Childhood Psychological Maltreatment And Adolescent Depressive And Conduct Disorder Symptoms: A Prospective Longitudinal Analysis
The relationship between childhood psychological maltreatment (CPM) and later maladjustment has been observed in numerous cross-sectional studies, but prospective longitudinal evidence is limited. The current analysis employed a prospective longitudinal design to investigate the contribution of CPM to adolescent depression, anxiety, and conduct disorder symptoms. The sample includes 696 youth age 14 years from the Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect (LONGSCAN). Youth self-report of CPM was assessed at age 12, and via official Child Protective Service (CPS) allegations from birth to age 12. Anxiety, depression, and conduct disorder symptoms were assessed via youth self-report at age 14 and conduct disorder using parent report. Zero-inflated binomial regression models controlled for youth age, caregiver education, household income, minority status, study site, and age 12 symptoms. Youth reports of CPM were significantly related to adolescent depressive and conduct disorder symptoms, but CPS reports were not.