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Study shows comparable effects of child maltreatment among different genders, races

According to results from an observational study, different types of child maltreatment have comparable consequences for boys and girls of different races.

“Several widely held beliefs about child abuse and neglect may be incorrect. It is most commonly assumed that some forms of abuse (eg, physical and sexual abuse) are more harmful than others (eg, emotional abuse and neglect); other assumptions are that each form of abuse has specific consequences and that the effects of abuse differ across sex and race,” David D. Vachon, PhD, of McGill University, Montreal, and colleagues wrote.

To determine if different types of child maltreatment have equivalent, broad and universal effects, researchers assessed 2,292 racially and ethnically diverse children aged 5 to 13 years who attended a research summer camp program for low-income, school-aged children. Overall, 52.1% of children had documented history of maltreatment.

Different forms of child maltreatment had equivalent psychiatric and behavioral effects, ranging from anxiety and depression to rule-breaking and aggression, according to structural analysis.

Nonsexual child maltreatment altered two general vulnerability factors: internalizing (P < .001) and externalizing (P < .001).

“Complex etiologic models of the effects of [child maltreatment] on mental health may be less illuminating than parsimonious models emphasizing pathways to broad vulnerability factors. Evidence suggests this finding may also be true more generally of childhood adversity. Thus, treatments tailored to specific types of abuse, to populations, or to outcomes may be less effective than those aimed at mitigating early changes in the neurobiological and temperamental factors that dispose individuals toward psychopathologic disorders. Such treatments are likely to have broad and comprehensive benefits,” Vachon and colleagues wrote. “Finally, population-level prevention and intervention strategies should not ignore the considerable psychological harms imposed by emotional abuse, which rival those of physical abuse and neglect.” – by Amanda Oldt

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.