Background: Childhood neglect is a risk factor for subsequent mental health problems. However, research on the unique contribution of emotional and physical subtypes of neglect is lacking. Importantly, if emotional and physical neglect have different impacts on mental health, they must be examined separately to understand how to prevent and treat their effects. Objective: This study aimed to examine associations of emotional and physical neglect with depression, anxiety, stress, alcohol and drug use in 18- to 20-year-olds. Methods: Participants ( N = 569, mean age = 18.9, 70% female) responded in an online survey to questions on childhood emotional and physical neglect, childhood abuse, symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress, and alcohol and drug use and problems. Procedures were approved by the University of Sydney Human Ethics Committee. Hierarchical linear regressions were performed, controlling for socio-demographic characteristics and other adverse childhood experiences. Results: Combined neglect was associated with depression ( B = 2.895, p < 0.001), anxiety ( B = 1.572, p = 0.003) and stress ( B = 1.781, p = 0.001). However, a second model entering emotional and physical neglect as separate exposures revealed emotional neglect was driving this association with depression ( B = 2.884, p < 0.001), anxiety ( B = 1.627, p = 0.001) and stress ( B = 1.776, p = 0.001), and that physical neglect was not associated with any outcome. Neither emotional nor physical neglect were associated with alcohol or drug use. Conclusion: Emotional neglect is a risk factor for mental health problems in early adulthood. Research that combines emotional and physical neglect into a single exposure may be obscuring relationships with mental health. Mental health prevention and treatment must screen for, and address, emotional neglect.

These findings highlight the complexities inherent with responding to and treating multiple comorbidities among substance users and emphasise the need for coordinated, cohesive responses from drug and alcohol treatment services.[Prior K, Mills K, Ross J, Teesson M. Substance use disorders comorbid with mood and anxiety disorders in the Australian general population. Drug Alcohol Rev 2017;36:317-324].

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Background: Childhood and adolescent traumas are exceptionally prevalent worldwide. Despite their high prevalence and substantial impact, little research has investigated the rates and specific types of early trauma by gender. It is also unknown whether the types of early trauma are differentially associated with heightened or hindered prosocial attitudes and behaviours. Objective: To address this gap, this study aims to explore the rates of different types of early trauma (i.e., abuse: sexual, physical, and emotional; neglect: physical and emotional) among young Australian adults and investigate whether these differ according to participant gender (female, male and transgender/gender diverse). The study will also examine the associations between the different types of early trauma and current altruistic attitudes and behaviours (including the affective, behavioural and cognitive altruism domains), among a young adult Australian cohort. Methods: Cross-sectional data was collected from 511 young Australians aged 18-20 years using an online self-report survey. Results: Multiple regression analyses revealed that transgender/gender diverse individuals were over 3-times more likely to experience all types of maltreatment than females and over 3-times more likely to experience emotional and sexual abuse and emotional neglect than males. Experiencing one or more trauma types was negatively associated with the cognitive domain of altruism, experiencing physical neglect was associated with the affective domain, and having a family member involved in domestic violence was associated with the behavioural domain, after controlling for gender. Conclusions: Findings show how early traumatic experiences can influence individuals' attitudes and behaviours during the pivotal developmental period of young adulthood.