Margaret O'Dougherty Wright

Childhood emotional maltreatment and later psychological distress among college students: The mediating role of maladaptive schemas.

OBJECTIVE Theoretically, exposure to experiences of emotional abuse (EA) and emotional neglect (EN) in childhood may threaten the security of attachment relationships and result in maladaptive models of self and self-in-relation to others. The purpose of this study was to explore the extent to which EA and EN treatment by parents contributed uniquely to young adult maladaptive long-term outcome with respect to symptoms of anxiety, depression, and dissociation. The extent to which the relationships between EA and EN and later symptoms were mediated by specific internalized maladaptive interpersonal schemas was also explored. METHODS Questionnaires completed by 301 college men and women (52% female) assessed perceptions of experiences of childhood abuse and neglect, exposure to parental alcoholism, current symptoms of psychological distress, and endorsement of maladaptive interpersonal schemas. RESULTS Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that perceptions of childhood EA and EN each continued to exert an influence on later symptoms after controlling for gender, income, parental alcoholism, and other child abuse experiences. Both EA and EN were associated with later symptoms of anxiety and depression and were mediated by schemas of vulnerability to harm, shame, and self-sacrifice. Only EN was related to later symptoms of dissociation; this relationship was mediated by the schemas of shame and vulnerability to harm. CONCLUSION The findings are discussed from an attachment perspective, focusing on how early interactions with parents contribute to the development of internal working models of self and self-in-relation to others that influence later cognitive schemas and psychological adjustment. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS Although emotional abuse and emotional neglect are the least studied of all forms of child maltreatment, they may be the most prevalent. The current findings suggest that how college students have evaluated and internalized these experiences may be even more important than the events themselves in determining the extent to which these experiences exert a long-term impact. For this reason, early intervention might be particularly important in helping to modify internal working models of the self as worthless, others as abusive, or the world as threatening and dangerous as a result of past abuse experiences. This study underscores the need for counselors to actively elicit and explore experiences of emotional abuse and neglect in clients, in addition to inquiring about other abuse experiences and types of family dysfunction. The results of this study also support existing data suggesting that internalized representational models of self and others are a key mechanism underlying the relationship between emotional maltreatment and later psychopathology. Youngs schema questionnaire proved to be quite sensitive in detecting specific maladaptive schemas that mediated later difficulties with depression, anxiety, and dissociation. Targeting these negative schemas in therapy may help to ameliorate such symptoms. The therapeutic relationship provides a particularly effective context for developing more positive models of self and others, as well as providing a context to explore core relationship themes across different relationship contexts (e.g., intimate partner, parent, friend, and work relationships). In particular, if the assessment of the client reveals that dissociative symptoms are present, counselors can acknowledge the adaptive function that this strategy once served, while also addressing potential limitations to over-reliance on this coping strategy.

Resilience Processes in Development

How do children and adolescents “make it“ when their development is threatened by poverty, neglect, maltreatment, war, violence, or exposure to oppression, racism, and discrimination? What protects them when their parents are disabled by substance abuse, mental illness, or serious physical illness? How do we explain the phenomenon of resilience-children succeeding in spite of serious challenges to their development-and put this knowledge to work for the benefit of all children and society? The scientific study of resilience emerged about 30 years ago when a group of pioneering researchers began to notice the phenomenon of positive adaptation among subgroups of children who were considered “at risk” for developing later psychopathology (Masten, 2001).

Resilience Processes in Development: Four Waves of Research on Positive Adaptation in the Context of Adversity

How do children and adolescents “make it” when their development is threatened by poverty, neglect, maltreatment, war, violence, or exposure to oppression, racism, and discrimination? What protects them when their parents are disabled by substance abuse, mental illness, or serious physical illness? How do we explain the phenomenon of resilience—children succeeding in spite of serious challenges to their development—and put this knowledge to work for the benefit of children and society? The scientific study of resilience emerged around 1970 when a group of pioneering researchers began to notice the phenomenon of positive adaptation among subgroups of children who were considered “at risk” for developing later psychopathology (Masten, 2001, 2012).

Positive Resolution of Childhood Sexual Abuse Experiences: The Role of Coping, Benefit-Finding and Meaning-Making

Resolution of the trauma of childhood sexual abuse (CSA), and the current adjustment of 60 adult female CSA survivors were explored through qualitative and quantitative analyses of their coping strategies, perceived benefits, and meaning-making attempts. While the majority of the women (87%) perceived at least some benefit resulting from coping with the CSA experience, many (29%) found it impossible to make any meaning of their trauma. Specific benefits that were associated with various aspects of positive adjustment (marital satisfaction, better physical health, less isolation) included improved relationships with others, religious or spiritual growth, and improved parenting skills. Some perceived benefits were actually associated with a negative outcome. Increased knowledge of sexual abuse was associated with more isolation and lower marital satisfaction. When positive meaning could be derived from the coping process, the women reported less isolation. Avoidant coping was strongly associated with more depressive symptoms and poorer resolution of abuse issues. Results highlight the importance of considering coping strategies and cognitive restructuring efforts in designing therapeutic interventions with this population.

