Childhood psychological maltreatment, sense of self, and PTSD symptoms in emerging adulthood

Abstract

This study outlines the relationships among childhood psychological maltreatment (CPM), an understudied form of maltreatment, sense of self (SOS), a developmental construct negatively impacted by trauma, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in emerging adults. Results from regression analysis on a sample of emerging adults (N = 358) indicated CPM to be the greatest predictor of a weaker SOS, even when considered alongside other types of child maltreatment. Among those exposed to CPM, SOS was a significant predictor of PTSD symptoms, explaining 34.1% of the variance in the outcome. Counseling interventions that focus on SOS during emerging adulthood are recommended as one important consideration for survivors of CPM who experience PTSD symptoms. Specific counseling practice and research implications are included. K E Y W O R D S child maltreatment, psychological maltreatment, PTSD, sense of self, trauma ican Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013; Balayan et al., 2014). Chronic exposure to trauma may result in symptoms of complex PTSD, where individuals experience issues involving emotion dysregulation, interpersonal disturbances, and enduring negative beliefs about self, others, and the world in addition to typical PTSD symptomology (World Health Organization [WHO], 2019). Regardless of diagnosis, individuals may still exhibit subthreshold PTSD (cases where individuals may only meet two or three PTSD criteria according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders [DSM-5]; APA, 2013) in which they experience notable issues in distress, impairment, suicidality, and are more likely © 2022 by the American Counseling Association.to be diagnosed with comorbid conditions, suggesting the importance of paying critical attention to both symptoms and diagnosis in the literature and in practice (McLaughlin et al., 2015). These issues emphasize the importance of understanding risk factors which may contribute to the development and maintenance of PTSD symptoms. Child maltreatmentChild maltreatment (CM) is a significant public health issue that adversely influences physical, psychological, and behavioral health across the lifespan (Child Welfare Information Gateway [CWIG], 2022). CM refers to childhood exposure to five categories of maltreatment, including physical abuse and neglect, emotional abuse and neglect, and sexual abuse. Recent data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System have indicated that 60.9% of adults (N = 144,017) participating in the annual survey (representing 25 states) reported being exposed to at least one form of CM, with 15.6% of the sample reporting exposure to four or more instances or other adverse childhood experiences (Merrick 96wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/jcad