Exposure to Childhood Sexual and Physical Abuse and Adjustment in Early Adulthood

• NCJ Number: 224126
• Journal: Child Abuse & Neglect Volume: 32 Issue: 6 Dated: June 2008 Pages: 607-619
• Author(s): David M. Fergusson; Joseph M. Boden; L. John Horwood
• Date Published: June 2008
• Length: 13 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: New Zealand Health Research Council; Canterbury Medical Research Foundation (CMRF); New Zealand Lottery Grants Board
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This New Zealand study examined links between exposure to childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and childhood physical punishment/abuse (CPA) and subsequent mental health disorders in early adulthood.

Abstract

The study found that exposure to CSA and CPA was linked to an increased risk for later mental disorders in early adulthood, including depression, anxiety disorder, conduct/antisocial personality disorder, substance dependence, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts at ages 16-25. Although controlling for social, family, and individual factors reduced the link between CPA and mental disorder to a level of statistical insignificance, there was a consistent finding for CSA to remain a significant factor for an increased risk of later mental health problems. Those exposed to CSA had rates of mental disorders 2.4 times higher than those not exposed to CSA. Those exposed to harsh or abusive physical punishment had rates of mental disorder 1.5 times higher than those exposed to no or occasional physical punishment. The study estimated that exposure to CSA accounted for approximately 13 percent of the mental health problems experienced by the study cohort. Exposure to CPA accounted for approximately 5 percent of the mental health problems experienced by the cohort. Although it is unclear from this study why CSA is a stronger predictor of mental health outcomes than CPA, Boney-McCoy and Finkelhor (1996) speculated that CSA may have a greater impact on mental health outcomes due to the revictimization of sexual abuse victims. Study data were derived from the Christchurch Health and Development Study (New Zealand), a longitudinal study of an unselected birth cohort of 1,265 children born in the Christchurch birth region during a 4-month period in mid-1977. Data on the cohort was collected at birth; 4 months; 1 year; annually to age 16 years old; and at ages 18, 21, and 25 years old. 4 tables and 49 references