Abstract
Failure to protect children from maltreatment has been demonstrated to result in negative individual, intergenerational, and societal outcomes. Relatedly, research reflects the significant relationship between trauma associated with adverse childhood experiences and lifelong risk for mental health disorders, physical conditions, and rates of medical and mental health service utilization. This chapter examines the effects of victimization on young children, with specific emphasis on attachment; trauma reactions; cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and developmental sequelae; and broader implications for subsequent symptomatology and functioning. Specifically, developmental trauma, including the reciprocal interaction between trauma and development is explored, with an emphasis on implications for the trauma-attachment relationship, parenting, intergenerational perpetuation of disrupted attachment, and recurrent maltreatment within the family system. Trauma reactions and diagnostic disorders are also analyzed within a developmental context, given the increased recognition of developmental implications for young children as reflected through the PTSD diagnostic revisions within the DSM-5. Cognitive changes following maltreatment, including cognitive distortions, are also explored through a lens that considers the effects of modeling, disrupted attachment, and violations of safety assumptions on cognitive schema and processing. This chapter also considers the array of acute and chronic emotional symptoms and diagnostic conditions associated with maltreatment of young children, including examination of research supporting increased probability of meeting diagnostic criteria for emotional disorders into adulthood. Externalizing symptoms associated with maltreatment of the young child, including behavioral disturbance and potential involvement in the legal and correctional systems, are also examined from a developmental and trauma-informed perspective. Implications for community awareness and policy implementation for prevention and early identification and response, including child maltreatment reporting, are also considered.
This chapter was initially published with an incorrect copyright holder name. It has been corrected to © Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
Achenbach, T. M. (1992). Manual for child behavior checklist/2-3 and 1992 profile. Burlington: University of Vermont.
Agatstein, D. J. (1989). Child abuse reporting in New York state; The dilemma of the mental health professional. New York Law School Law Review, 34, 115–168.
Ainsworth, M. S. (1989). Attachments beyond infancy. American Psychologist, 44(4), 709–716. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.44.4.709.
Altintas, M., & Bilici, M. (2018). Evaluation of childhood trauma with respect to criminal behavior, dissociative experiences, adverse family experiences and psychiatric backgrounds among prison inmates. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 82, 100–107. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comppsych.2017.12.006.
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington: American Psychiatric Publishing.
Anda, R. F., Butchart, A., Felitti, V. J., & Brown, D. W. (2010). Building a framework for global surveillance of the public health implications of adverse childhood experiences. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 39(1), 93–98. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2010.03.015.
Augusti, E.-M., & Melinder, A. (2013). Maltreatment is associated with specific impairments in executive functions: A pilot study. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 26(6), 780–783. https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.21860.
Badr, H. E., Naser, J., Al-Zaabi, A., Al-Saeedi, A., Al-Munefi, K., Al-Houli, S., & Al-Rashidi, D. (2018). Childhood maltreatment: A predictor of mental health problems among adolescents and young adults. Child Abuse & Neglect, 80, 161–171. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2018.03.011.
Basto-Pereira, M., Miranda, A., Ribeiro, S., & Maia, Â. (2016). Growing up with adversity: From juvenile justice involvement to criminal persistence and psychosocial problems in young adulthood. Child Abuse & Neglect, 62, 63–75. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2016.10.011.
Bellis, M. A., Hardcastle, K., Ford, K., Hughes, K., Ashton, K., Quigg, Z., & Butler, N. (2017). Does continuous trusted adult support in childhood impart life-course resilience against adverse childhood experiences – A retrospective study on adult health-harming behaviours and mental well-being. BMC Psychiatry, 17(1), 110. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-017-1260-z.
Bowlby, J. (1951). Maternal care and mental health (World Health Organization monograph (Serial no. 2)). Geneva: World Health Organization.
Brennan, K. A., Clark, C. L., & Shaver, P. R. (1998). Self-report measurement of adult attachment: An integrative overview. In J. A. Simpson & W. S. Rholes (Eds.), Attachment theory and close relationships (pp. 46–76). New York: Guilford.
Cheung, K., Taillieu, T., Turner, S., Fortier, J., Sareen, J., Macmillan, H. L., Boyle, M. H., & Afifi, T. O. (2018). Individual-level factors related to better mental health outcomes following child maltreatment among adolescents. Child Abuse & Neglect, 79, 192–202. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2018.02.007.
Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2016). Intergenerational patterns of child maltreatment: What the evidence shows. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Children’s Bureau.
Cicchetti, D., Cowell, R. A., Rogosch, F. A., & Toth, S. L. (2015). Childhood maltreatment and its effect on neurocognitive functioning: Timing and chronicity matter. Development and Psychopathology, 27(2), 521–533. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579415000139.
Cohen, P., Brown, J., & Smailes, E. (2001). Child abuse and neglect and the development of mental disorders in the general population. Developmental Psychopathology, 13(4), 981–999. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579401004126.
Connell, C. M., Bergeron, N., Katz, K. H., Saunders, L., & Tebes, J. K. (2007). Re-referral to child protective services: The influence of child, family, and case characteristics on risk status. Child Abuse & Neglect, 31(5), 573–588. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2006.12.004.
Cuadra, L. E., Jaffe, A. E., Thomas, R., & Dilillo, D. (2014). Child maltreatment and adult criminal behavior: Does criminal thinking explain the association? Child Abuse & Neglect, 38(8), 1399–1408. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2014.02.005.
Daly, B. P., Hildenbrand, A. K., Turner, E., Berkowitz, S., & Tarazi, R. A. (2017). Executive functioning among college students with and without history of childhood maltreatment. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 26(7), 717–735. https://doi.org/10.1080/10926771.2017.1317685.
Edwards, E. P., Eiden, R. D., & Leonard, K. E. (2006). Behaviour problems in 18- to 36-month old children of alcoholic fathers: Secure mother–infant attachment as a protective factor. Development and Psychopathology, 18(02). https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579406060214.
Fang, X., Brown, D. S., Florence, C. S., & Mercy, J. A. (2012). The economic burden of child maltreatment in the United States and implications for prevention. Child Abuse & Neglect, 36(2), 156–165. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2011.10.006.
Felitti, V. J., Anda, R. F., Nordenberg, D., Williamson, D. F., Spitz, A. M., Edwards, V., & Marks, J. S. (1998). Relationship of childhood abuse and household dysfunction to many of the leading causes of death in adults. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 14(4), 245–258. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0749-3797(98)00017-8.
Garbarino, J. (2017). ACEs in the criminal justice system. Academic Pediatrics, 17(7), S32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acap.2016.09.003.
George, C., Kaplan, N., & Main, M. (1985). Adult attachment interview. Unpublished manuscript, University of California, Berkeley.
Hodgdon, H. B., Spinazzola, J., Briggs, E. C., Liang, L., Steinberg, A. M., & Layne, C. M. (2018). Maltreatment type, exposure characteristics, and mental health outcomes among clinic referred trauma-exposed youth. Child Abuse & Neglect, 82, 12–22. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2018.05.021.
Hunt, T. K., Slack, K. S., & Berger, L. M. (2017). Adverse childhood experiences and behavioral problems in middle childhood. Child Abuse & Neglect, 67, 391–402. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2016.11.005.
Jaffee, S. R. (2017). Child maltreatment and risk for psychopathology in childhood and adulthood. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 13(1), 525–551. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-032816-045005.
Jaffee, S. R., Caspi, A., Moffitt, T. E., & Taylor, A. (2004). Physical maltreatment victim to antisocial child: Evidence of an environmentally mediated process. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 113(1), 44–55. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-843X.113.1.44.
Kaplow, J. B., & Widom, C. S. (2007). Age of onset of child maltreatment predicts long-term mental health outcomes. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 116(1), 176–187. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-843X.116.1.176.
Kerker, B. D., Zhang, J., Nadeem, E., Stein, R. E., Hurlburt, M. S., Heneghan, A., & Horwitz, S. M. (2015). Adverse childhood experiences and mental health, chronic medical conditions, and development in young children. Academic Pediatrics, 15(5), 510–517. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acap.2015.05.005.
Kirke-Smith, M., Henry, L., & Messer, D. (2014). Executive functioning: Developmental consequences on adolescents with histories of maltreatment. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 32(3), 305–319. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjdp.12041.
Kovan, N., Mishra, S., Susman-Stillman, A., Piescher, K. N., & Laliberte, T. (2014). Differences in the early care and education needs of young children involved in child protection. Children and Youth Services Review, 46, 139–145. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2014.07.017.
Laskey, A. L., Stump, T. E., Perkins, S. M., Zimet, G. D., Sherman, S. J., & Downs, S. M. (2012). Influence of race and socioeconomic status on the diagnosis of child abuse: A randomized study. The Journal of Pediatrics, 160(6), 1003–1008. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2011.11.042.
Lee, A., & Hankin, B. L. (2009). Insecure attachment, dysfunctional attitudes, and low self-esteem predicting prospective symptoms of depression and anxiety during adolescence. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 38(2), 219–231. https://doi.org/10.1080/15374410802698396.
Leitch, L. (2017). Action steps using ACEs and trauma-informed care: A resilience model. Health & Justice, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40352-017-0050-5.
Levi, B. H., & Brown, G. (2005). Reasonable suspicion: A study of Pennsylvania pediatricians regarding child abuse. Pediatrics, 116(1), e5–e12. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2004-2649.
