title: The Influence of Parental Emotional Neglect on Assault Victims Seeking Treatment for Depressed Mood and Alcohol Misuse: A Pilot Study.
abstract: This study explores the relationship between reported parental emotional neglect when a child, assault type experienced, posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), depression, and alcohol consumption in treatment seekers for comorbid depressive symptoms and alcohol misuse. Participants (n= 220) with concurrent depression and alcohol misuse were recruited from the DAISI (Depression and Alcohol Integrated and Single-focussed Interventions) project. Assault type and PTSS were retrospectively assessed by the Posttraumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale. The Measure of Parenting Style is a self-report measure that retrospectively assessed emotional neglect experienced as a child. An exploratory factor analysis using the tetrachoric correlation matrix (applying principal factor extraction with a varimax rotation) identified the two assault factors of sexual assault (SA) and physical assault (PA). A path analysis revealed that Maternal Emotional Neglect increased the impact of PTSS and depression. Paternal Emotional Neglect increased the impact ofPAon PTSS and alcohol dependence symptoms. There appears to be differential effects of assault type and Maternal/Paternal emotional neglect on depression and alcohol misuse, suggesting that parenting roles serve distinct protective functions.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Brain and Mental Health, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan 2308, NSW, Australia. Kylie.Bailey@newcastle.edu.au.
authors.forename: Kylie A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Bailey
authors.affiliation: Centre for Brain and Mental Health, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan 2308, NSW, Australia. amanda.baker@newcastle.edu.au.
authors.forename: Amanda L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.affiliation: Centre for Brain and Mental Health, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan 2308, NSW, Australia. patrick.mcelduff@newcastle.edu.au.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: McElduff
authors.affiliation: Centre for Children's Health Research, Institute of Health & Biomedical Innovation and School of Psychology & Counselling, Queensland University of Technology, GPO Box 2434, Brisbane 4001, QLD, Australia. david.kavanagh@qut.edu.au.
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Kavanagh
keywords: alcohol misuse; comorbidity and child neglect; depression; trauma