Longitudinal associations of maternal depression and adolescents' depression and behaviors: Moderation by maltreatment and sex.

This study explored the longitudinal relationships among maternal depressive symptoms, children's depressive symptoms, aggression, and rule breaking and tested the moderating effects of maltreatment and child sex. A sample of 175 biological mother-child dyads (86 maltreated and 89 comparison) were seen at three time points, beginning at an average child age of 10.87 years. Results from cross-lagged models showed maternal depressive symptoms were related to higher levels of children's depressive symptoms but not children's aggression or rule breaking. Rule breaking predicted maternal depressive symptoms only in the comparison group. Child sex moderated some relationships. Boys' depression predicted maternal depressive symptoms, whereas maternal depressive symptoms predicted aggression among girls. There was no evidence in this sample that child maltreatment increased the effects of maternal depressive symptoms on child outcomes. These results suggest that attention in clinical practice to the importance of addressing maternal depression as well as addressing children's functioning should continue into adolescence. (PsycINFO Database Record

Patterns and correlates of co-occurrence among multiple types of child maltreatment.

This study examined the patterns and correlates of the types of maltreatment experienced by adolescents aged 9-12, participating in an ongoing longitudinal study on the impact of neglect on children's development. Using case record abstraction, the study compared the child protection classification and findings from the case record abstraction with regard to the rates of four types of maltreatment (i.e. physical, sexual, emotional abuse and neglect) as well as co-occurrence across multiple types of maltreatment. Next, the study examined the frequently observed patterns of child maltreatment. Finally, the study investigated whether aspects of caretaker functioning and the detailed incident characteristics in the cases of neglect differed by the number of different types of maltreatment the children experienced. Results showed significant discrepancies between the Child Protective Service classification and case record abstraction. Child Protective Service classification considerably underestimated the rate of co-occurrence across multiple types of maltreatment. Neglect accompanied by physical and emotional abuse was the most common form. Some of the caretaker functioning variables distinguished the number of types of maltreatment. Based on the findings, future-research directions and practice implication were discussed.

Concordance Between Self-Reported Childhood Maltreatment Versus Case Record Reviews for Child Welfare-Affiliated Adolescents.

The present study used data from an ongoing longitudinal study of the effects of maltreatment on adolescent development to (1) describe rates of maltreatment experiences obtained from retrospective self-report versus case record review for adolescents with child welfare-documented maltreatment histories, (2) examine self-reported versus child welfare-identified maltreatment in relation to mental health and risk behavior outcomes by maltreatment type, and (3) examine the association between the number of different types of maltreatment and mental health and risk behavior outcomes. Maltreatment was coded from case records using the Maltreatment Case Record Abstraction Instrument (MCRAI) and participants were asked at mean age = 18.49 about childhood maltreatment experiences using the Comprehensive Trauma Interview (CTI). Results showed that an average of 48% of maltreatment found by the MCRAI for each type of maltreatment were unique cases not captured by the CTI, whereas an average of 40% self-reported maltreatment (CTI) was not indicated by the MCRAI. Analyses with outcomes showed generally, self-reported maltreatment, regardless of concordance with MCRAI, was related to the poorest outcomes. The difference in associations with the outcomes indicates both self-report and case record review data may have utility depending on the outcomes being assessed.

Childhood Sexual Abuse and Early Timing of Puberty.

PURPOSE: The purpose was to examine whether the timing of puberty, indexed by breast development and pubic hair development, was earlier for sexually abused females compared with a matched comparison group of nonabused females, controlling for key alternative confounds. METHODS: A cohort of sexually abused females and matched comparisons was followed longitudinally at mean ages 11 through 20 years. Sexually abused participants (N = 84) were referred by protective services. Comparison participants (N = 89) were recruited to be comparable in terms of age, ethnicity, income level, family constellation, zip codes, and nonsexual trauma histories. Stage of puberty was indexed at each assessment by nurse and participant ratings of breast and pubic hair development using Tanner staging-the gold standard for assessing pubertal onset and development. Cumulative logit mixed models were used to estimate the association between sexual abuse status and the likelihood of transitioning from earlier to later Tanner stage categories controlling for covariates and potential confounds. RESULTS: Sexual abuse was associated with earlier pubertal onset: 8 months earlier for breasts (odds ratio: 3.06, 95% CI: 1.11-8.49) and 12 months earlier for pubic hair (odds ratio: 3.49, 95% CI: 1.34-9.12). Alternative explanations including ethnicity, obesity, and biological father absence did not eradicate these findings. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms an association between exposure to childhood sexual abuse and earlier pubertal onset. Results highlight the possibility that, due to this early onset, sexual abuse survivors may be at increased risk for psychosocial difficulties, menstrual and fertility problems, and even reproductive cancers due to prolonged exposure to sex hormones.

Self-Report of Health Problems and Health Care Use among Maltreated and Comparison Adolescents.

The study aims were to compare maltreated and comparison adolescents' health problems and to identify how individual, family and home characteristics and maltreatment status affect adolescents' self-report of health status and health care use. The sample was 224 maltreated adolescents (mean age = 18.3 years) and 128 comparison adolescents (mean age = 18.15 years). Comparison adolescents reported more cold and pain symptoms during the previous 30 days but no differences in other physical health problems, self-assessment of their physical and mental health or health care use compared to maltreated adolescents. Girls were more likely to have had a dental checkup, to have seen a psychological counselor, and to self-identify their physical health as poor compared to boys. Older adolescents were less likely to have had a medical checkup or seen a psychological counselor than younger adolescents. A history of maltreatment was not related to health or health care disparities for adolescents growing up in the same low-income environment as adolescents without a maltreatment report. The environmental context and geographical location in which these adolescents grew up may be the primary driver in their health behaviors and health problems and not the experience of maltreatment.

Maltreated and comparison adolescents' recollections of lifetime residences: Relationship to delinquency and marijuana use.

Both childhood maltreatment and frequent childhood residence changes are associated with poor behavioral outcomes including drug use and delinquency. It is not clear whether a higher number of residences results in poorer outcomes for maltreated adolescents compared to adolescents living in the same community but without child welfare-documented maltreatment. Our study of child welfare-affiliated maltreated youth (n=216) and comparison youth (n=128) from the same community (age M = 18.21, SD = 1.42) examined: 1. whether child/caregiver characteristics and maltreatment status were associated with lifetime number of residences and 2. whether child/caregiver characteristics, residences, and maltreatment status were associated with delinquency and marijuana use. The outcomes of this study, number of residences, delinquency, and marijuana use, were all skewed, and consequently negative binomial regressions were used. Maltreatment status, ever living with a non-parent caregiver, and being older are associated with more residence changes during childhood. More residences and male sex are associated with person offense delinquency and marijuana use. In lower income neighborhoods, such as where the adolescents in this study lived, residence changes are not unusual, but in this study maltreated youth moved more often than youth from the same community. It is important to help caregivers who live in disadvantaged neighborhoods, especially families with child welfare involvement, understand the behavioral consequences of residence changes and provide support for stable long-term housing.

Cortisol profiles: A test for adaptive calibration of the stress response system in maltreated and nonmaltreated youth.

Throughout the life span, exposure to chronic stress such as child maltreatment is thought to contribute to future dysfunction of the stress response system (SRS) through the process of adaptive calibration. Dysfunction of the SRS is associated with numerous health and behavior problems, so it is important to understand under what conditions and what time frame adaptive calibration occurs. The present study tested for adaptive calibration of the SRS in a sample of maltreated (n = 303) and nonmaltreated (n = 151) youth during the important developmental period of adolescence. Data were used from Waves 2, 3, and 4 of a larger study of the consequences of maltreatment on health and well-being. At each time point, participants underwent the Trier Social Stress Test for Children and provided a baseline and four poststressor saliva samples to measure cortisol reactivity. Adaptive calibration was tested by performing a latent profile analysis using the five samples of salivary cortisol provided at each time point, and testing whether maltreatment status predicted the likelihood of profile membership at Time 2, Time 3, and Time 4. Three cortisol profiles emerged from the data at each time point (blunted, moderate, and elevated), and results indicated that maltreated youth were more likely than nonmaltreated youth to present with the blunted cortisol profile compared to the moderate and elevated profiles at Time 2 and Time 3, even after controlling for recent exposure to violence and trauma. At Time 4, there was no longer a difference in profile membership between maltreated and nonmaltreated youth, suggesting adaptive calibration may be a lengthy process requiring a period of years to become evident. Overall, the findings provide support for adaptive calibration and offer insight into the conditions under which adaptive calibration occurs.

Childhood maltreatment, pubertal development, HPA axis functioning, and psychosocial outcomes: An integrative biopsychosocial model.

The timing and pace of pubertal development has been associated with psychosocial functioning, with pubertal variables represented both as predictors (e.g., earlier puberty linked with poor outcomes) and as sequelae (e.g., early stress linked with earlier puberty). However, the literature has largely not tested mediational models or prospective mechanisms of associations between puberty and psychosocial variables. In a longitudinal study including 454 youth followed over four timepoints (mean ages 10-18), structural equation modeling tested a hypothesized path from childhood maltreatment to cortisol (Time 1) to pubertal stage (Time 2), and psychosocial outcomes (Times 3 and 4). There was not support for the full hypothesized pathway in either gender. However, for boys, maltreatment was associated with attenuated cortisol, and more pubertal change predicted subsequent delinquency. For girls, cortisol predicted more pubertal change which then predicted substance use. This study demonstrates links between HPA axis function, pubertal development, and risky outcomes.