The Impact of Childhood Psychological Maltreatment on Interpersonal Schemas and Subsequent Experiences of Relationship Aggression

Abstract The relationships between child psychological maltreatment, interpersonal schemas, and adult relationship aggression were explored in 301 college men and women. Participants completed questionnaires assessing a history of child abuse, current maladaptive schemas, adult intimate partner victimization, and perpetration of adult aggression. Child psychological maltreatment predicted both perpetration and revictimization experiences of adult interpersonal aggression even after controlling for other childhood abuse experiences. The schemas of mistrust, self-sacrifice, and emotional inhibition fully mediated the relationship between child psychological maltreatment and adult intimate partner victimization. The schemas of mistrust, entitlement, emotional inhibition, and insufficient self-control partially mediated the relationship between child psychological maltreatment and ones own perpetration of aggression. Implications for intervening with young adults at risk for relationship aggression are discussed.

The Long-Term Impact of Emotional Abuse in Childhood

Until recently there has been limited attention paid to the long-term consequences of childhood emotional abuse (also known as psychological abuse), in contrast to the significant attention paid to the long-term effects of childhood physical or sexual abuse (Barnett, Miller-Perrin, & Perrin, 2005; Binggeli, Hart, & Brassard, 2001). In part this has been because emotional abuse was not recognized as a distinct form of child maltreatment until quite recently, and there has been considerable difficulty defining and assessing emotional abuse. Unlike physical abuse,

Altering Risk Following Child Maltreatment: Family and Friend Support as Protective Factors

Although the long-term effects of cumulative childhood maltreatment (CCM) include a variety of adverse consequences, many individuals are resilient following such experiences. This study explored the role of social support from family and friends in buffering long-term outcome following CCM, examining both main and moderating effects. Participants included 344 college aged men and women. Findings revealed strong promotive (main) effects of social support from family and friends that were associated with a reduction in symptoms of depression/anxiety and anger/hostility, regardless of the severity of abuse experienced. Support generally acted as a buffer (moderator) against negative outcomes for individuals with lower, and not higher, levels of CCM. The role of family support in moderating outcome was complex, particularly with respect to women’s later dating victimization; here family support functioned as a protective factor at low CCM, but as a vulnerability factor at high CCM.

Drug-facilitated sexual assault: college women's risk perception and behavioral choices.

Objective: The authors investigated relationships among prior victimization, risk perceptions, and behavioral choices in responding to drug-facilitated sexual assault in a college party where alcohol is available. Participants and Methods: From fall 2003 to spring 2004, over 400 female undergraduates rated risk perception following an acquaintance rape vignette. Results: In general, participants tended to perceive the risk of having someone else pour their beer; however, they did not tend to perceive the risk of leaving ones beer unattended. Results also indicated that college students who felt ill at a party were not likely to suspect the presence of a date-rape drug and when sexual assault occurred, a significant minority of respondents blamed the victim. Victims of prior sexual assault were more likely to report that they would make risky choices, such as accepting a male acquaintances offer to help them into their bedroom. Conclusions: Implications for the prevention of sexual assault are discussed.

Perceived Parenting Competencies following Childhood Sexual Abuse: A Moderated Mediation Analysis

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) survivors may face specific challenges in their parental role because of the negative sequelae of their abuse. This study explored factors that might heighten or buffer the risk for problems in parenting for intrafamilial CSA survivors. A community sample of 54 CSA mothers completed questionnaires assessing the severity of their CSA experiences, current depressive symptoms, partner support, and key parenting dimensions. Six moderated mediational models revealed that CSA severity indirectly impacted the survivor’s bond with her child, limit setting ability, communication, and parental involvement through depressive symptoms at high levels of partner support. Partner support was protective against many difficulties in parenting at low levels of depressive symptoms, but did not promote, and at times hindered, effective parenting at high depressive symptoms. This study’s findings highlight the importance of attending to risk and protective factors in understanding parenting among CSA survivors.

Does Social Support Buffer Stress for College Women

Abstract This study investigated whether specific functions of social support buffered the relationship between different types of stressful life events and anxiety and depression in 60 college women. Strong main effects for global, belonging, and self-esteem social support were obtained, indicating that these types of social support are generally beneficial to women. Evidence for a buffering effect was also present, particularly for self-esteem support among college women who had experienced coercive sexual events and interpersonal stressors. These results have important clinical implications since knowledge of when specific types of support are particularly beneficial could guide intervention efforts following major life events. Findings were also suggestive of the importance of attending not only to the positive aspects of support but to the potential for social relationships to produce rather than alleviate stress.