Citation

Ringle JL, Mason WA, Herrenkohl TI, Smith GL, Stevens AL, Jung H. Child Maltreat. 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

School of Social Work, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1077559519900806

PMID

32013557

Abstract

This study tests a developmental cascades model in which childhood maltreatment is hypothesized to influence adult educational attainment by increasing attention problems and reducing successful school experiences during adolescence. Two path models tested direct and indirect associations of childhood maltreatment with adult educational attainment. Model 1 used three parent-reported subtypes of childhood maltreatment (physical/emotional abuse, sexual abuse, neglect). Model 2 added an agency-reported measure of childhood maltreatment. Both models detected indirect effects of childhood maltreatment subtypes on adult educational attainment through attention and school discipline problems, poor school engagement, and low extracurricular involvement. Model 2 also detected a direct effect of agency-reported childhood maltreatment on the adult outcome. Regardless of the type of maltreatment or data source used, school factors mediated the associations of childhood maltreatment on adult educational attainment. Promoting school engagement and reducing disciplinary referrals for maltreated youth could improve their educational attainment over the long term.

Language: en

Keywords

childhood maltreatment; educational attainment; indirect educational effects; school engagement