The Causal Impact of Childhood-Limited Maltreatment and Adolescent Maltreatment on Early Adult Adjustment
Open accessAbstract
Purpose We use full-matching propensity score models to test whether developmentally specific measures of maltreatment, in particular childhood-limited maltreatment versus adolescent maltreatment, are causally related to involvement in crime, substance use, health-risking sex behaviors, and internalizing problems during early adulthood.Methods Our design includes 907 participants (72% male) in the Rochester Youth Development Study, a community sample followed from age 14 to age 31 with 14 assessments, including complete maltreatment histories from Child Protective Services records.Results After balancing the data sets, childhood-limited maltreatment is significantly related to drug use, problem drug use, depressive symptoms, and suicidal thoughts. Maltreatment during adolescence has a significant effect on a broader range of outcomes: official arrest or incarceration, self-reported criminal offending, violent crime, alcohol use, problem alcohol use, drug use, problem drug use, risky sex behaviors, self-reported sexually transmitted disease diagnosis, and suicidal thoughts.Conclusions The causal effect of childhood-limited maltreatment is focused on internalizing problems, whereas adolescent maltreatment has a stronger and more pervasive effect on later adjustment. Increased vigilance by mandated reporters, especially for adolescent victims of maltreatment, along with provision of appropriate services, may prevent a wide range of subsequent adjustment problems.
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
Youth exposed to trauma have higher risk of PTSD, depression, anxiety, and SUDs, even after accounting for individual and family factors.
“youth who experience trauma face particularly elevated risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders (SUDs), even when adjusting for co-occurring individual and family characteristics [7, 8].”
From Interventions for prevention and treatment of substance use in youth with traumatic childhood experiences: a systematic review and synthesis of the literature (2024) · cites this paper as [7]
The Results report higher drug use and drug problems after maltreatment, and higher depressive symptoms after childhood-limited maltreatment; the Methods describe matching and adjustment for individual and family characteristics. The paper studies substantiated maltreatment rather than trauma generally, does not report PTSD or anxiety outcomes, and finds no significant effect of adolescent maltreatment on depressive symptoms. Passages are labeled by section in our copy; page numbers are unavailable. (LLM, conf=0.88)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
Cites
The CES-D Scale: A Self-Report Depression Scale for Research in the General Population
Radloff, L. S. (1977) · Applied Psychological Measurement · doi:10.1177/014662167700100306 · Cited by 53,267 · see citing works
The central role of the propensity score in observational studies for causal effects
ROSENBAUM, P. R., & RUBIN, D. B. (1983) · Biometrika · doi:10.1093/biomet/70.1.41 · Cited by 31,241 · see citing works
Multiple Imputation for Nonresponse in Surveys
Rubin, D. B. (1987) · Wiley Series in Probability and Statistics · doi:10.1002/9780470316696 · Cited by 20,701 · see citing works
Matching as Nonparametric Preprocessing for Reducing Model Dependence in Parametric Causal Inference
Ho, D. E., Imai, K., King, G., & Stuart, E. (2007) · Political Analysis · doi:10.1093/pan/mpl013 · Cited by 4,411 · see citing works
Kempe, C. H. (1962) · JAMA · doi:10.1001/jama.1962.03050270019004 · Cited by 3,061 · see citing works
Multiple Imputation for Nonresponse in Surveys.
Lynn, P. J., & Rubin, D. B. (1988) · Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series D (The Statistician) · doi:10.2307/2348774 · Cited by 2,330 · see citing works
A multivariate technique for multiply imputing missing values using a sequence of regression models
Raghunathan, T. E., Lepkowski, J. M., Hoewyk, J. V., & Solenberger, P. W. (2001) · Survey methodology · Cited by 1,981 · see citing works
Widom, C. S. (1989) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.2704995 · Cited by 1,976 · see citing works
Mechanisms in the Cycle of Violence
Dodge, K. A., Bates, J. E., & Pettit, G. S. (1990) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.2270481 · Cited by 1,803 · see citing works
BROWN, J., COHEN, P., JOHNSON, J. G., & SMAILES, E. M. (1999) · Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry · doi:10.1097/00004583-199912000-00009 · Cited by 842 · see citing works
Age of onset of child maltreatment predicts long-term mental health outcomes
Kaplow, J. B., & Widom, C. S. (2007) · Journal of Abnormal Psychology · doi:10.1037/0021-843x.116.1.176 · Cited by 639 · see citing works
THORNBERRY, T. P., IRELAND, T. O., & SMITH, C. A. (2001) · Development and Psychopathology · doi:10.1017/s0954579401004114 · Cited by 579 · see citing works
Self-citationPhysical Maltreatment Victim to Antisocial Child: Evidence of an Environmentally Mediated Process.
