Citation

Zik J, Berkowitz S. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry 2024; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2024, American Academy of Child Adolescent Psychiatry, Publisher Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1016/j.jaac.2024.01.005

PMID

38280412

Abstract

Childhood maltreatment impacts human development across the lifespan in most areas of functioning; particularly the onset of mental health symptomatology. As our understanding of the biological underpinnings of the effects of maltreatment on childhood development continues to grow, it becomes even more salient to delineate and understand potential variance associated with timing and chronicity of maltreatment. Moreover, as family and peer relationships are known to mediate effects of stress on childhood mental health outcomes, 1 ,2 it is important to acknowledge and specifically explore the potential effects of the relational context of a child when stress and trauma are being investigated. By gaining understanding of these complexities of the interplay between maltreatment, attachment/relational patterns, and mental health symptomatology, we can most effectively focus efforts on formulation, prevention, and treatment. Duprey et al.3 begin to directly address this need by performing a longitudinal follow up study on participants who participated in a one week research summer camp (N = 697; Mage = 11.29 [SD = .97]; 71.3% Black or African American; 50.5% male at the time of participation; N = 427, Mage = 19.67 [SD = 1.16]; 78.0% Black or African American; 48.9% male at the time of contact for second wave of assessment) examining the indirect effects of child maltreatment timing and chronicity to young adult internalizing and externalizing symptomatology via childhood attachment security and peer problems.

Language: en