The mediating role of posttraumatic stress reactions in the relationship between child abuse and physical health complaints in adolescence and young adulthood

Rueness, Janne; Myhre, Mia Cathrine; Strøm, Ida Frugård; Wentzel‐Larsen, Tore; Dyb, Grete; Thoresen, Siri

doi:10.1080/20008198.2019.1608719

Cited by 8 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 55 publications

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“…This finding was consistent with retrospective studies of adults who had experienced child abuse that showed that psychological and physical health problems co‐occurred into adulthood 3,4 . Early identification and treatment of trauma symptoms may help to reduce the daily health burden of abused adolescents, because such symptoms may already contribute to the development of physical health complaints at a young age 23 . In fact, treating trauma symptoms has been shown to be beneficial for treating physical health complaints in adults 24 …”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 81%

“…3,4 Early identification and treatment of trauma symptoms may help to reduce the daily health burden of abused adolescents, because such symptoms may already contribute to the development of physical health complaints at a young age. 23 In fact, treating trauma symptoms has been shown to be beneficial for treating physical health complaints in adults. 24…”

Section: P-valuementioning

confidence: 99%

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Adolescent abuse victims displayed physical health complaints and trauma symptoms during post disclosure interviews

et al. 2020

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Aim: We investigated whether adolescents who had recently disclosed sexual abuse or family violence displayed more psychological trauma symptoms and physical health complaints than unaffected controls. We also investigated to what degree physical health complaints were associated with trauma symptoms in these abuse victims. Methods: Abuse, trauma symptoms and physical health complaints were assessed during face-to-face interviews with 40 sexual abuse victims and 35 family violence victims aged 10-18 years. They had all attended forensic interviews at the Barnehus in Oslo, a specialised Norwegian police unit where evidence is gathered in adolescentfriendly surroundings, from October 2016 to November 2018. Their symptoms were compared with 41 controls from the general population. Linear regression analyses investigated associations between trauma symptoms and physical health complaints. Results: Sexually abused adolescents displayed higher levels of post-traumatic stress reactions, depression, dissociation and physical health complaints than unaffected controls. Family violence victims displayed higher levels of post-traumatic stress reactions. Trauma symptoms were associated with physical health complaints, and these were most prominent in the adolescents with the highest burden of symptoms. Conclusion: Based on the high burden of symptoms revealed, clinical examinations of abused adolescents should include a systematic assessment of trauma symptoms and physical health complaints. K E Y W O R D S child abuse, physical health complaints, post-traumatic stress reactions, trauma symptoms, violence in close relationships 1 | INTRODUC TI ON Child abuse has profound and enduring effects on psychological and physical health throughout life. 1,2 Studies that have investigated child abuse in relation to trauma symptoms and physical health have shown that such symptoms may co-occur as early as in adolescence and young adulthood. 3,4 However, studies conducted with children and adolescents are rare and their findings have been inconsistent. One study examined the physical health complaints reported by sexually abused children who had post-traumatic stress disorder.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 81%

Section: P-valuementioning

confidence: 99%

Adolescent abuse victims displayed physical health complaints and trauma symptoms during post disclosure interviews

et al. 2020

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“…There is strong empirical evidence of the association between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms (reexperiencing, avoidance, and hyperarousal) especially following nondevelopmental trauma such as war and terrorist attack, and SS, in particular chronic pain as the most commonly studied SS (e.g., Bugge et al, 2017; Otis et al, 2003; Wachen et al, 2013). However, still more attention needs to be devoted to unveiling the underlying psychological mechanisms of the association between childhood adversity and SS (McFarlane, 2010; Rueness et al, 2019).…”

Section: Somatic Symptoms Following Early Life Adversitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the current study, we aim to extend scarce previous work that explored PTSD as an underlying mechanism of the complex relationship between exposure to childhood trauma and SS in adulthood (Rueness et al, 2019), using a large heterogeneous sample of Slovene adults. We examine a mediating role of disturbances in self-organization (DSO), consisting of affective dysregulation, negative self-concept, and disturbances in relationships.…”

Section: Somatic Symptoms Following Early Life Adversitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Adverse childhood experiences and somatic symptoms in adulthood: A moderated mediation effects of disturbed self-organization and resilient coping.

Kuhar¹,

Kocjan²

2022

Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy

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Objective: Early life adversity is associated with somatic symptoms (SS) in adulthood, but the psychological mechanisms involved need to be further investigated. The aim of this study was to investigate whether disturbances in self-organization (DSO), consisting of affective dysregulation, negative self-concept, and disturbances in relationships, mediate the relationship between exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and SS in adulthood. In addition, we investigated whether resilient coping buffers the direct and indirect effect of ACEs on SS. Method: The study sample comprised 4,847 Slovenian adults aged 18 to 75 years and was broadly representative of the general population. Results: Results of the mediation analysis showed that DSO had a notable, significant mediating effect on the relationship between ACEs and SS, with the indirect effect (a 3 b = .386, p , .001) accounting for 53.3% of the total effect. A moderated mediation analysis revealed a significant interaction between ACEs and resilient coping in predicting DSO (B = À.074, p = .020), suggesting that resilient coping moderated the indirect effect of ACEs on SS. The flexible use of coping strategies to solve problems in stressful circumstances reduced the negative effect of ACEs on DSO, and hence the frequency of SS in adults with a history of ACEs. Conclusions: Health care professionals should be aware of the role that DSO may have in maintaining or exacerbating SS in victims of early trauma. Strengthening the individual's capacities for resilient coping can alleviate the negative effects of early trauma on psychological functioning and health in later life. Clinical Impact StatementAdverse childhood experiences (ACEs) contribute to somatic symptoms (SS) in adults through increased disturbances in self-organization (DSO), consisting of affective dysregulation, negative self-concept, and disturbances in relationships, which together with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms form the concept of complex PTSD (cPTSD). Resilient coping mitigates the negative effect of ACEs on the frequency of adult SS via DSO. Clinicians should be aware that DSO may contribute to medically unexplained physical health complaints. Early diagnostics of ACEs and subsequent potential DSO symptoms, along with interventions aimed at strengthening resilient coping capacities, can alleviate SS in victims of early life adversity.

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“…Psychological trauma persists through years as posttraumatic stress reactions (PTSR). The recent case indicated that PTSR may be an important mediator in the relationship between child abuse and future physical health complaints [11].…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

A Rare Presentation of Acute Kidney Injury Secondary to Rhabdomyolysis as a Result of Child Abuse

Karim¹,

Vasylyeva²

2020

IJIPEM

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Child abuse leads to substantial health problems and is extremely worrisome to the pediatric medical community. The child presented in our case was a victim of severe physical abuse leading to rhabdomyolysis, AKI, subsequently requiring renal replacement therapy. The objective of this case is to raise awareness and advise checking renal function, CK and myoglobin in bruised children subjugated to physical abuse. Child abuse leading to severe decline in renal function is rare and needs to be recognized in a timely manner and adequately treated.

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The mediating role of posttraumatic stress reactions in the relationship between child abuse and physical health complaints in adolescence and young adulthood

Cited by 8 publications

References 55 publications

Adolescent abuse victims displayed physical health complaints and trauma symptoms during post disclosure interviews

Adolescent abuse victims displayed physical health complaints and trauma symptoms during post disclosure interviews

Adverse childhood experiences and somatic symptoms in adulthood: A moderated mediation effects of disturbed self-organization and resilient coping.

A Rare Presentation of Acute Kidney Injury Secondary to Rhabdomyolysis as a Result of Child Abuse

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