Childhood adversity and perceived need for mental health care: findings from a Canadian community sample.
Previous community surveys have demonstrated that individuals with self-perceived need for mental health treatment in combination with meeting DSM-III-R criteria display the greatest levels of impairment in the community and have a higher likelihood of reporting parental psychopathology. The current investigation aims to replicate and extend these findings by examining the association between a wide range of childhood adversities with self-perceived need for mental health treatment and DSM-III-R diagnosis in a Canadian community sample (N = 8116). All respondents were questioned about their childhood experiences (physical and sexual abuse, emotional neglect, parental discord/separation, parental death, and parental psychopathology). After controlling for covariates in a multiple logistic regression, we found that emotional neglect (OR = 2.07), physical abuse (OR = 2.16), sexual abuse (OR = 2.39), paternal psychopathology (OR = 2.41), and maternal psychopathology (OR = 2.70) were independently and significantly associated with respondents meeting DSM criteria for a mental disorder and perceiving a need for treatment. These findings underscore the importance of future longitudinal studies considering the influence of a wide range of early childhood adversities on adult psychopathology and perceived need for treatment.
Sareen
Jitender
J
Department of Psychiatry, University of Manitoba, PZ203-771 Bannatyne Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3E 3N4, Canada.
Fleisher
William
W
Cox
Brian J
BJ
Hassard
Stephen
S
Stein
Murray B
MB
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents; D003156:Community Mental Health Services; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004243:Divorce / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005192:Family Health; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009864:Ontario / Q000453:epidemiology; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires