@article{ref1,
title="Childhood maltreatment predicts poorer executive functioning in adulthood beyond symptoms of internalizing psychopathology",
journal="Child abuse and neglect",
year="2021",
author="Letkiewicz, Allison M. and Funkhouser, Carter J. and Shankman, Stewart A.",
volume="118",
number="",
pages="105140-105140",
abstract="BACKGROUND: A history of childhood maltreatment predicts poorer functioning in several domains during childhood, including executive function (EF). While there is also evidence of poorer EF in adults with a history of childhood trauma, results are mixed. Notable limitations of previous research are (a) the use of single indicators of EF, and/or (b) not consistently assessing whether childhood maltreatment predicts poorer EF beyond internalizing psychopathology. <br><br>OBJECTIVE: We sought to overcome limitations of prior work by examining relationships between childhood maltreatment and EF in adulthood by using a latent factor of EF derived from multiple indicators and including psychopathology covariates in our analyses. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: The present study included a large sample of community adults (n = 489) who were oversampled for internalizing psychopathology symptoms. <br><br>METHODS: Primary analyses examined whether childhood maltreatment (cumulative and subtypes) predicted EF using a latent factor approach and linear mixed effects models. Follow-up analyses assessed the impact of childhood maltreatment on EF beyond internalizing psychopathology symptoms and assessed whether gender moderated relationships between EF and childhood maltreatment. <br><br>RESULTS: Greater cumulative maltreatment predicted poorer EF (B = -0.15), and emotional neglect emerged as a unique predictor of EF (B = -0.18). These results remained after controlling for psychopathology symptoms. Gender moderated the relationship between physical abuse and EF, with physical abuse predicting poorer EF among males (B = 0.30), but not females (B = -0.04). <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Overall, results indicate that general EF deficits are related to a history of childhood maltreatment, which is not accounted for by internalizing psychopathology symptoms. Potential implications and future directions are discussed.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0145-2134",
doi="10.1016/j.chiabu.2021.105140",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2021.105140"
}