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Citation |
Greger HK, Myhre AK, Klöckner CA, Jozefiak T. Child Abuse Negl. 2017; 70: 122-133. |
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Affiliation |
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, St. Olavs Hospital, Pb 6810 Elgeseter, 7433 Trondheim, Norway; Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Faculty of Medicine, RKBU Central Norway, Pb 8905 MTFS, 7491 Trondheim, Norway. |
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Copyright |
(Copyright © 2017, Elsevier Publishing) |
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DOI |
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PMID |
28609692 |
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Abstract |
Childhood maltreatment is known to be associated with a broad variety of psychopathology and deteriorated well-being in adolescent populations. In the present nationwide study, we aimed to explore global self-esteem, attachment difficulties and substance use as possible mediators of these associations in a high-risk adolescent population. We included 400 adolescents (aged 12-20 years) living in residential youth care in Norway (response rate 67%). The participants completed a semistructured psychiatric interview (Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Assessment (CAPA)), a study-specific questionnaire, a revised version of the Self-Perception Profile for Adolescents (SPPA) and the Questionnaire for Measuring Health-related Quality of Life in Children and Adolescents (KINDL-R). Information was also provided by the adolescent's primary contact at the institution. Two models were tested using structural equation modelling; one assessed the association between childhood maltreatment and psychopathology, and one assessed the association between childhood maltreatment and well-being. Childhood maltreatment, psychopathology, well-being, global self-esteem and attachment difficulties were treated as latent variables, and substance use was added as an observed variable. The results of this study showed that global self-esteem was a mediator of paths in both models, whereas attachment difficulties and substance use were not. Preventing decline in health and well-being in high-risk adolescents is a main goal, and this study suggests that improving self-esteem, in addition to providing psychiatric health services, could be an important tool for achieving this goal. Language: en |
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Keywords |
Adolescents; Childhood maltreatment; Psychopathology; Quality of life; Self-esteem |