Histories of child maltreatment and psychiatric disorder in pregnant adolescents.
OBJECTIVE
The study investigated histories of child maltreatment and psychiatric disorder in a high-risk sample of pregnant adolescents.


METHODS
Cross-sectional data were obtained for 252 pregnant adolescents from high school, hospital, and group home settings in Montreal (Canada). Adolescents completed a child maltreatment questionnaire and a psychiatric interview on lifetime conduct and major depressive disorders. Latent class analysis was used to model the association between child maltreatment and psychiatric disorder.


RESULTS
Analyses indicated two latent classes: pregnant adolescents with no reported child maltreatment history (79%) and those with multiple forms of maltreatment (21%). There was no association between the child maltreatment latent variable and major depressive disorder. Rather, depression was related specifically to one form of maltreatment (i.e., sexual abuse, odds ratio = 2.60). Depression also showed a significant relationship with conduct disorder (odds ratio = 3.70). Pregnant adolescents with multiple forms of child maltreatment had a fourfold risk of also having conduct disorder, compared with nonmaltreated adolescents.


CONCLUSIONS
In this sample of pregnant adolescents, prior experience of multiple forms of child maltreatment was prevalent, as were depression and conduct disorder. Clinicians need to screen for histories of child maltreatment and psychiatric disorder and to introduce effective interventions for pregnant adolescents and their children.
Dr. Romano is with the School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada; Dr. Zoccolillo is with the Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada; and Dr. Paquette is with the Institute for the Social Development of Youth, Montreal, Canada. Electronic address: eromano@uottawa.ca.
Elisa
E
Romano
Dr. Romano is with the School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada; Dr. Zoccolillo is with the Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada; and Dr. Paquette is with the Institute for the Social Development of Youth, Montreal, Canada.
Mark
M
Zoccolillo
Dr. Romano is with the School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada; Dr. Zoccolillo is with the Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada; and Dr. Paquette is with the Institute for the Social Development of Youth, Montreal, Canada.
Daniel
D
Paquette
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019955:Conduct Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires