The longitudinal effects of maltreatment class membership on post-traumatic stress & depression

Abstract

Background: While the link between maltreatment and mental illness has been largely established, there is a need to better understand how certain types or profiles of maltreatment place youth at heightened risk for depression and traumatic stress, and when the risk of developing symptoms may be greatest.

Objective: We examined the extent to which youth experiences of maltreatment co-occur and how certain combinations of maltreatment work to influence the subsequent development of depression and post-traumatic stress over time.

Participants & setting: Data were drawn from NSCAW-II, a nationally representative longitudinal sample of 5872 child welfare involved youth, aged 0-18.

Methods: Latent Class Analysis was used to investigate profiles of child maltreatment. We then used a longitudinal three-wave panel design to examine whether membership in various maltreatment classes predicted development of depression and post-traumatic stress measured at two future time points.

Results: Three classes emerged: Class 1 (68 %) the "Neglect and Adverse Parental Behaviors Class", Class 2 (20 %) the "Physical Abuse Class", and Class 3 (12 %) the "Sexual Abuse Class". Membership in Class 2 increased depression and trauma symptoms at Wave 2, compared to Class 1 (b = 1.8 and 1.4, respectively; p < 0.05). Membership in Class 3 increased trauma symptoms at Wave 3, compared to Class 1 and Class 2 (b = 2.3 and 2.7, respectively; p < 0.01).

Implications: Child welfare involved youth need to be appropriately screened for psychiatric health annually and provided with services that correspond with their level of need.

Keywords: Child maltreatment; Depression; Latent class analysis; Posttraumatic stress (PTSD); Structural equation modeling.