title: Examining the independent protective effect of subjective well-being on severe psychological distress among Canadian adults with a history of child maltreatment.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the independent protective effect of subjective well-being on severe psychological distress among adult Canadians with a history of child maltreatment. Data for this study were obtained from the 2012 Canadian Community Health Survey-Mental Health (CCHS-MH). A sample of 8126 respondents aged 20-69 years old who experienced at least one child maltreatment event was analyzed using binary logistic regression with severe psychological distress as the outcome variable. Of the 8126 respondents with a history of child maltreatment, 3.9% experienced severe psychological distress within the past month. Results from the multivariate logistic regression revealed that emotional and psychological well-being each had a significant effect on severe psychological distress. For each unit increase in emotional well-being, the odds of a respondent having severe psychological distress were predicted to decrease by a factor of 28% and for each unit increase in psychological well-being, the odds of a respondent having severe psychological distress were predicted to decrease by a factor of 10%, net the effect of demographic, socioeconomic, and health factors. Other factors associated with psychological distress included: younger age, poor self-perceived physical health, and chronic condition. Having post-secondary education, having a higher income, and being non-White predicted lower odds of severe psychological distress. Although, child maltreatment is associated with stressful life events later in adulthood, subjective well-being could serve as a protective factor against severe psychological distress among adults who experienced maltreatment when they were children.
authors.affiliation: University of Toronto, Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, 246 Bloor Street West, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1V4. Electronic address: philip.baiden@mail.utoronto.ca.
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Baiden
authors.affiliation: University of Toronto, Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, 246 Bloor Street West, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1V4.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tarshis
authors.affiliation: University of Toronto, Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, 246 Bloor Street West, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1V4.
authors.forename: Kofi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Antwi-Boasiako
authors.affiliation: University of Ottawa, School of Psychology, 136 Jean Jacques Lussier, Vanier Hall, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1N 6N5.
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: den Dunnen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D054523:Adult Survivors of Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology; D000368:Aged; D002170:Canada; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Canadian Community Health Survey; Child maltreatment; Mental health; Severe psychological distress; Subjective well-being