Mental health indicators fifty years later: A population-based study of men with histories of child sexual abuse

Abstract

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is a widely acknowledged trauma that affects a substantial number of boys/men and has the potential to undermine mental health across the lifespan. Despite the topic's importance, few studies have examined the long-term effects of CSA on mental health in middle and late life for men. Most empirical studies on the effects of CSA have been conducted with women, non-probability samples, and samples of young or emerging adults with inadequate control variables. Based on complex trauma theory, the current study investigated: a) the effect of CSA on mental health outcomes (depressive symptoms, somatic symptom severity, hostility) in late life for men, and b) the moderating effects of childhood adversities and masculine norms in the relationship between CSA and the three mental health outcomes. Using a population-based sample from the 2004-2005 Wisconsin Longitudinal Study, multivariate analyses found that CSA was positively related to both depressive and somatic symptoms and increased the likelihood of hostility for men who reported a history of CSA. Both childhood adversities and masculine norms were positively related to the three outcomes for the entire sample. Among CSA survivors, childhood adversities exerted a moderating effect in terms of depressive symptoms. Mental health practitioners should include CSA and childhood adversities in assessment and treatment with men. To more fully understand the effects of CSA, future studies are needed that use longitudinal designs, compare male and female survivors, and examine protective mechanisms such as social support.

Unpacking the impact of adverse childhood experiences on adult mental health

“…For example, although studies have found the link between childhood sexual abuse experiences and subsequent mental health, several such studies do not have information on additional adverse experiences from which to fully examine the relative contributions (e.g., Easton & Kong, 2016; Spataro, Mullen, Burgess, Wells, & Moss, 2004). The current study seeks to deconstruct the relationship between ACE score and mental health outcomes in adulthood by examining each ACE separately.…”

Childhood disclosure of sexual abuse and mental health outcomes in adulthood: Assessing merits of early disclosure and discussion

“…Most extant research is based on predominantly or exclusively female samples (Easton, 2014;Ullman & Filipas, 2005); this study expanded our understanding of sexually abused boys. Recent research has established that CSA can impact mental health across the life course and into late life (Easton & Kong, 2017). This study was one of the first to examine associations between childhood disclosure and long-term mental health for male survivors.…”

Perceived Discrimination as a Mediator of ACEs and Psychological Distress

“…Although family therapists have long included family of origin experiences as an essential component in psychological distress (e.g., Boszormenyi-Nagy & Krasner, 1986;Bowen, 1976;Diamond et al, 2016), systematic research on childhood adversity is individually focused, linking major emotional trauma in childhood to several severe health outcomes (Felitti et al, 1998). A robust connection among childhood abuse, neglect, and depressive and somatic symptoms has been established in multiple populations (Dube, 2018;Easton & Kong, 2017;McCall-Hosenfeld et al, 2014) along with increased rates of comorbidity (Tietjen et al, 2007). Recent research on psychobiological responses suggest patterns of cortisol dysregulation in adults with combined experiences of childhood adversity and current stressors, likely leading to an impaired capacity to cope (Young et al, 2020).…”