Lifetime post-traumatic stress disorder in older individuals with a history of institutional upbringing in childhood: the role of social acknowledgement and stressful life events
Background: Child maltreatment (CM), particularly in institutional contexts, can affect the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Research suggests that factors during CM (e.g. severity, variety, duration) and in the aftermath of CM (e.g. stressful life events, and social acknowledge...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2021-01-01
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| Series: | European Journal of Psychotraumatology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2021.1915578 |
| _version_ | 1797844537964494848 |
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| author | Carla M. Eising Manuel C. Voelkle Shauna L. Rohner Andreas Maercker Myriam V. Thoma |
| author_facet | Carla M. Eising Manuel C. Voelkle Shauna L. Rohner Andreas Maercker Myriam V. Thoma |
| author_sort | Carla M. Eising |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Child maltreatment (CM), particularly in institutional contexts, can affect the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Research suggests that factors during CM (e.g. severity, variety, duration) and in the aftermath of CM (e.g. stressful life events, and social acknowledgement, i.e. the degree to which an individual feels validated and supported following a traumatic event) can explain some of the heterogeneity in PTSD development. However, there is a lack of research on long-term correlates of CM and mitigating factors, with only a few studies having been conducted with older survivors of institutional upbringing. Such research is relevant, given the long-term associations between CM and the older age status of many survivors. Objective: The current study examined the link between CM and PTSD in older individuals with a history of institutional upbringing (risk group; RG) and a matched control group (CG). Differences in stressful life events and social acknowledgement were also investigated. Method: Participants were n = 116 RG (Mage = 70.25 years, 41% female) and n = 122 CG (Mage = 70.71 years, 51% female). Data was assessed using self-report questionnaires and a clinical interview. Results: The RG reported higher levels of exposure to CM. Lifetime PTSD showed a bigger association with the level of exposure to CM, compared to having an institutional upbringing. Participants with higher CM levels reported more stressful life events. High levels of social acknowledgement mediated the relationship between CM and PTSD in the CG. Conclusions: Exposure to CM had a stronger association with PTSD than a history of institutional upbringing. In the CG, the survivors’ perception of social acknowledgement ameliorated lifetime PTSD to a small extent. A critical issue for policy makers should be to enhance safeguarding measures against CM exposure, not only in institutional contexts, but also more generally, given the link to PTSD. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T17:24:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-960d736a4f72435a9887af818b55e76a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2000-8066 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T17:24:06Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Journal of Psychotraumatology |
| spelling | doaj.art-960d736a4f72435a9887af818b55e76a2023-04-18T14:59:09ZengTaylor & Francis GroupEuropean Journal of Psychotraumatology2000-80662021-01-0112110.1080/20008198.2021.19155781915578Lifetime post-traumatic stress disorder in older individuals with a history of institutional upbringing in childhood: the role of social acknowledgement and stressful life eventsCarla M. Eising0Manuel C. Voelkle1Shauna L. Rohner2Andreas Maercker3Myriam V. Thoma4University of ZürichHumboldt University of BerlinUniversity of ZürichUniversity of ZürichUniversity of ZürichBackground: Child maltreatment (CM), particularly in institutional contexts, can affect the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Research suggests that factors during CM (e.g. severity, variety, duration) and in the aftermath of CM (e.g. stressful life events, and social acknowledgement, i.e. the degree to which an individual feels validated and supported following a traumatic event) can explain some of the heterogeneity in PTSD development. However, there is a lack of research on long-term correlates of CM and mitigating factors, with only a few studies having been conducted with older survivors of institutional upbringing. Such research is relevant, given the long-term associations between CM and the older age status of many survivors. Objective: The current study examined the link between CM and PTSD in older individuals with a history of institutional upbringing (risk group; RG) and a matched control group (CG). Differences in stressful life events and social acknowledgement were also investigated. Method: Participants were n = 116 RG (Mage = 70.25 years, 41% female) and n = 122 CG (Mage = 70.71 years, 51% female). Data was assessed using self-report questionnaires and a clinical interview. Results: The RG reported higher levels of exposure to CM. Lifetime PTSD showed a bigger association with the level of exposure to CM, compared to having an institutional upbringing. Participants with higher CM levels reported more stressful life events. High levels of social acknowledgement mediated the relationship between CM and PTSD in the CG. Conclusions: Exposure to CM had a stronger association with PTSD than a history of institutional upbringing. In the CG, the survivors’ perception of social acknowledgement ameliorated lifetime PTSD to a small extent. A critical issue for policy makers should be to enhance safeguarding measures against CM exposure, not only in institutional contexts, but also more generally, given the link to PTSD.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2021.1915578child maltreatmentinstitutional upbringingpost-traumatic stress disordersocial acknowledgementstressful life eventsolder individuals |
| spellingShingle | Carla M. Eising Manuel C. Voelkle Shauna L. Rohner Andreas Maercker Myriam V. Thoma Lifetime post-traumatic stress disorder in older individuals with a history of institutional upbringing in childhood: the role of social acknowledgement and stressful life events European Journal of Psychotraumatology child maltreatment institutional upbringing post-traumatic stress disorder social acknowledgement stressful life events older individuals |
| title | Lifetime post-traumatic stress disorder in older individuals with a history of institutional upbringing in childhood: the role of social acknowledgement and stressful life events |
| title_full | Lifetime post-traumatic stress disorder in older individuals with a history of institutional upbringing in childhood: the role of social acknowledgement and stressful life events |
| title_fullStr | Lifetime post-traumatic stress disorder in older individuals with a history of institutional upbringing in childhood: the role of social acknowledgement and stressful life events |
| title_full_unstemmed | Lifetime post-traumatic stress disorder in older individuals with a history of institutional upbringing in childhood: the role of social acknowledgement and stressful life events |
| title_short | Lifetime post-traumatic stress disorder in older individuals with a history of institutional upbringing in childhood: the role of social acknowledgement and stressful life events |
| title_sort | lifetime post traumatic stress disorder in older individuals with a history of institutional upbringing in childhood the role of social acknowledgement and stressful life events |
| topic | child maltreatment institutional upbringing post-traumatic stress disorder social acknowledgement stressful life events older individuals |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2021.1915578 |
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