Locus of control in maltreated children: the impact of attachment and cumulative trauma

Abstract

Up until now research studies carried out on abused children have rarely taken in consideration the impact of maltreatment on the locus of control; furthermore results concerning the distribution of attachment internal models in this population are inconclusive. In addition, no study has ever taken in consideration the differential role of attachment and time of exposure to stress in the formation of attributive styles. This research work involved 60 maltreated children and 100 controls with the purpose of evaluating the associations between their attachment and age as for their locus of control. Internal Working Models were assessed by SAT and locus of control by the Nowicki-Strickland Scale. Results highlight mainly external locus of control and disorganized and avoidant IWMs in abused children. Furthermore, age was more predictive than attachment for locus of control. By contrast, in the control group at both age taken in consideration attachment was predictive of locus of control. Results are discussed in terms of problematic symptoms associated to maltreatment.

Children with ill parents: extent and nature of caring activities

“…Parental illness or SA may place children into a context that they cannot control and might impact on the external LoC, which is understood as their perceptions of event outcomes that they cannot control (61)(62)(63). In our study, external LoC was positively associated with higher extent of caring activities, and especially household chores, personal care and health care.…”

Childhood trauma and cognitive biases associated with psychosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis

“…We included 26 studies [ 21 , 35 – 59 ] that fulfilled all search criteria (see Table 1 for summary of studies). The studies were based in the following countries: USA (12 studies) [ 21 , 35 , 38 , 41 , 43 , 48 , 50 – 55 ], UK (3 studies) [ 39 , 44 , 46 ], Australia (2 studies) [ 40 , 49 ], and 1 each in Canada [ 47 ], China [ 59 ], Greece [ 36 ], Holland [ 45 ], Italy [ 56 ], Japan [ 58 ], New Zealand [ 57 ], Turkey [ 37 ] and Taiwan [ 42 ]. Six studies [ 38 , 40 , 48 , 51 , 52 , 56 ] recruited separate exposed and unexposed samples and the remaining studies were cross-sectional designs.…”

“…The studies were based in the following countries: USA (12 studies) [ 21 , 35 , 38 , 41 , 43 , 48 , 50 – 55 ], UK (3 studies) [ 39 , 44 , 46 ], Australia (2 studies) [ 40 , 49 ], and 1 each in Canada [ 47 ], China [ 59 ], Greece [ 36 ], Holland [ 45 ], Italy [ 56 ], Japan [ 58 ], New Zealand [ 57 ], Turkey [ 37 ] and Taiwan [ 42 ]. Six studies [ 38 , 40 , 48 , 51 , 52 , 56 ] recruited separate exposed and unexposed samples and the remaining studies were cross-sectional designs. Thirteen studies recruited participants who were less than 18 years of age [ 37 , 38 , 43 , 47 – 49 , 51 , 52 , 55 , 56 , 58 , 60 ], 12 recruited participants over 18 years of age [ 21 , 35 , 39 , 40 , 42 , 44 – 46 , 50 , 53 , 54 , 57 ,…”

“…Six studies [ 38 , 40 , 48 , 51 , 52 , 56 ] recruited separate exposed and unexposed samples and the remaining studies were cross-sectional designs. Thirteen studies recruited participants who were less than 18 years of age [ 37 , 38 , 43 , 47 – 49 , 51 , 52 , 55 , 56 , 58 , 60 ], 12 recruited participants over 18 years of age [ 21 , 35 , 39 , 40 , 42 , 44 – 46 , 50 , 53 , 54 , 57 , 59 ] and 1 study [ 41 ] sampled participants across this age threshold. With the exemption of two studies that relied on assessments from health professionals [ 38 , 56 ], studies obtained exposure data using a range of self-report questionnaires relating to different types of trauma (See Table A in S1 File ).…”

“…Five studies were not included in the meta-analysis as insufficient data were published and were not provided by the study authors [ 43 , 47 , 49 , 51 , 56 ] when requested. There was some evidence of an association between exposure to trauma and an external LOC reported by all five studies.…”