NCJ Number
237907
Journal
Child Abuse & Neglect Volume: 35 Issue: 10 Dated: October 2011 Pages: 887-898
Date Published
October 2011
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This study examined the relationship between childhood maltreatment, adolescent mental health, and self-compassion in a sample of adolescents receiving child protection services.
Abstract
The study found that adolescents who had experienced childhood emotional abuse, emotional neglect, and physical abuse had lower levels of self-compassion, and that these youth were more likely to experience psychological distress, report a serious suicide attempt, and have increased problem alcohol use than youth with high levels of self-compassion. The findings also indicate that youth with lower levels of self-compassion were more likely to have a number of maltreatment-related areas of impairment. This study examined the relationship between childhood maltreatment, adolescent mental health, and levels of self-compassion in a sample of adolescents receiving child protection services. Data for the study were obtained from a longitudinal study that followed randomly selected adolescents (n=117) in an urban setting receiving child protective services over a 2-year span. The youths' mental health, substance and alcohol use problems, suicide attempts, and self-compassion were assessed at the 2-year follow-up point. The study analyzed the relationship between adolescent self-compassion and each form of self-reported maltreatment: physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, emotional neglect, and physical neglect. The analysis found that measuring youths' levels of self-compassion can lead to a better understanding of the impact of childhood maltreatment on adolescent functioning. Implications for future research are discussed. Tables and references