Lyons-Ruth, K., Yellin, C., Melnick, S., & Atwood, G. (2005). Expanding the concept of unresolved mental states: Hostile/helpless states of mind on the Adult Attachment Interview are associated with disrupted mother–infant communication and infant disorganization. Development and Psychopathology, 17(01). https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579405050017.
Merrick, M. T., Ports, K. A., Ford, D. C., Afifi, T. O., Gershoff, E. T., & Grogan-Kaylor, A. (2017). Unpacking the impact of adverse childhood experiences on adult mental health. Child Abuse & Neglect, 69, 10–19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2017.03.016.
Mikulincer, M., & Shaver, P. R. (2007). Boosting attachment security to promote mental health, prosocial values, and inter-group tolerance. Psychological Inquiry, 18(3), 139–156. https://doi.org/10.1080/10478400701512646.
Mills, R., Scott, J., Alati, R., O’Callaghan, M., Najman, J. M., & Strathearn, L. (2013). Child maltreatment and adolescent mental health problems in a large birth cohort. Child Abuse & Neglect, 37(5), 292–302. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2012.11.008.
Milot, T., Éthier, L. S., St-Laurent, D., & Provost, M. A. (2010). The role of trauma symptoms in the development of behavioral problems in maltreated preschoolers. Child Abuse & Neglect, 34(4), 225–234. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2009.07.006.
Myers, J. E. (2011). A short history of child protection in America. In The APSAC handbook on child maltreatment (pp. 3–15). Los Angeles: SAGE.
Rahim, M. (2014). Developmental trauma disorder: An attachment-based perspective. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 19(4), 548–560. https://doi.org/10.1177/1359104514534947.
Roos, L. E., Afifi, T. O., Martin, C. G., Pietrzak, R. H., Tsai, J., & Sareen, J. (2016). Linking typologies of childhood adversity to adult incarceration: Findings from a nationally representative sample. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 86(5), 584–593. https://doi.org/10.1037/ort0000144.
Ross, J., Waterhouse-Bradley, B., Contractor, A. A., & Armour, C. (2018). Typologies of adverse childhood experiences and their relationship to incarceration in U.S. military veterans. Child Abuse & Neglect, 79, 74–84. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2018.01.023.
Schuengel, C., Oosterman, M., & Sterkenburg, P. S. (2009). Children with disrupted attachment histories: Interventions and psychophysiological indices of effects. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health, 3(1), 26. https://doi.org/10.1186/1753-2000-3-26.
Shoemaker, F. E., & Benuto, L. T. (2017). Examining the relationship between child maltreatment and severity of attachment difficulties among children five years of age and older. Children and Youth Services Review, 75, 35–41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2017.02.018.
Spinazzola, J., van der Kolk, B., & Ford, J. D. (2018). When nowhere is safe: Interpersonal trauma and attachment adversity as antecedents of posttraumatic stress disorder and developmental trauma disorder. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 31(5), 631–642. https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.22320.
van der Kolk, B. A. (2005). Developmental trauma disorder: Toward a rational diagnosis for children with complex trauma histories. Psychiatric Annals, 35(5), 401–408. https://doi.org/10.3928/00485713-20050501-06.
van IJzendoorn, M. V. (1995). Adult attachment representations, parental responsiveness, and infant attachment: A meta-analysis on the predictive validity of the Adult Attachment Interview. Psychological Bulletin, 117(3), 387–403. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.117.3.387.
Varra, E. M., Pearlman, L. A., Brock, K. J., & Hodgson, S. T. (2008). Factor analysis of the trauma and attachment belief scale: A measure of cognitive schema disruption related to traumatic stress. Journal of Psychological Trauma, 7(3), 185–196. https://doi.org/10.1080/19322880802266813.
Villodas, M. T., Litrownik, A. J., Newton, R. R., & Davis, I. P. (2015). Long-term placement trajectories of children who were maltreated and entered the child welfare system at an early age: Consequences for physical and behavioral well-being. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 41(1), 46–54. https://doi.org/10.1093/jpepsy/jsv031.
Wilson, L. C., & Newins, A. R. (2018). The indirect effect of child maltreatment severity on adult PTSD symptoms through anxiety sensitivity. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 27(6), 682–698. https://doi.org/10.1080/10538712.2018.1488333.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Section Editor information
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this entry
Cite this entry
Bennett, D.B. (2020). Implications of Maltreatment for Young Children. In: Geffner, R., White, J.W., Hamberger, L.K., Rosenbaum, A., Vaughan-Eden, V., Vieth, V.I. (eds) Handbook of Interpersonal Violence and Abuse Across the Lifespan. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-62122-7_125-1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-62122-7_125-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-62122-7
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-62122-7
eBook Packages: Springer Reference Behavioral Science and PsychologyReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences