Coping is described by three main relational processes: early avoidance, ongoing negotiation of boundaries, and gaining autonomy. By using a psychodynamic lens, the findings broaden our understanding of the intricate nature of supervisor-subordinate relationships involving CM survivors and point to possible underexplored relational coping processes., Author(s): Tamar Icekson [sup.1] [sup.2] [sup.3] , Avital Kaye-Tzadok [sup.4] , Natalie Aharon-Peeri [sup.5] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.443146.0, 0000 0004 0366 8591, Program in Organizational Development & Consulting, School of [...]

Adults who have experienced child maltreatment report problems with emotion regulation (ER) and parenting difficulties, which have been associated with maladaptation in the next generation. However, parental emotion socialization is understudied in survivors of child maltreatment. The aim of the present study was to examine whether childhood polyvictimization would influence parental ER skills and parents' use of unsupportive contingencies in response to anger, sadness, and anxiety. A secondary aim was to determine whether these variables would predict children's emotional inhibition. Parents (n = 175) of children between the ages of 8 and 12 participated in an online study. Participants completed self-report measures assessing their child maltreatment history; their regulation and socialization of anger, sadness, and anxiety; and a measure of their child's emotional inhibition. A sequential mediation model revealed that childhood polyvictimization predicted lower levels of parental ER skills, which in turn, increased the likelihood of parents reporting unsupportive contingencies. Further, parents' use of unsupportive contingencies predicted higher levels of emotional inhibition in children. The present study provides preliminary evidence to support the relationship between a history of child maltreatment, parents' use of unsupportive contingencies, and emotional inhibition in the next generation. Practitioners working with parents who have been maltreated should focus on enhancing parental ER in order to help parents scaffold healthy emotional development in their children., Author(s): Sarah Cabecinha-Alati [sup.1] , Rachel Langevin [sup.1] , Audrey Kern [sup.1] , Tina Montreuil [sup.1] [sup.2] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.14709.3b, 0000 0004 1936 8649, Department of Educational and Counselling [...]

Introduction Total adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are gaining prominence as a risk factor for preterm birth (PTB). The emerging literature examining this relationship reports inconsistent findings. The purpose of this systematic review was to summarize the available evidence exploring whether total ACEs predict PTB. Methods A total of 386 studies were returned from searches on PubMed, PsycINFO, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL). Nine studies were selected for final analysis and synthesis based on reporting of total ACEs and preterm birth gestational weeks or standard definition of birth before 37 weeks' gestational age. A systematic review rather than meta-analysis was selected to present the findings given the clinical and methodological (e.g., sample studied, measurement tools) heterogeneity of the retrieved studies and pregnancy outcomes measured. Results The nine studies report on birth outcomes for 6,087 women from a range of sociodemographic and ethnic backgrounds. Despite a wide range of study designs, measurement tools, and timings of ACEs exposure across studies, seven of the nine included studies showed significant relationships between ACEs and PTB. Conclusion Systematic review of the literature suggests that total ACEs are associated with PTB and provides an overview on the known associations. However, to date only nine studies have assessed this link, and more studies are needed, to explore the associations between ACEs and PTB using appropriate and valid instruments and doing so among more diverse populations. Future research should also explore possible biological mechanisms (allostatic load), and moderating and mediating variables., Author(s): Salima Sulaiman [sup.1] , Shahirose Sadrudin Premji [sup.2] , Farideh Tavangar [sup.2] , Ilona S. Yim [sup.3] , Margaret Lebold [sup.2] , Naureen Akber Ali, Syed Muzafar Ali, Neelofur [...]

Indigenous peoples of Canada face an elevated risk of intimate partner violence (IPV) compared to non-Indigenous Canadians. Few empirical studies have been conducted to understand this elevated risk, and none have examined child maltreatment (CM) as a predictor. This study used data on a nationally representative sample of 20,446 Canadians to examine CM and proximal risk factors for IPV against Indigenous and non-Indigenous respondents. Results showed that Indigenous respondents had greater risk of experiencing both CM and IPV. All three forms of CM (exposure to violence, direct physical and/or sexual abuse victimization, as well as both exposure and direct victimization) were associated with increased odds of IPV in adulthood. CM along with proximal risk factors accounted for Indigenous peoples' elevated odds of IPV (AOR = 1.62; NS). These results were consistent with the theory that Indigenous peoples' elevated risk of IPV is largely due to effects of historical trauma from past and continuing colonization. Reducing Indigenous peoples' disproportionate risk of IPV requires efforts to reduce CM and its negative developmental effects among Indigenous peoples as well as resolving the manifestations of historical and contemporary trauma within Indigenous society., Author(s): Douglas A. Brownridge [sup.1] , Tamara Taillieu [sup.2] , Tracie Afifi [sup.3] , Ko Ling Chan [sup.4] , Clifton Emery [sup.5] , Josee Lavoie [sup.1] , Frank Elgar [sup.6] [...]

Recent evidence suggests a significant and unique effect of child abuse experiences on attachment-related anxiety and avoidance in adult romantic relationships, although mechanisms underlying this relationship have yet to be identified. The current study examined the relation between three forms of child abuse (sexual, physical, and psychological) severity, emotion dysregulation, and attachment-related anxiety and avoidance among 830 college women. Results indicated that emotion dysregulation significantly mediated the relationship between child abuse severity and attachment-related anxiety and avoidance. Future directions for research and implications for intervention are discussed., Author(s): Hannah C. Espeleta [sup.1] [sup.2] , Sarah Palasciano-Barton [sup.1] , Terri L. Messman-Moore [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) 0000 0001 2195 6763grid.259956.4Department of Psychology, Miami University, 90 N. Patterson Avenue, [...]

Relatively little is known about the associations between childhood exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) and adulthood mental health problems. This study used 2,500 Swedish young adults' retrospective self-reports to determine the prevalence of childhood exposure to IPV and examine the relationships between such exposure and gender, age of exposure and adult mental health problems. Twenty-eight percent of participants reported any childhood exposure to IPV. Exposure was more common among women, who were also younger at first exposure and exposed to more severe violence than men. Both exposure and severity of IPV were related to all mental health problems examined. The interaction of IPV exposure and gender, while significant, explained relatively little of the variance in mental health problems., Author(s): Åsa K. Cater[sup.1] , Laura E. Miller[sup.2] , Kathryn H. Howell[sup.3] , Sandra A. Graham-Bermann[sup.4] Author Affiliations: (1) School of Law, Psychology and Social work, Örebro University, 701 82, [...]

The literature suggests that childhood maltreatment is related to a higher probability of developing psychopathology and disease in adulthood. However, some authors have questioned the reliability of self-reports of maltreatment, suggesting that psychopathology at the time of evaluation affects self-reports. We evaluated the reliability of the self-reports of 79 young adults who were identified in childhood by Child Protective Services by comparing two moments of evaluation. Psychological and physical symptoms were tested to evaluate their interference with the reports. We found good to excellent agreement, with no significant correlation between the changes in self-reported experiences and the changes in physical and psychological symptoms, suggesting that the reliability of reports is not related to the health state at the time of the report. Keywords Adverse childhood experiences * Reliability * Retrospective reports, Research has demonstrated the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and psychopathology (Herrenkohl, Hong, Klika, Herrenkohl, and Russo 2012; Shaffer, Huston, and Egeland 2008), health risk behaviors (Ramiro, Madrid, and Brown [...]

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between family violence and both mental health and hope. It was also designed to investigate the roles of gender and ethnicity on these constructs in an Iranian context. Participants included 300 adolescents from Eghid City, Fars Province, Iran selected through systematic random sampling within a survey design. A demographic questionnaire and three inventories were administered. Results indicated significant correlation coefficients between family violence, mental health, and hope. Males in general had a greater childhood history of physical assault and neglect, and experienced more overall family violence compared to females. Females showed higher psychopathology, including somatic complaints, anxiety/insomnia, social dysfunction, and depression. Ethnicity also played a significant role in nonviolent discipline and psychological aggression toward children. Keywords Family * Violence * Mental * Health * Hope, Since the 1970s, scholars and clinicians have allocated growing attention to family violence in both public health and behavioral sciences (Malley-Morrison and Hines 2007). Family (or domestic) violence is a [...]

Childhood physical abuse is often associated with detrimental physical and psychological consequences in adulthood. Yet, some adults appear to overcome effects of very severe parental physical abuse in childhood. This study considered whether psychosocial resources (i.e., emotional and instrumental support, personal control) explain variability in well-being for adults who experienced childhood physical abuse by their parents. Participants included 2,711 adults aged 25-74 years from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS I) study. Moderation models revealed that high levels of personal control were associated with better physical and psychological functioning among adults who were physically abused as children. Thus, personal control may be a key factor to health and well-being and thus resilient functioning following childhood abuse. Key Words: Adulthood well-being--Childhood physical abuse--Psychosocial resources. doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbq031.

Participants included 202 newlywed couples who reported retrospectively about child maltreatment experiences (sexual abuse, physical abuse, psychological abuse, and neglect) and whose marital functioning was assessed 3 times over a 2-year period. Decreased marital satisfaction at T1 was predicted by childhood physical abuse, psychological abuse, and neglect for husbands; only neglect predicted lower satisfaction for wives. Increased maltreatment of various types was also related to T1 difficulties with marital trust and partner aggression. Dyadic growth curve analyses showed that the marital difficulties reported at T1 tended to remain over the course of the study. Further, in several instances, maltreatment exerted an increasingly detrimental influence on marital functioning over time, particularly for husbands. Examination of possible mediators between maltreatment and reductions in marital satisfaction revealed pathways through decreased sexual activity, increased psychological aggression, and increased trauma symptoms reported by husbands. These findings suggest that clinicians should consider how an adult's history of child maltreatment may contribute to current marital dysfunction. The authors also identify possible targets for intervention when working with this population. Keywords: child maltreatment, marital satisfaction, trust, sexual functioning, partner aggression

Responding to calls for further research about the impact of multiple types of trauma across the life span, this study examines the interconnections among types of trauma in childhood and adulthood in a convenience clinical sample of 283 women obtaining social services for family violence. In particular, variables including family of-origin dysfunction and other childhood risk factors, relationship victimization in adulthood, and the presence of adult resources were examined as mediators of links between child maltreatment and adult mental health symptoms. Variables were assessed at different time points, 3 years apart. Path analysis revealed that the conceptual model of multiple pathways between childhood family violence exposure and adult outcomes fit the data well. In particular, the link between child maltreatment and adult trauma symptoms was mediated by more proximal adult sexual and intimate partner violence and its association with childhood risk markers (e.g., negative family environment) and decreased markers of resources. This link was not significant for a more general index of mental health symptoms in adulthood. Keywords: child maltreatment, women and trauma exposure, interpersonal and family violence, family-of-origin dysfunction

Objective: Examine whether (1) childhood maltreatment is associated with subsequent obesity and depression in middle-age; (2) maltreatment explains the associations between obesity and depression; and (3) hinge eating or body dissatisfaction mediate associations between childhood maltreatment and subsequent obesity. Methods: Data were obtained through a population-based survey of 4641 women (mean age = 52 years) enrolled in a large health plan in the Pacific Northwest. A telephone survey assessed child sexual and physical abuse, obesity (BMI [greater than or equal to] 30), depressive symptoms, binge eating, and body dissatisfaction. Data were analyzed using logistic regression models incorporating sampling weights. Results: Both child sexual and physical abuse were associated with a doubling of the odds of both obesity and depression, although child physical abuse was not associated with depression for the African American/Hispanic/American Indian subgroup. The association between obesity and depression (unadjusted OR = 2.82; 95% CI = 2.20-3.62) was reduced somewhat after controlling for sexual abuse (adjusted OR = 2.54; 1.96-3.29) and for physical abuse (adjusted OR = 2.63; 2.03-3.42). Controlling for potential mediators failed to substantially attenuate associations between childhood maltreatment and obesity. Conclusions: This study is the first to our knowledge that compares associations of child abuse with both depression and obesity in adults. Although the study is limited by its cross-sectional design and brief assessments, the fact that child abuse predicted two debilitating conditions in middle-aged women indicates the potential long-term consequences of these experiences. Keywords: Child abuse Obesity Depression Binge eating Body dissatisfaction

The authors evaluated the relationships among childhood maltreatment, sexual trauma in adulthood, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and health functioning in women. Female Veterans' Affairs (VA) primary care patients (N = 200) completed self-report measures of childhood maltreatment, adult sexual trauma, PTSD symptoms, and current health functioning. The authors used structural equation modeling to test models of the relationship among these variables. Childhood nonsexual maltreatment and adult sexual assault were positively associated with PTSD. Childhood nonsexual maltreatment ([beta] = -.20) and PTSD ([beta] = -.75) were significantly associated with poorer physical and mental health functioning. Adult sexual assault negatively affected health functioning through its association with PTSD. Thus, poor health outcomes associated with childhood maltreatment in women may be conveyed through PTSD. These findings should strengthen efforts directed at identifying and treating PTSD in female victims of childhood maltreatment with the aim of preventing or attenuating poor health outcomes. Index Terms: childhood maltreatment, health outcomes, posttraumatic stress disorder, sexual trauma, Researchers have found strong associations between adverse childhood experiences (including but not limited to sexual abuse) (1,2) and poor physical and mental health functioning. (3-10) This observation is particularly pertinent [...]

This study examined the relationship between a self-reported history of child physical and sexual abuse and chronic pain among women (N = 3381) in a provincewide community sample. Chronic pain was significantly associated with physical abuse, education, and age of the respondents and was unrelated to child sexual abuse alone or in combination with physical abuse, mental disorder (anxiety, depression, or substance abuse), or low income. Number of health problems and mental health disorders did not mediate the relationship between physical abuse and chronic pain. Despite considerable evidence from the clinical literature linking exposure to child maltreatment and chronic pain in adulthood, this may well be the first population-based study to investigate this relationship for child physical and sexual abuse independently. The significant association between childhood history of physical abuse and pain in adulthood calls for a greater awareness of the potential for chronic pain problems associated with this type of maltreatment. Further research is needed to understand the mechanism for this complex relationship. Keywords: chronic pain; child physical abuse; child sexual abuse; women