Childhood maltreatment and its associations with trauma-related psychopathology: disentangling two classification approaches

• DOI: 10.1038/s44184-024-00082-x
• Publication Date: 2024-08-16T08:03:16Z
• Authors: Shilat Haim-Nachum; Doron Amsalem; Amit Lazarov; Soraya Seedat; Yuval Neria; Xi Zhu
• Keywords: Therapeutics. Psychotherapy; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; RC475-489; Article

Childhood maltreatment (CM) is associated with various mental health disorders, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety. This study explores how specific classifications – dichotomous (abuse versus neglect) dimensional (physical, emotional, sexual) relate to distinct psychopathologies. We recruited 642 individuals, screening them for CM history symptoms. ANOVA, regression, SEM analyses compared approaches symptom associations. The approach showed significant effects of abuse neglect on all In the approach, sexual physical were primary features while emotional depression Overall, outperformed in capturing symptoms, suggesting its importance understanding psychopathologies guiding therapeutic interventions. Our findings highlight differential associations experiences anxiety suggest a possibly informing targeted