Child Maltreatment and Sexual Risk Behavior: Maltreatment Types and Gender Differences.

OBJECTIVE: To compare sexual risk behaviors in maltreated male and female sexually active adolescents with a comparison population and examine whether specific maltreatment experiences were associated with sexual risk behaviors and teen pregnancy. METHOD: Data came from the fourth assessment (M = 7.2 years after baseline) of an ongoing longitudinal study with case-control design. The sample was restricted to only the sexually active adolescents, leaving a sample of 251 (n = 82 comparison, n = 169 maltreated, mean age = 18.49 years, SD = 1.46). Maltreatment type was coded from case records, and sexual behaviors were assessed via computerized questionnaire. RESULTS: Maltreated youth were significantly younger at first consensual intercourse than comparison youth, and males were younger than females. Maltreated males reported significantly higher number of lifetime sexual partners than maltreated females. Neglected, sexually abused, and physically abused youth were more likely to have had a one-night stand than comparison youth. Sexually abused females were at higher risk of having sex under the influence than other maltreated females. Neglected females were more likely to have ever been pregnant than females with other maltreatment types or comparison females. A higher number of maltreatment victimizations predicted a younger age at first pregnancy involvement for both sexes. CONCLUSION: Many maltreated youth continue to be at high risk for engaging in behaviors that may initiate a trajectory of problematic sexual behaviors. The findings highlight maltreated males and neglected females as vulnerable groups that should be targeted in prevention efforts to curtail sexual risk behaviors and prevent teenage pregnancy.

Characteristics of the Social Support Networks of Maltreated Youth: Exploring the Effects of Maltreatment Experience and Foster Placement.

Little is known about the social support networks of maltreated youth or how youth in foster care may compare with those who remain with their parent(s). Social network characteristics and perceived social support were examined between (1) maltreated and comparison youth, (2) maltreated youth who remained with their biological parent, those with a foster parent, or a those with a kin caregiver, and (3) youth in stable placements and those who have changed placements. Data came from a sample of 454 adolescents (241 boys, 9-13 years old at enrollment) who took part in a longitudinal study of child maltreatment. Participants completed three assessments approximately 1 year apart. Results showed that on average, maltreated adolescents named significantly fewer people in their network than comparison adolescents. At Time 2, comparison adolescents reported more same-aged friends. In the maltreatment group, youth with a foster parent reported significantly more older friends than maltreated youth with a kin caregiver. Fewer maltreated youth named a biological parent on the social support questionnaire at all three time points. More youth in kinship care described their caregiver as supportive than those in foster care. These findings indicate that despite heterogeneous placement histories, social support networks among maltreated youth were very similar.

Pubertal Timing and Tempo: Associations With Childhood Maltreatment.

The present study examined pubertal timing and tempo in a sample of 445 adolescents (53% male), using both variable-centered (latent growth curve) and person-centered (latent class) approaches, to discern the pubertal development trajectories associated with the experience of maltreatment. Results from the variable-centered analyses indicated a slower initial tempo that increased later for boys who had experienced neglect. The person-centered results indicated three classes for boys that mainly differentiated tempo effects and two classes for girls primarily distinguishing timing differences. For girls, sexual abuse predicted membership in an earlier pubertal timing class. These findings enhance our knowledge of the variability in pubertal development as well as gender differences in maltreatment types that may alter pubertal timing and tempo.

Elucidating the mechanisms linking early pubertal timing, sexual activity, and substance use for maltreated versus nonmaltreated adolescents.

PURPOSE: To test models linking pubertal timing, peer substance use, sexual behavior, and substance use for maltreated versus comparison adolescents. Three theoretical mechanisms were tested: (1) peer influence links early pubertal timing to later sexual behavior and substance use; (2) early maturers engage in substance use on their own and then select substance-using friends; or (3) early maturers initiate sexual behaviors which lead them to substance-using peers. METHODS: The data came from a longitudinal study of the effects of child maltreatment on adolescent development (303 maltreated and 151 comparison adolescents; age, 9-13 years at initial wave). Multiple-group structural equation models tested the hypotheses across three time points including variables of pubertal timing, perception of peer substance use, sexual behavior, and self-reported substance use. RESULTS: Early pubertal timing was associated with substance-using peers only for maltreated adolescents, indicating the mediation path from early pubertal timing through substance-using peers to subsequent adolescent substance use and sexual behavior only holds for maltreated adolescents. Mediation via sexual behavior was significant for both maltreated and comparison adolescents. This indicates that sexual behavior may be a more universal mechanism linking early maturation with risky friends regardless of adverse life experiences. CONCLUSIONS: The findings are a step toward elucidating the developmental pathways from early puberty to risk behavior and identifying early experiences that may alter mediation effects.

