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Childhood maltreatment and the structure of common psychiatric disorders
- Authors:
- KEYES Katherine M., et al
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Psychiatry, 200(2), February 2012, pp.107-115.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
Exposure to childhood maltreatment has been shown to increase risk for many psychiatric disorders. This non-specific pattern of risk may mean that childhood maltreatment increases vulnerability to numerous specific psychiatric disorders through diverse, specific mechanisms or that childhood maltreatment engenders a generalised liability to dimensions of psychopathology. The aim of this study was to estimate the associations of childhood maltreatment with underlying dimensions of internalising and externalising psychopathology and with specific disorders. Data were drawn from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions, a nationally representative survey of 34,653 US adults. Analysis revealed that the association between childhood maltreatment and psychiatric disorders operates through latent liabilities to experience internalising and externalising psychopathology. Important gender differences emerged with physical abuse associated only with externalising liability in men, and only with internalising liability in women. Neglect was not significantly associated with latent liability levels. The findings indicate that the prevention of maltreatment may have a wide range of benefits in reducing the prevalence of many common mental disorders.