A multiple mediational test of the relationship between childhood maltreatment and non-suicidal self-injury.
Post-traumatic stress symptoms, depressive symptoms, and psychological dysregulation have been shown to mediate the relationship between child maltreatment and non-suicidal self-injury. However, these proposed mediators often co-occur and previous research has not tested mediation when all variables are assessed simultaneously. The current study sought to advance the literature on maltreatment and self-injury by estimating the mediational effects of post-traumatic stress symptoms, depressive symptoms, and psychological dysregulation in the same multiple mediator model. Both maltreated (n = 129) and non-maltreated (n = 82) adolescent females, consisting of Caucasian (55%), African-American (37%), and Bi-racial (8%) backgrounds, participated in the study. Results indicated that only post-traumatic stress symptoms mediated the relationship between maltreatment and self-injury when all variables were included in the model. Overall, post-traumatic symptoms represented a unique pathway from maltreatment to self-injury and warrant special attention when assessing and treating such behavior with adolescent females.
Shenk
Chad E
CE
Division of Behavioral Medicine & Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA. chad.shenk@cchmc.org
Noll
Jennie G
JG
Cassarly
Jennifer A
JA
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007389:Internal-External Control; D010553:Personality Development; D011336:Probability; D011379:Prognosis; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D012016:Reference Values; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012649:Self Concept; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D013406:Suicide, Attempted