A population-level and longitudinal study of adolescent mothers and intergenerational maltreatment.

For teenage mothers in California, we generated population-level estimates of the relationship between maternal history of maltreatment and next-generation abuse and neglect. California birth records for all infants born to primiparous teen mothers in 2006 or 2007 were linked to statewide child protective services (CPS) records. For each birth, we used CPS records to document 1) whether the teen mother had a history of reported or substantiated maternal maltreatment at or after age 10 years and before the estimated date of conception and 2) whether the teen's child was reported or substantiated for maltreatment before age 5 years. We fitted multivariable survival models to examine the association between a teenage mother's CPS involvement and child maltreatment, after adjusting for a range of sociodemographic variables. Our final data set included 85,084 births to first-time mothers aged 15-19 years. Significantly heightened rates of abuse and neglect were observed for children of mothers who had been reported to CPS as possible victims of maltreatment (P < 0.001). After adjustment for other risk factors, a maternal history of either unsubstantiated (hazard ratio = 2.19, 95% confidence interval: 2.06, 2.33) or substantiated (hazard ratio = 3.19, 95% confidence interval: 3.00, 3.39) maltreatment emerged as a strong predictor of maltreatment and CPS involvement in the next generation.

Differences in caregiver-reported health problems and health care use in maltreated adolescents and a comparison group from the same urban environment.

Maltreated youth have a high prevalence of acute and chronic mental and physical health problems, but it is not clear whether these problems are related to maltreatment or to a disadvantaged environment. To compare health status and health care use of maltreated youth who had an open case with child protective services to comparison youth living in the same community, we conducted a secondary analysis of caregiver reports for 207 maltreated adolescents (mean age 11.9 years) and 142 comparison adolescents (mean age 12.3 years) living in urban Los Angeles, using questionnaire data from a larger longitudinal study framed in a socio-ecological model. Caregivers included biological parents, relatives, and unrelated caregivers. Analyses included t-test, MANOVA, chi-square, and multivariable logistic regression. Caregivers reported similar rates of physical health problems but more mental health problems and psychotropic medicine use in maltreated youth than in the comparison youth, suggesting that maltreated youths' higher rates of mental health problems could not be attributed to the disadvantaged environment. Although there were no differences in health insurance coverage, maltreated youth received preventive medical care more often than comparison youth. For all youth, having Medicaid improved their odds of receiving preventive health and dental care. Attention to mental health issues in maltreated adolescents remains important. Acceptance of Medicaid by neighborhood-based and/or school-based services in low-income communities may reduce barriers to preventive care.

The whole picture: Child maltreatment experiences of youths who were physically abused.

The purpose of the current study was to describe the maltreatment experiences of a sample of urban youths identified as physically abused using the Maltreatment Case Record Abstraction Instrument (MCRAI). The sample (n=303) of 9-12 year old youths was recruited from active child protective services (CPS) cases in 2002-2005, and five years of child protective service records were reviewed. The demographic and maltreatment experiences of MCRAI-identified youths with physical abuse were compared to maltreated youths who were not physically abused and youths who were identified as physically abused by CPS when they entered this longitudinal study. T-tests and chi-square tests were used to compare the demographics and maltreatment experiences of the sample MCRAI-identified physically abused to the sample MCRAI-identified as nonphysically abused maltreated by gender. Of the total sample, 156 (51%) were identified by MCRAI as physically abused and 96.8% of these youth also experienced other types of maltreatment. Whereas youth with the initial CPS identification of physical abuse showed little co-occurrence (37.7%) with other forms of maltreatment. The MCRAI-identified physically abused youths had a significantly higher mean number of CPS reports and higher mean number of incidents of maltreatment than MCRAI-identified nonphysically maltreated youths. Lifeline plots of case record history from the time of first report to CPS to entry into the study found substantial individual variability in maltreatment experiences for both boys and girls. Thus, obtaining maltreatment information from a single report vastly underestimates the prevalence of physical abuse and the co-occurrence of other maltreatment types.

Attenuated hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis functioning predicts accelerated pubertal development in girls 1 year later.

