Adverse childhood experiences and psychopathology in adolescents from northern Chile: the moderating role of the attachment style

Abstract Background Identifying the underlying mechanisms through which adverse childhood experiences affect (ACEs) the mental health of adolescents is of paramount importance for disease prevention in later stages of life. Objective The present study examines the relationship between ACEs and psychopathology in adolescents from northern Chile and how attachment style (abandonment anxiety and intimacy avoidance) may moderate this relationship. A total of 154 schooled adolescents aged 12 to 17 (M = 15.08, SD = 1.64) completed a series of self-report questionnaires including the Adverse Childhood Experience Questionnaire (ACEs), Experiences in Close Relationships-Relationship Structures (ECR-RS), and Youth Self Report (YSR-18). Results The data analysis was carried out using SPSS version 25, which included descriptive analysis, one-way ANOVA, and Spearman correlation analysis. To address moderation analysis, the PROCESS macro extension version 4.1 was employed. In this process, the bootstrap method was applied to construct confidence intervals, and the pick-a-point approach was used to define the levels of the moderating variable. According to the results, 80.3% of the sample experienced one or more ACEs, and 16.4% reported experiencing at least three. Furthermore, the variables under study exhibited significant correlations with each other, except for intimacy avoidance, which showed no correlation with ACEs (rho = −0.10; p = 0.273). When considering abandonment anxiety as a moderating variable, the direct effect of ACEs on externalizing symptoms showed statistically significant changes (β = 0.60, p = 0.03). No other moderating effects were found according to the proposed models. Conclusion In childhood, the accumulation of ACEs is associated with the development of psychopathology in adolescents from northern Chile, specifically with the presence of internalizing and externalizing symptoms. These findings suggest that lower levels of abandonment anxiety could mitigate the effects of ACEs on adolescent psychopathology, while higher levels of abandonment anxiety could exacerbate these effects on psychopathology.

El papel de las competencias emocionales parentales en las conductas internalizantes y el autoconcepto de los niños / The role of emotional parental competencies in children's internalizing behaviors and self-concept

Resumen Introducción: Las competencias emocionales de los padres se constituyen en un factor protector para el fortalecimiento del autoconcepto en los niños; sin embargo, cuando no se expresan adecuadamente pueden generar en los hijos problemas internalizantes. La evidencia empírica en Colombia sobre la relación entre dichas variables no ha sido suficiente por lo cual es fundamental continuar su estudio. Objetivo: Identificar la relación entre competencias emocionales de los padres, el nivel de autoconcepto y las conductas internalizantes en niños de 8 a 12 años. Método: En esta investigación correlacional se aplicó el Cuestionario de Evaluación de Estilos Educativos de Padres (CEEP), la Lista de Chequeo de la Conducta Infantil (CBCL) formato para padres; y la Escala de autoconcepto de Piers-Harris a los niños. Los participantes fueron 364, conformados por 182 diadas (padres e hijos de 8 a 12 años) de colegios públicos y privados de Bogotá, seleccionados bajo un muestreo no probabilístico por conveniencia. Resultados: Se encontró una relación positiva estadísticamente significativa entre la impulsividad en padres y los síntomas ansioso/depresivo (Rho= 0,213; p= 0,04) y aislado/depresivo (Rho= 0,210; p= 0,004) en los niños. Se hallaron relaciones inversas entre el manejo emocional y el componente intelectual del autoconcepto (Rho= -0,148; p= 0,046), entre los síntomas ansioso/depresivo y los componentes conductual (Rho= -0,240; p= 0,001), físico (Rho= -0,182; p= 0,014) y falta de ansiedad del autoconcepto (Rho= -0,213; p= 0,004). Conclusiones: Las relaciones encontradas entre impulsividad y síntomas internalizantes en los niños, evidencian que los enfados excesivos e injustificados de los padres, pueden asociarse con preocupación excesiva y aislamiento social en los hijos. Estos hallazgos permiten sugerir para futuros estudios, evaluar el efecto de programas para prevenir problemas de ansiedad y depresión en los niños a través del entrenamiento en regulación emocional a los padres.

Abstract Introduction: The emotional competences of the parents are a protective factor for strengthening the self-concept in children; However, when they aren't expressed properly, they can generate internalizing problems in the children. The empirical evidence in Colombia on the relationship between these variables hasn't been sufficient, so it is essential to continue its study. Objective: To identify the relationship between parents' emotional competences, the level of self-concept and internalizing behaviors such as anxiety, depression and somatic complaints in children. Method: In this correlational research, the Parent Educational Style Assessment Questionnaire (CEEP), the Child Behavior Check List (CBCL)parent format and the Piers-Harris Self-Concept Scale were applied to children. The participants were 364 made up of 182 dyads (parents and children from 8 to 12 years old) from public and private schools in Bogotá, selected under a non-probabilistic sampling for convenience. Results: A statistically significant positive relationship was found between impulsiveness in parents and anxious/depressive symptoms (Rho = 0,213; p= 0,04) and isolated/depressive (Rho= 0,210; p= 0,004) in children. Inverse relationships were found between emotional management and the intellectual component of self-concept (Rho=-0,148; p= 0,046), between anxious/depressive symptoms and behavioral components (Rho = -0,240; p= 0,001), physical (Rho = -0,182; p= 0,014) and lack of self-concept anxiety (Rho=-0,213; p= 0,004). Conclusions: The relationships found between impulsivity and internalizing symptoms in children show that excessive and unjustified anger of parents can be associated with excessive concern and social isolation in children. These findings allow us to suggest for future studies, to evaluate the effect of programs to prevent anxiety and depression problems in children through training in emotional regulation for parents.

Sintomas internalizantes na adolescência e as relações familiares: uma revisão sistemática da literatura / Internalizing symptoms in adolescence and family relationships: a systematic literature review / Síntomas de internalización en la adolescencia y las relaciones familiares: una revisión sistemática de la literatura

Este artigo teve como objetivo realizar uma revisão sistemática de literatura, nacional e internacional, no período de 2005 a 2010, sobre os sintomas internalizantes na adolescência e as relações familiares. Inicialmente, foi realizado um levantamento dos artigos indexados nas bases de dados Academic Search Premier, Education Resources Information Center (ERIC), ISI Web of Knowledge, Lilacs, MEDLINE with Full Text e SciELO (Scientific Electronic Library Online), utilizando-se os descritores, em português, “problemas internalizantes” ou “sintomas internalizantes” e “adolescência ou adolescente ou jovem” e “família”; e, em inglês, “internalizing problems or internalizing symptoms” and “adolescence or adolescent or teenager” and “family”. Os artigos foram classificados de acordo com o ano de publicação, o país, a metodologia, o instrumento de mensuração para comportamentos internalizantes e, ainda, quanto à temática principal. Na literatura internacional, constatou-se um predomínio de estudos empíricos e de caráter quantitativo, realizados preponderantemente pelos Estados Unidos. No Brasil, observou-se uma grande escassez de estudos integrando as temáticas da sintomatologia internalizante na adolescência e as relações familiares. Foram encontrados somente dois artigos, o que indica a necessidade de realização de mais pesquisas nesta área em nosso país.

This article aims to perform a systematic literature review, national and international, in the period between 2005 to 2010, on internalizing symptoms in adolescence and family relationships. Initially, a survey was conducted in indexed articles in the Academic Search Premier, Education Resources Information Center (ERIC), ISI Web of Knowledge, Lilacs, MEDLINE databases with Full Text, and SciELO (Scientific Electronic Library Online), using the descriptors in Portuguese, “problemas internalizantes” or “sintomas internalizantes” and “adolescência ou adolescente ou jovem” and “família” and in English, “internalizing problems or internalizing symptoms” and “adolescence or adolescent or teenager” and “family”. The articles were classified according to the publication year, country, the methodology, the measurement instrument for internalizing behaviors, and also about the main issue related. In the international literature, we found a predominance of empirical studies and quantitative character, performed mainly in the United States. In Brazil, there was a paucity of studies integrating the themes of internalizing symptoms in adolescence and family relationships. We found only two articles, which indicates the need for more research in this area in our country.

Este artículo tiene como objetivo realizar una revisión sistemática de la literatura nacional e internacional, en el período 2005-2010, a cerca de los síntomas de internalización en la adolescencia y las relaciones familiares. Al principio, se realizó un levantamiento de artículos indexados en las bases de datos Academic Search Premier, Education Resources Information Center (ERIC), ISI Web of Knowledge, Lilacs, MEDLINE with Full Text y SciELO (Scientific Electronic Library Online), utilizando los descriptores en portugués, “problemas internalizantes” o “sintomas internalizantes” y “adolescência o adolescente o jovem” y “família”, y, en inglés, “internalizing problems o internalizing symptoms” y “adolescence o adolescent o teenager” y “family”. Los artículos fueron clasificados de acuerdo con el año de publicación, el país, la metodología, el instrumento de medición y también cuanto a la temática principal. En la literatura internacional, se observó un predominio de estudios empíricos y de carácter cuantitativo, realizados principalmente por los Estados Unidos. En Brasil, se observó una escasez de estudios que integren las temáticas de la sintomatología de internalización de los adolescentes y las relaciones familiares. Fueron encontrados sólo dos artículos, lo que indica la necesidad de realización de más investigaciones en esta área en nuestro país.