Open AccessSubstance Use and Mental Health Outcomes During Emerging Adulthood Among Individuals With Different Patterns of Child Maltreatment
Author(s) -
Kate Guastaferro,
Bethany C. Bray
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
emerging adulthood
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.572
H-Index - 27
eISSN - 2167-6984
pISSN - 2167-6968
DOI - 10.1177/2167696819830481
Subject(s) - mental health , psychology , psychiatry , clinical psychology , substance use , substance abuse , latent class model , sexual abuse , intervention (counseling) , poison control , suicide prevention , medicine , environmental health , statistics , mathematics
The aim of the current study was to identify patterns of child maltreatment experienced prior to age 18 and examine the relationship between those patterns and substance use and mental health disorders among emerging adults. Data were from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III. The analytic sample consisted of 5,194 adults between 18 to 25 years old. Latent class analysis revealed a 3-class model: Rare Maltreatment (59%); Occasional Maltreatment, Rare Sexual Abuse (37%); and Frequent Maltreatment, Some Sexual Abuse (4%). Risk for substance use disorders and poor mental health was higher for the two classes who experienced maltreatment, however those with Frequent Maltreatment had higher risk for poor mental health, but not substance use disorders compared to those with Occasional Maltreatment. Patterns of child maltreatment are important predictors of substance use and mental health disorders in emerging adulthood, but different patterns may necessitate specific intervention efforts.