Accelerated pubertal development has been linked to adverse early environments and may heighten subsequent mental and physical health risks. Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis functioning has been posited as a mechanism whereby stress may affect pubertal development, but the literature lacks prospective tests of this mechanism. The current study assessed 277 youth (M = 10.84 years, SD = 1.14), 138 boys and 139 girls, who reported on their pubertal development and underwent the Trier Social Stress Test for Children at baseline and returned to the laboratory approximately 1 year later (M = 1.12 years, range = 0.59-1.98 years). For girls, lower cortisol area under the curve (with respect to ground) at Time 1 predicted more advanced pubertal development at Time 2, controlling for Time 1 pubertal development. This association persisted after additional covariates including age, body mass index, race, and maltreatment history were introduced, and was driven by adrenal rather than gonadal development. Cortisol was not linked to boys' subsequent pubertal development, and no interaction by gender or by maltreatment appeared. These results suggest that attenuated cortisol, reported in other studies of children exposed to early adversity, may contribute to accelerated pubertal tempo in girls.

Stress reactivity in maltreated and comparison male and female young adolescents.

The purpose of the present report was to examine the association of recent maltreatment experiences with cortisol reactivity in young adolescents. The ethnically diverse sample consisted of boys and girls 9 to 12 years of age. The maltreatment group (N = 303) all had recent, substantiated reports to protective services for neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and/or emotional maltreatment. The comparison group (N = 151) was recruited from the same neighborhoods and was demographically similar to the maltreatment group. Cortisol reactivity was assessed by a laboratory stressor, a modified version of the Trier Social Stress Test for Children. Statistical analyses indicated that the maltreated young adolescents showed a blunted or attenuated response to the stressor as compared with those in the comparison group. This attenuated response was especially pronounced for those whose maltreatment included physical and/or sexual abuse. A main effect for gender was also found with boys having higher cortisol than girls. Implications for treatment of mental and physical health problems associated with child maltreatment and for prevention of developmental problems across the life span are discussed.

Characterizing the sexual abuse experiences of young adolescents.

The purpose of this descriptive study was to: (a) compare the demographics of maltreated youth initially labeled as sexually abused by the Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS) to maltreated youth classified as sexually abused using current and past case records, (b) identify differences in sexual abuse experiences and types of perpetrators between boys and girls, and (c) provide a detailed description of the sexual abuse experiences for boys and girls. Participants were youth ages 9-12 years old with a recent maltreatment allegation. The Maltreatment Case Record Abstraction Instrument (MCRAI) was used to code child welfare records of 303 maltreated youth of whom 60 experienced sexual abuse. Perpetrators were classified by gender into four categories (biological parent, parental figure, relative, and unrelated) and type of abuse was classified into three categories (penetrative, contact without penetration, and non-contact). Using Chi-Square tests, perpetrator categories and sexual abuse types were compared by child gender for significant differences. Only 23 (38.3%) of the 60 sexually abused youth were labeled as sexually abused in the most recent DCFS report when they entered the study. About three-quarters of the sexually abused youth experienced non-penetrative physical contact, 40% experienced penetration, and 15% experienced sexual abuse without physical contact. Most youth (91.7%) were victimized by a male, and 21.7% were abused by a female. Youth experienced a large range of sexual abuse experiences, the details of which may be important for exploration of consequences of childhood sexual abuse.

Peer substance use as a mediator between early pubertal timing and adolescent substance use: longitudinal associations and moderating effect of maltreatment.

BACKGROUND: Early pubertal timing has received considerable empirical support as a risk for adolescent substance use. However, few studies have examined the mediators linking these variables. Therefore, the aims of this study were (1) to examine peer substance use as a mediator between pubertal timing and adolescent substance use longitudinally and (2) to test gender and maltreatment experience as moderators of the mediational model. METHODS: Data were obtained from time 1, 2, and 3 of a longitudinal study of maltreatment and development. At time 1 the sample was comprised of 303 maltreated and 151 comparison children aged 9-13 years (213 females and 241 males). Longitudinal mediation was tested using structural equation modeling and moderating effects were tested using multiple group analysis. RESULTS: Peer substance use mediated the relationship between early pubertal timing and later adolescent substance use for the total sample. Moderation analyses indicated this significant indirect effect did not differ for males and females. However, it did differ for maltreated versus comparison adolescents with the mediational effect only remaining significant for the comparison group. CONCLUSIONS: This is one of the first studies to examine peer substance use as a mediator of pubertal timing and adolescent substance use using a longitudinal design. Early maturing males are at equal risk to early maturing females for interacting with peers that may draw them into substance use. Additionally, the findings indicate that while peers are mediators for comparison adolescents a different mechanism may link early puberty to substance use for maltreated adolescents.