Jaffee, S. R., Caspi, A., Moffitt, T. E., & Taylor, A. (2004) · Journal of Abnormal Psychology · doi:10.1037/0021-843x.113.1.44 · Cited by 454 · see citing works
BEST PRACTICES IN QUASI- EXPERIMENTAL DESIGNS Matching Methods for Causal Inference
Stuart, E., & Rubin, D. (2007) · Sage eBooks · doi:10.4135/9781412995627.d14 · Cited by 428 · see citing works
Larson, R. W., & Ham, M. (1993) · Developmental Psychology · doi:10.1037/0012-1649.29.1.130 · Cited by 398 · see citing works
Health-Related Quality of Life Among Adults Who Experienced Maltreatment During Childhood
Corso, P. S., Edwards, V. J., Fang, X., & Mercy, J. A. (2008) · American Journal of Public Health · doi:10.2105/ajph.2007.119826 · Cited by 370 · see citing works
Adult Development and Social Theory: A Paradigmatic Reappraisal
Dannefer, D. (1984) · American Sociological Review · doi:10.2307/2095560 · Cited by 339 · see citing works
Widom, C., Raphael, K., & Dumont, K. (2004) · International Journal of Child Abuse & Neglect · doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2004.03.009 · Cited by 331 · see citing works
KEILEY, M. K., HOWE, T. R., DODGE, K. A., BATES, J. E., & PETTIT, G. S. (2001) · Development and Psychopathology · doi:10.1017/s0954579401004084 · Cited by 323 · see citing works
Stuart, E. A., & Green, K. M. (2008) · Developmental Psychology · doi:10.1037/0012-1649.44.2.395 · Cited by 315 · see citing works
Understanding Abusive Families.
Gil, D. G., Garbarino, J., & Gilliam, G. (1981) · Contemporary Sociology A Journal of Reviews · doi:10.2307/2067780 · Cited by 314 · see citing works
DEVELOPMENTAL ISSUES IN THE IMPACT OF CHILD MALTREATMENT ON LATER DELINQUENCY AND DRUG USE*
Ireland, T. O., Smith, C. A., & Thornberry, T. P. (2002) · Criminology · doi:10.1111/j.1745-9125.2002.tb00960.x · Cited by 286 · see citing works
Self-citationLee, V., & Hoaken, P. N. S. (2007) · Child Maltreatment · doi:10.1177/1077559507303778 · Cited by 250 · see citing works
Alcohol abuse in abused and neglected children followed-up: are they at increased risk?
Widom, C. S., Ireland, T., & Glynn, P. J. (1995) · Journal of Studies on Alcohol · doi:10.15288/jsa.1995.56.207 · Cited by 235 · see citing works
Self-citationFrom maltreatment report to juvenile incarceration: the role of child welfare services
Jonson‐Reid, M., & Barth, R. P. (2000) · Child Abuse & Neglect · doi:10.1016/s0145-2134(00)00107-1 · Cited by 221 · see citing works
Wilson, H. W., & Widom, C. S. (2008) · Health Psychology · doi:10.1037/0278-6133.27.2.149 · Cited by 221 · see citing works
Sternberg, K. J., Lamb, M. E., Guterman, E., & Abbott, C. B. (2006) · Child Abuse & Neglect · doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2005.10.008 · Cited by 215 · see citing works
Stewart, A., Livingston, M., & Dennison, S. M. (2007) · Child Abuse & Neglect · doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2007.04.011 · Cited by 215 · see citing works
Defining maltreatment chronicity: Are there differences in child outcomes?
English, D. J., Graham, J. C., Litrownik, A. J., Everson, M., & Bangdiwala, S. I. (2005) · Child Abuse & Neglect · doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2004.08.009 · Cited by 212 · see citing works
Developmental factors in the treatment on adolescents.
Weisz, J. R., & Hawley, K. M. (2002) · Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1037//0022-006x.70.1.21 · Cited by 195 · see citing works
Childhood Victimization and Risk for Alcohol and Drug Arrests
Ireland, T. O., & Widom, C. S. (1994) · International Journal of the Addictions · doi:10.3109/10826089409047380 · Cited by 177 · see citing works
Self-citationTolan, P. H., Gorman‐Smith, D., & Henry, D. B. (2005) · Annual Review of Psychology · doi:10.1146/annurev.psych.57.102904.190110 · Cited by 155 · see citing works
Eckenrode, J. J., ZIELINSKI, D., Smith, E. G., Marcynyszyn, L. A., HENDERSON, C. R., Kitzman, H. J., COLE, R., Powers, J. L., & Olds, D. L. (2001) · Development and Psychopathology · doi:10.1017/s0954579401004072 · Cited by 139 · see citing works
Developmental factors in the treatment on adolescents.
Weisz, J. R., & Hawley, K. M. (2002) · Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-006x.70.1.21 · Cited by 137 · see citing works
The relationship between early maltreatment and teenage parenthood
Herrenkohl, E. C., Herrenkohl, R. C., Egolf, B. P., & Russo, M. J. (1998) · Journal of Adolescence · doi:10.1006/jado.1998.0154 · Cited by 103 · see citing works
Smith, C. A., Ireland, T. O., Thornberry, T. P., & Elwyn, L. (2008) · American Journal of Orthopsychiatry · doi:10.1037/0002-9432.78.2.173 · Cited by 102 · see citing works
Self-citationFeiring, C., Miller, S., & Cleland, C. M. (2007) · Child Maltreatment · doi:10.1177/1077559507301840 · Cited by 96 · see citing works
Child Abuse and Smoking Among Young Women: The Importance of Severity, Accumulation, and Timing
Jun, H., Rich-Edwards, J. W., Boynton‐Jarrett, R., Austin, S. B., Frazier, A. L., & Wright, R. J. (2008) · Journal of Adolescent Health · doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2007.12.003 · Cited by 79 · see citing works
English, D. J., Widom, C. S., & Brandford, C. (2002) · PsycEXTRA Dataset · doi:10.1037/e510512006-001 · Cited by 57 · see citing works
Tyler, K. A., & Johnson, K. A. (2006) · Violence and Victims · doi:10.1891/vivi.21.3.287 · Cited by 55 · see citing works
Troubled youth, troubled families: the dynamics of adolescent maltreatment
Garbarino, J. (1989) · Child Maltreatment · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511665707.022 · Cited by 45 · see citing works
Garbarino, J., Eckenrode, J. J., & Powers, J. L. (1997) · Cited by 12 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Child maltreatment and risk for psychopathology in childhood and adulthood
Jaffee, S. R. (2017) · Annual Review of Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-032816-045005 · Cited by 487 · see citing works
Baldwin, J. R., Wang, B., Karwatowska, L., Schoeler, T., Tsaligopoulou, A., Munafò, M. R., & Pingault, J.-B. (2023) · American Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.20220174 · Cited by 313 · see citing works
“We excluded a subset of effect sizes from an included study (18) presented as negative binomial regression coefficients, because they could not be converted to Cohen’s d without additional unavailable information.”
Does maltreatment beget maltreatment? A systematic review of the intergenerational literature
Thornberry, T. P., Knight, K. E., & Lovegrove, P. J. (2012) · Trauma, Violence, & Abuse · doi:10.1177/1524838012447697 · Cited by 277 · see citing works
Self-citationHerrenkohl, T. I., Hong, S., Klika, J. B., Herrenkohl, R. C., & Russo, M. J. (2013) · Journal of Family Violence · doi:10.1007/s10896-012-9474-9 · Cited by 271 · see citing works
Life adversities and suicidal behavior in young individuals: a systematic review
Serafini, G., Muzio, C., Piccinini, G., Flouri, E., Ferrigno, G., Pompili, M., Girardi, P., & Amore, M. (2015) · European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry · doi:10.1007/s00787-015-0760-y · Cited by 184 · see citing works
Dunn, E. C., Soare, T. W., Raffeld, M. R., Busso, D. S., Crawford, K. M., Davis, K. A., Fisher, V. A., Slopen, N., Smith, A. D. A. C., Tiemeier, H., et al. (2018) · Psychological Medicine · doi:10.1017/s0033291718000181 · Cited by 179 · see citing works
Halpern, S. C., Schuch, F. B., Scherer, J. N., Sordi, A. O., Pachado, M., Dalbosco, C., Fara, L., Pechansky, F., Kessler, F., & Von Diemen, L. (2018) · Child Abuse Review · doi:10.1002/car.2534 · Cited by 173 · see citing works
Cognitive-behavioural interventions for children who have been sexually abused
Macdonald, G., Higgins, J. P., Ramchandani, P., Valentine, J. C., Bronger, L. P., Klein, P., O'Daniel, R., Pickering, M., Rademaker, B., Richardson, G., et al. (2012) · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · doi:10.1002/14651858.cd001930.pub3 · Cited by 161 · see citing works
Pompili, M., Innamorati, M., Lamis, D. A., Erbuto, D., Venturini, P., Ricci, F., Serafini, G., Amore, M., & Girardi, P. (2014) · Psychiatry Research · doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2014.07.056 · Cited by 139 · see citing works
Smith, C. A., Ireland, T. O., Park, A., Elwyn, L., & Thornberry, T. P. (2011) · Journal of Interpersonal Violence · doi:10.1177/0886260511403751 · Cited by 122 · see citing works
Self-citationEpigenetic alterations associated with war trauma and childhood maltreatment
Ramo‐Fernández, L., Schneider, A., Wilker, S., & Kolassa, I. (2015) · Behavioral Sciences & the Law · doi:10.1002/bsl.2200 · Cited by 59 · see citing works
Kieselbach, B., Kimber, M., MacMillan, H. L., & Perneger, T. (2022) · BMJ Open · doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2021-051140 · Cited by 36 · see citing works
Prince, D. M., Ray-Novak, M., Gillani, B., & Peterson, E. (2022) · Trauma, Violence, & Abuse · doi:10.1177/15248380211013129 · Cited by 25 · see citing works
Mentoring relationship quality and maltreated children’s coping
Chesmore, A. A., Weiler, L. M., & Taussig, H. N. (2017) · American Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1002/ajcp.12151 · Cited by 25 · see citing works
Becker, T. D., Castañeda Ramirez, S., Bruges Boude, A., Leong, A., Ivanov, I., & Rice, T. R. (2024) · European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry · doi:10.1007/s00787-023-02265-x · Cited by 18 · see citing works
- Authors
- Thornberry, T. P., Henry, K. L., Ireland, T. O., & Smith, C. A.
- Affiliations
- University of Maryland, College Park (US)
- Colorado State University (US)
- Niagara University (US)
- University at Albany, State University of New York (US)
- Corresponding author
- Thornberry, Terence P.
- ORCID
- Henry, Kimberly L.
- Venue
- Journal of Adolescent Health
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2010-04
- Volume
- 46
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 359-365
- ISSN
- 1054-139X (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC2871696
- OpenAlex
- W2044559536
- Cited by
- 288
- References
- 42
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 19 · 2022: 13 · 2021: 19 · 2020: 19 · 2019: 19 · 2018: 21 · 2017: 32 · 2016: 24 · 2015: 23 · 2014: 15 · 2013: 17 · 2012: 22
- FWCI
- 18.93
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Journal of Adolescent Health (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (86-JN-CX-0007, 96-MU-FX-0014, 2004-MU-FX-0062, 2006-JW-BX-0074)
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (DA005512, DA017810, DA020344)
- National Science Foundation (SBR-9123299, SES-9123299)
- NICHD (P30-HD32041)
- NSF (SBR-9512290)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
- Social Sciences › Safety Research › Child Welfare and Adoption
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Crime Patterns and Interventions
- Keywords
- adolescent maltreatment, child abuse, offending, substance use, sexual risk behavior, internalizing problems, suicidal ideation, depressive symptoms, alcohol consumption, drug use, sexually transmitted infections, incarceration, mandatory reporting, child protection services, Rochester Youth Development Study
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Age Factors, Antisocial Personality Disorder, Child Abuse, Child Behavior Disorders, Crime, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Internal-External Control, Juvenile Delinquency, Male, Risk Factors, United States, Comorbidity, Causality, Crime Victims, Substance-Related Disorders, Young Adult
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
