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Cited by 235Child Abuse and TraumaAttachment and Relationship DynamicsChild Welfare and Adoption

Does adult attachment style mediate the relationship between childhood maltreatment and mental and physical health outcomes

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Widom, Cathy Spatz, Czaja, Sally J., Kozakowski, Sandra Sepulveda, Chauhan, Preeti·2018·Child Abuse & Neglect
DOI 10.1016/j.chiabu.2017.05.002PMC PMC5685930
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Abstract

Attachment theory has been proposed as one explanation for the relationship between childhood maltreatment and problematic mental and physical health outcomes in adulthood. This study seeks to determine whether: (1) childhood physical abuse and neglect lead to different attachment styles in adulthood, (2) adult attachment styles predict subsequent mental and physical health outcomes, and (3) adult attachment styles mediate the relationship between childhood physical abuse and neglect and mental and physical health outcomes. Children with documented cases of physical abuse and neglect (ages 0-11) were matched with children without these histories and followed up in adulthood. Adult attachment style was assessed at mean age 39.5 and outcomes at 41.1. Separate path models examined mental and physical health outcomes. Individuals with histories of childhood neglect and physical abuse had higher levels of anxious attachment style in adulthood, whereas neglect predicted avoidant attachment as well. Both adult attachment styles (anxious and avoidant) predicted mental health outcomes (higher levels of anxiety and depression and lower levels of self-esteem), whereas only anxious adult attachment style predicted higher levels of allostatic load. Path analyses revealed that anxious attachment style in adulthood in part explained the relationship between childhood neglect and physical abuse to depression, anxiety, and self-esteem, but not the relationship to allostatic load. Childhood neglect and physical abuse have lasting effects on adult attachment styles and anxious and avoidant adult attachment styles contribute to understanding the negative mental health consequences of childhood neglect and physical abuse 30 years later in adulthood.

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Research works printed but not linked: 4

  1. Erickson MF Egeland B Pianta R 1989 Cicchetti D Carlson V The effects of maltreatment on the development of young children Child maltreatment: Theory and research on the causes and consequences of child abuse and neglect 647 684 New York Cambridge University Press
  2. Grossmann KE Grossmann K Waters E 2005 Attachment from infancy to adulthood: The major longitudinal studies New York, NY Guilford Press
  3. Muller RT Lemieux KE Sicoli LA 2001 Attachment and psychopathology among formerly maltreated adults Journal of Family Violence 16 2 151 169
  4. Youngblade LM Belsky J 1990 Ammerman RT Hersen M Social and emotional consequences of child maltreatment Children at risk: An evaluation of factors contributing to child abuse and neglect 109 146 New York, NY Plenum Press

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Authors
Widom, C. S., Czaja, S. J., Kozakowski, S. S., & Chauhan, P.
Affiliations
  • City University of New York (US)
  • The College of New Jersey (US)
Corresponding author
Widom, Cathy Spatz
ORCID
Venue
Child Abuse & Neglect
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2018-02
Volume
76
Pages
533-545
ISSN
0145-2134 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.chiabu.2017.05.002
PMC
PMC5685930
OpenAlex
W2616818484
Cited by
235
References
97
Citations by year
2026: 22 · 2025: 31 · 2024: 30 · 2023: 33 · 2022: 32 · 2021: 29 · 2020: 26 · 2019: 23 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 1
FWCI
19.62
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • Child Abuse & Neglect (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • Eunice Kennedy Shriver NICHD (HD40774)
  • NIMH (MH49467, MH58386)
  • NIJ (86-IJ-CX-0033, 89-IJ-CX-0007)
  • NIDA (DA17842, DA10060)
  • NIAAA (AA09238, AA11108)
  • Doris Duke Charitable Foundation
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
  • Social Sciences › Safety Research › Child Welfare and Adoption
Keywords
adult attachment styles, child abuse, child physical abuse, child neglect, attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance, mediation, mental health outcomes, depression, anxiety, self-esteem, allostatic load, physical health outcomes
MeSH terms
Physical Abuse, Adult, Anxiety, Anxiety Disorders, Child, Child Abuse, Child, Preschool, Depression, Depressive Disorder, Female, Health Status, Humans, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Male, Mental Health, Object Attachment, Self Concept, Allostasis

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