Childhood emotional neglect related to posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and body mass index in adult women.
The relationships among the severity of childhood abuse and neglect, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and adult obesity were investigated. 207 women (M age = 26.5 yr., SD = 6.7) completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Millon Clinician Multiaxial Inventory, and a demographic questionnaire. Analyses of variance indicated that women who reported moderate-to-extreme emotional neglect (n = 71) had significantly higher PTSD scores and increased BMI compared to women who reported low emotional neglect (n = 84). Women who reported severe sexual or emotional abuse also had higher PTSD scores, but no relationship was found with BMI when other factors were controlled. Although PTSD scores and self-reported severity of childhood emotional neglect were strongly correlated (r = .61, p < .001), PTSD was not found to be a mediating factor in obesity in women who reported childhood emotional neglect, although depression was.
Pederson
Cathy L
CL
Biology Department, Wittenberg University, Springfield, Ohio 45501, USA. cpederson@wittenberg.edu
Wilson
Josephine F
JF
D000328:Adult; D054523:Adult Survivors of Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000175:diagnosis; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires