Health-Related Quality of Life Among Adults Who Experienced Maltreatment During Childhood

Abstract

Persons who experienced childhood maltreatment had significant and sustained losses in health-related quality of life in adulthood relative to persons who did not experience maltreatment. These data are useful for assessing the cost-effectiveness of interventions designed to prevent child maltreatment in terms of cost per quality-adjusted life years saved.

Childhood maltreatment, psychopathology and well-being: The mediator role of global self-esteem, attachment difficulties and substance use

“…International research groups have found relationships between childhood adversity and later depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), eating disorders, sleep disorders, substance abuse, behavioral disorders, suicide ideation, and self-harm (34)(35)(36)(37)(38)(39). These results are shown to be strong and robust, and have been confirmed by systematic reviews and meta-analyses that included several million participants across different world regions (40)(41)(42).…”

“…Based on the literature review of childhood maltreatment and psychiatric disorders (34)(35)(36)39), it was expected that differences in the prevalence of some psychiatric disorders, such as a higher prevalence of depression, anxiety, and CD among maltreated adolescents would be found in these youths. However, some of the results were unexpected.…”

“…However, the literature supporting an association between childhood maltreatment and later psychopathology is vast (26,(33)(34)(35)(36)(37)(38)(39)(40)(41)(42), and some literature supports an association between childhood maltreatment and later poor QoL (81,82,84,85). Kendall-Tackett described four pathways through which childhood maltreatment might influence later health: behavioral, social, cognitive and emotional pathways (89).…”

Relationship Between Parental Acceptance and Rejection, Documented Health Status, and Life Time Experiences of Violence Among Incarcerated Women

“…Early childhood experiences and perceptions of adversity and maltreatment influence pyschological and physiological responses [35][36][37]. Sustained experiences not buffered by supportive relationships or in the absence of protective relationships create prolonged activation of the stress response and result in long term behavioral (depression, dysfunctional coping activities) and health consequences (elevated blood pressure,glucose, cortisol, inflammation).…”

What To Do when It Might Be Child Abuse

“…Children who experience abuse or neglect are at high risk for developing long-term emotional, physical, and medical problems related to their early traumatic experiences [2,3]. Studies on CAN recidivism indicate that maltreated children are six times more likely to experience recurrent maltreatment than children who have never been abused [4].…”