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Cited by 83Personality Disorders and PsychopathologyChild Abuse and TraumaPersonality Traits and Psychology

Role of childhood traumatic experience in personality disorders in China

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Zhang, TianHong, Chow, Annabelle, Wang, LanLan, Dai, YunFei, Xiao, ZePing·2012·Comprehensive Psychiatry
DOI 10.1016/j.comppsych.2011.10.004PMC PMC4159500
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Abstract

Background There has been no large-scale examination of the association between types of childhood abuse and personality disorders (PDs) in China using standardized assessment tools and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) criteria. Hence, this study aimed to explore the relationship between retrospective reports of various types of childhood maltreatments and current DSM-IV PDs in a clinical population in China, Shanghai.Method One thousand four hundred two subjects were randomly sampled from the Shanghai Psychological Counselling Centre. PDs were assessed using the Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire, Fourth Edition Plus. Participants were also interviewed using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV axis II. The Child Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) was used to assess childhood maltreatment in 5 domains (emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional neglect, and physical neglect).Results According to Pearson correlations, childhood maltreatment had a strong association with most PDs. Subsequently, using partial correlations, significant relationships were also demonstrated between cluster B PDs and all the traumatic factors except physical neglect. A strongest positive correlation was found between cluster B PD and CTQ total scores (r = .312, P < .01). Using the Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test, significant differences in 4 groups of subjects (clusters A, B, and C PD and non-PD) in terms of emotional abuse (χ(2) = 34.864, P < .01), physical abuse (χ(2) = 14.996, P < .05), sex abuse (χ(2) = 9.211, P < .05), and emotional neglect (χ(2) = 17.987, P < .01) were found. Stepwise regression analysis indicated that emotional abuse and emotional neglect were predictive for clusters A and B PD, and sexual abuse was highly predictive for cluster B PD; only emotional neglect was predictive for cluster C PD.Conclusion Early traumatic experiences are strongly related to the development of PDs. The effects of childhood maltreatment in the 3 clusters of PDs are different. Childhood trauma has the most significant impact on cluster B PD.

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  • Different types of CM can uniquely contribute to specific BPD traits.

    “Research indicates that different types of CM can uniquely contribute to specific BPD traits, highlighting the importance of addressing these experiences in therapeutic interventions (14–17).”

    From Age-related differences in borderline personality disorder traits and childhood maltreatment: a cross-sectional study (2025) · cites this paper as [16]

    The Results (§3.1) link emotional abuse, sexual abuse, and emotional neglect to higher overall levels of borderline personality disorder (BPD) traits. The Methods (§2.4) measure the number of traits exhibited for each disorder, not associations with individual BPD traits. The paper therefore supports differing associations with BPD trait levels, but not unique contributions to specific traits or a causal contribution. (LLM, conf=0.85)

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  • The more extensive the experience of CM, the higher the risk of developing BPD.

    “Studies have consistently shown that the more extensive the experience of CM, the higher the risk of developing BPD.”

    From Age-related differences in borderline personality disorder traits and childhood maltreatment: a cross-sectional study (2025) · cites this paper as [16]

    Results §3.1 reports that total childhood-trauma scores correlated with borderline PD, and the Discussion relates greater levels of certain kinds of abuse to higher levels of borderline PD traits. The study used retrospective reports and correlations, so it does not establish that more extensive maltreatment increases the risk of developing BPD. (LLM, conf=0.86)

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  • The Chinese CTQ-SF has been validated as a reliable tool for assessing CM in Chinese clinical populations.

    “The Chinese CTQ-SF has been validated as a reliable tool for assessing CM in Chinese clinical populations (15–17).”

    From Age-related differences in borderline personality disorder traits and childhood maltreatment: a cross-sectional study (2025) · cites this paper as [16]

    The Methods (sections 2.2.3 and 2.3; page unavailable) describe a 28-item CTQ used to assess childhood maltreatment in Chinese outpatients and report satisfactory interviewer reliability. They do not report validation of a Chinese CTQ-SF or establish its reliability as a scale in Chinese clinical populations. (LLM, conf=0.84)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Childhood maltreatment is a well-documented risk factor for BPD.

    “childhood maltreatment (CM) is a well-documented risk factor for BPD.”

    From Age-related differences in borderline personality disorder traits and childhood maltreatment: a cross-sectional study (2025) · cites this paper as [16]

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Authors
Zhang, T., Chow, A., Wang, L., Dai, Y., & Xiao, Z.
Affiliations
  • Shanghai Jiao Tong University (CN)
  • Deakin University (AU)
Corresponding author
Xiao, ZePing
ORCID
Venue
Comprehensive Psychiatry
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2012-08
Volume
53
Issue
6
Pages
829-836
ISSN
0010-440X (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.comppsych.2011.10.004
PMC
PMC4159500
OpenAlex
W2132212506
Cited by
83
References
56
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 3
FWCI
4.48
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • Comprehensive Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
  • Deakin Research Online (Deakin University)
Funders
Fogarty International Center (5 D43 TW05809, D43TW005809)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Disorders and Psychopathology
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Traits and Psychology
Keywords
child abuse, personality disorders, childhood trauma, emotional abuse, emotional neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, physical neglect, cluster B personality disorders, Cluster A personality disorders, cluster C personality disorders, DSM-IV Axis II, Shanghai
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Child, Child Abuse, China, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Personality Assessment, Personality Disorders, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Surveys and Questionnaires, Risk Factors

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