Identifying maltreatment subgroups with patterns of maltreatment subtype and chronicity: A latent class analysis approach

Abstract

Maltreatment experiences are complex, and it is difficult to characterize the heterogeneity in types of maltreatment. Subtypes, such as emotional maltreatment, sexual abuse, physical abuse, and neglect commonly co-occur and may persist across development. Therefore, treating individual maltreatment subtypes as independently occurring is not representative of the nature of maltreatment as it occurs in children's lives. Latent class analysis (LCA) is employed herein to identify subgroups of maltreated children based on commonalities in maltreatment subtype and chronicity. In a sample of 674 low-income urban children, 51.6% of whom experienced officially documented maltreatment, our analyses identified four classes of children, with three distinct classes based on maltreatment subtypes and chronicity, and one group of children who did not experience maltreatment. The largest class of maltreated children identified was the chronic, multi-subtype maltreatment class (57% of maltreated children); a second class was characterized by only neglect in a single developmental period (31% of maltreated children), and the smallest class was characterized by a single subtype of maltreatment (emotional maltreatment, physical, or sexual abuse) occurring in a single developmental period (12% of maltreated children). Characterization of these groups confirms the overlapping nature of maltreatment subtypes. There were notable differences between latent classes on child behavioral and socio-emotional outcomes measured by child self-report and camp counselors report during a one-week summer camp. The largest differences were between the non-maltreated class and the chronic maltreatment class. Children who experienced chronic, multi-subtype maltreatment showed higher levels of externalizing behavior, emotion dysregulation, depression, and anxiety.

Latent classes of childhood maltreatment in children and adolescents in foster care: associations with ICD-11 PTSD and complex PTSD

“…In accordance with a study based on a sample of adolescents in foster care (Rebbe et al, 2017), a low maltreatment class and a cumulative maltreatment class were found in the present study. This finding was also reported by studies examining other populations (Adams et al, 2016;Charak et al, 2018;Ford et al, 2010;Warmingham et al, 2019).…”

How do education and experience with mental illness interact with causal beliefs, eligible treatments and stigmatising attitudes towards schizophrenia? A comparison between mental health professionals, psychology students, relatives and patients

“…The observed variables were expected to be related in different ways to the participants' roles. In the psychological and medical literature, LCA has been largely applied in past and recent years [53][54][55][56][57][58][59][60][61]. Once the latent structure is identified, LCA allows entering other variables in the model as covariates that might influence the latent structure; these are called external variables.…”

Developmental pathways from child maltreatment to adolescent suicide-related behaviors: The internalizing and externalizing comorbidity hypothesis

“…Future studies should also utilize self-report measures of child maltreatment. Additionally, the majority of youth who experience maltreatment will experience multiple types of abuse and neglect (Warmingham, Handley, Rogosch, Manly, & Cicchetti, 2019). Thus, measuring subtypes of maltreatment independently may not accurately capture the experience of child maltreatment.…”