Relationship Between Adult Health and Childhood Maltreatment, as Moderated by Anger and Ethnic Background

• NCJ Number: 246791
• Journal: Child Abuse and Neglect Volume: 38 Issue: 3 Dated: March 2014 Pages: 445-456
• Author(s): Kimberly A. Rapoza; Denise T. Wilson; Wendy A. Widmann; Michelle A. Riley; Thomas W. Robertson; Elizabeth Maiello; Nikisha Villot; Dana J. Manzella; Alberto L. Ortiz-Garcia
• Date Published: March 2014
• Length: 12 pages
• Grant Number(s): P20MD002717
• Sponsoring Agency: National Ctr on Minority Health and Health Disparities
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical); Report (Study/Research); Report (Grant Sponsored)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined the impact on the physical health, psychological well-being, and blood pressure of adults who had experienced childhood maltreatment, with attention to the influence of anger, and racial/ethnic background in a sample of 198 Latino, Black, and White participants (33 percent men and 63 percent women) born in the United States.

Abstract

Maltreatment from a specific parent did not moderate the relationship between ethnicity and health outcomes; however, the study found that total experienced maltreatment did moderate the relationship between Latino ethnicity and physical health. At high levels of maltreatment, Latino ethnicity was associated with fewer reported symptoms than other groups; whereas at low levels of maltreatment, Latino ethnicity was linked with more physical symptoms. A question for future research is why maltreatment showed less impact on physical symptoms for Latino participants compared with other ethnic/racial groups. The authors suggest centering on cultural differences in perceptions of the parental role in discipline. A series of multiple regressions determined that anger and cumulative child maltreatment were robust predictors of poorer health as adults. Correlational analyses found that maltreatment from the mother and father was associated with poorer health outcomes. When considered as part of the regression models, however, only a relationship between maltreatment from the mother and physical health was found. Greater anger scores were linked with lower blood pressure, particularly systolic blood pressure. Generally, the reporting of more psychological and physical symptoms correlated with greater anger scores, and higher levels of maltreatment predicted physical symptoms. Anger was found to be more detrimental to the health of Black participants than other groups and was only marginally related to Latinos' health. Study participants were recruited from a non-traditional college. An initial screening was conducted in order to exclude individuals with certain medical conditions. Various instruments were used to measure physical and psychological health, anger, and childhood maltreatment. 4 tables, 3 figures, and 52 references