Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jn8rn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T03:42:01.091Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The Young Adolescent Project: A longitudinal study of the effects of maltreatment on adolescent development

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 December 2019

Sonya Negriff*
Affiliation:
Department of Research & Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Pasadena, CA, USA
Elana B. Gordis
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University at Albany–State University of New York, Albany, NY, USA
Elizabeth J. Susman
Affiliation:
Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
Kihyun Kim
Affiliation:
Department of Social Welfare, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, Korea
Melissa K. Peckins
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Janet U. Schneiderman
Affiliation:
Department of Nursing, Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Ferol E. Mennen
Affiliation:
Department of Children, Youth, and Families, Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, Unuversity of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
*
Author for Correspondence: Sonya Negriff, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, 100 S. Los Robles Ave, Pasadena, CA, 91101, USA. E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract

The Young Adolescent Project (YAP) is an ongoing longitudinal study investigating the effects of abuse and neglect on adolescent development. It is a multidisciplinary study guided by a developmental, ecological perspective, and designed to consider the physical, social, and psychological effects of childhood maltreatment through the transition from childhood to adolescence. Four waves of data collection have been completed, ranging from early (Mean age = 10.95) to late adolescence (Mean age = 18.24). Members of the maltreated group (n = 303) were selected from new cases that had been opened by the Department of Child and Family Services, whereas the comparison group (n = 151) were not involved with child welfare but lived in the same neighborhoods as the maltreated group. The study assessed a wide variety of domains including physical development (e.g., height, weight, body mass, pubertal development); physiological reactivity (e.g., cortisol); cognitive abilities; mental health (e.g., symptoms of depression, anxiety, trauma, and aggression); risk behavior (e.g., sexual activity, delinquency, or substance use); social development (e.g., self-esteem, competence, and social support); family environment; and exposure to community violence. Overall, our findings demonstrated the pervasive and persistent adverse effects of child maltreatment both within and across domains, but they also identified maltreated youth with positive functioning. Our hope is that this work will help move us toward identifying targets for intervention to cultivate resilience and positive adaptation after early maltreatment experiences.

Type
Regular Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2019

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Afifi, T. O., MacMillan, H. L., Boyle, M., Cheung, K., Taillieu, T., Turner, S., & Sareen, J. (2016). Child abuse and physical health in adulthood. Statistics Canada Health Reports, 27, 1018.Google ScholarPubMed
Aisenberg, E., Garcia, A., Ayon, C., Trickett, P. K., & Mennen, F. E. (2008). The co-occurrence of community violence and child maltreatment among racially diverse adolescents: Assessing risk for mental health and behavior problems. Protecting Children, 22, 2031.Google Scholar
Annerbäck, E. M., Sahlqvist, L., Svedin, C. G., Wingren, G., & Gustafsson, P. A. (2012). Child physical abuse and concurrence of other types of child abuse in Sweden—Associations with health and risk behaviors. Child Abuse & Neglect, 36, 585595.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Baer, J. C., & Martinez, C. D. (2006). Child maltreatment and insecure attachment: A meta-analysis. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, 24, 187197.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Barnett, D., Manly, J. T., & Cicchetti, D. (1993). Defining child maltreatment: The interface between policy and research. Child Abuse, Child Development, and Social Policy, 8, 773.Google Scholar
Bauer, A. M., Quas, J. A., & Boyce, W. T. (2002). Associations between physiological reactivity and children's behavior: Advantages of a multisystem approach. Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, 23, 102113.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bell-Dolan, D. J., Reaven, N. M., & Peterson, L. (1993). Depression and social functioning: A multidimensional study of the linkages. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 22, 306315.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bernard, K., Frost, A., Bennett, C. B., & Lindhiem, O. (2017). Maltreatment and diurnal cortisol regulation: A meta-analysis. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 78, 5767.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bunea, I. M., Szentágotai-Tătar, A., & Miu, A. C. (2017). Early-life adversity and cortisol response to social stress: A meta-analysis. Translational Psychiatry, 7, 1274.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Buske-Kirschbaum, A., Jobst, S., Psych, D., Wustmans, A., & Kirschbaum, C. (1997). Attenuated free cortisol response to psychosocial stress in children with atopic dermatitis. Psychosomatic Medicine, 59, 419426.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Charuvastra, A., & Cloitre, M. (2009). Safe enough to sleep: sleep disruptions associated with trauma, posttraumatic stress, and anxiety in children and adolescents. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 18, 877891.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Chrousos, G. P., & Gold, P. W. (1992). The concepts of stress and stress system disorders. Overview of physical and behavioral homeostasis. JAMA, 267, 12441252.Google ScholarPubMed
Cicchetti, D., & Toth, S. L. (1995). A developmental psychopathology perspective on child abuse and neglect. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 34, 541565.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Danese, A., Pariante, C. M., Caspi, A., Taylor, A., & Poulton, R. (2007). Childhood maltreatment predicts adult inflammation in a life-course study. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 104, 13191324.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Danese, A., & Tan, M. (2014). Childhood maltreatment and obesity: systematic review and meta-analysis. Molecular Psychiatry, 19, 544554.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Drake, B. (1996). Unraveling unsubstantiated. Child Maltreatment, 1, 261271.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
English, D. J., & the LONGSCAN Investigators. (1997). Modified Maltreatment Classification System (MMCS). Retrieved from http://www.iprc.unc.edu/longscan/Google Scholar
Finkelhor, D., Ormrod, R. K., & Turner, H. A. (2007). Poly-victimization: A neglected component in child victimization. Child Abuse & Neglect, 31, 726.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Finkelhor, D., Ormrod, R., Turner, H., & Hamby, S. L. (2005). The victimization of children and youth: A comprehensive, national survey. Child Maltreatment, 10, 525.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fowler, P. J., Henry, D. B., Schoeny, M., Landsverk, J., Chavira, D., & Taylor, J. J. (2013). Inadequate housing among families under investigation for child abuse and neglect: Prevalence from a national probability sample. American Journal of Community Psychology, 52, 106114.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Franzini, L., Caughy, M., Spears, W., & Esquer, M. E. F. (2005). Neighborhood economic conditions, social processes, and self-rated health in low-income neighborhoods in Texas: A multilevel latent variables model. Social Science & Medicine, 61, 11351150.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gordis, E. B., Feres, N., Olezeski, C. L., Rabkin, A. N., & Trickett, P. K. (2009). Skin conductance reactivity and respiratory sinus arrhythmia among maltreated and comparison youth: Relations with aggressive behavior. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 35, 547558.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gordis, E. B., Granger, D. A., Susman, E. J., & Trickett, P. K. (2006). Asymmetry between salivary cortisol and α-amylase reactivity to stress: Relation to aggressive behavior in adolescents. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 31, 976987.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gordis, E. B., Granger, D. A., Susman, E. J., & Trickett, P. K. (2008). Salivary alpha amylase-cortisol asymmetry in maltreated youth. Hormones and Behavior, 53, 96103.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gregory, A. M., & Sadeh, A. (2012). Sleep, emotional and behavioral difficulties in children and adolescents. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 16, 129136.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hales, C. M., Carroll, M. D., Fryar, C. D., & Ogden, C. L. (2017). Prevalence of obesity among adults and youth: United States 2015–2016. NCHS data brief no 288. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2017.Google Scholar
Hussey, J. M., Marshall, J. M., English, D. J., Knight, E. D., Lau, A. S., Dubowitz, H., & Kotch, J. B. (2005). Defining maltreatment according to substantiation: Distinction without a difference? Child Abuse & Neglect, 29, 479492.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Incollingo Rodriguez, A. C., Epel, E. S., White, M. L., Standen, E. C., Seckl, J. R., & Tomiyama, A. J. (2015). Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysregulation and cortisol activity in obesity: A systematic review. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 62, 301318.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kim, K., Mennen, F. E., & Trickett, P. K. (2017). Patterns and correlates of co-occurrence among multiple types of child maltreatment. Child and Family Social Work, 22, 492502.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Koss, K. J., & Gunnar, M. R. (2018). Annual research review: Early adversity, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis, and child psychopathology. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 59, 327346.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lanier, P., Jonson-Reid, M., Stahlschmidt, M. J., Drake, B., & Constatino, J. (2009). Child maltreatment and pediatric health outcomes: A longitudinal study of low-income children. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 35, 511522.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Leslie, L. K., James, S., Monn, A., Kauten, M., Zhang, J., & Aarons, G. (2010). Health-risk behaviors in young adolescents in the child welfare system. Journal of Adolescent Health, 47, 2634.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
MacMillan, H. L. (2010). Commentary: Child maltreatmetn and physcial health: A call to action. Journal of Pediatric Pscyhology, 35, 533535.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McEwen, B. S., & Seeman, T. (1999). Protective and damaging effects of mediators of stress: Elaborating and testing the concepts of allostasis and allostatic load. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 896, 3047.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McLaughlin, K. A., & Sheridan, M. A. (2016). Beyond Cumulative Risk: A dimensional approach to childhood adversity. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 25, 239245.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mennen, F. E., Brensilver, M., & Trickett, P. K. (2010). Do maltreated children who remain at home function better than those who are placed? Children and Youth Services, 32, 16751682.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mennen, F. E., Kim, K., Sang, J., & Trickett, P. K. (2010). Child neglect: Definition and identification of youth's experiences in official reports of maltreatment. Child Abuse & Neglect, 34, 647658.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mennen, F. E., Negriff, S., Schneiderman, J. U., & Trickett, P. K. (2018). Longitudinal associations of maternal depression and adolescents' depression and behaviors: Moderation by maltreatment and sex. Journal of Family Psychology, 32, 240250.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mennen, F. E., & Trickett, P. K. (2007). Mental health needs of urban children. Children and Youth Services Review, 29, 12201234.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mennen, F. E., & Trickett, P. K. (2011). Parenting attitudes, family environments, depression, and anxiety in caregivers of maltreated chidlren. Family Relations, 60, 259271.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
National Research Council. (2009). Depression in parents, parenting, and children: Opportunities to improve identification, treatment, and prevention: Washington DC: National Academies Press.Google Scholar
Negriff, S. (2018). Developmental pathways from maltreatment to risk behavior: Sexual behavior as a catalyst. Development & Psychopathology, 30, 683693.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Negriff, S. (2019a). Depressive symptoms predict characteristics of online social networks. Journal of Adoelscent Health, 65, 101106.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Negriff, S. (2019b). The influence of online-only friends on the substance use of young adults. Substance Use and Misuse, 51, 120129.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Negriff, S., Blankson, A. N., & Trickett, P. K. (2015). Pubertal timing and tempo: Associations with childhood maltreatment. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 25, 201213.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Negriff, S., Cederbaum, J., & Lee, D. (2019). Does social support mediate the association between maltreatment experiences and depressive symptoms in adolescence. Child Maltreatment, 24, 203212.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Negriff, S., Fung, M. T., & Trickett, P. K. (2008). Self-rated pubertal development, depressive symptoms and delinquency: Measurement issues and moderation by gender and maltreatment. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 37, 736746.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Negriff, S., James, A., & Trickett, P. K. (2015). Characteristics of the social support networks of maltreated youth: Exploring the effects of maltreatment experience and foster placement. Social Development, 24, 483500.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Negriff, S., Ji, J., & Trickett, P. K. (2011). Exposure to peer delinquency as a mediator between self-report pubertal timing and delinquency: A longitudinal study of mediation. Development and Psychopathology, 23, 293304.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Negriff, S., Saxbe, D. E., & Trickett, P. K. (2015). Childhood maltreatment, pubertal development, HPA axis functioning, and psychosocial outcomes: An integrative biopsychosocial model. Developmental Psychobiology, 57, 984993.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Negriff, S., Schneiderman, J. U., Smith, C., Schreyer, J. K., & Trickett, P. K. (2014). Characterizing the sexual abuse experiences of young adolescents. Child Abuse & Neglect, 38, 261270.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Negriff, S., Schneiderman, J. U., & Trickett, P. K. (2015). Child maltreatment and sexual risk behavior: Maltratment types and gender differences. Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, 36, 708716.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Negriff, S., Schneiderman, J. U., & Trickett, P. K. (2017). Concordance between self-reported childhood maltreatment versus case record reviews for child welfare-affiliated adolescents. Child Maltreatment, 22, 3444.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Negriff, S., Susman, E. J., & Trickett, P. K. (2011). The developmental pathway from pubertal timing to delinquency and sexual activity from early to late adolescence. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 40, 13431356.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Negriff, S., & Trickett, P. K. (2010). The relationship between pubertal timing and delinquent behavior in maltreated male and female adolescents. Journal of Early Adolescence, 30, 518542.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Negriff, S., & Trickett, P. K. (2012). Peer substance use as a mediator between early pubertal timing and adolescent substance use. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 126, 95101.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Negriff, S., & Valente, T. W. (2018). Structural characteristics of the online social networks of maltreated youth and offline sexual risk behavior. Child Abuse & Neglect, 85, 209219.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Noll, J. G., Shenk, C. E., & Putnam, K. T. (2009). Childhood sexual abuse and adolescent pregnancy: A meta-analytic update. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 34, 366378.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Noll, J. G., Trickett, P. K., Long, J. D., Negriff, S., Susman, E. J., Shalev, I., … Putnam, F. W. (2017). Childhood sexual abuse and early timing of puberty. Journal of Adolescent Health, 60, 6571.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Noll, J. G., Trickett, P. K., Susman, E. J., & Putnam, F. W. (2006). Sleep disturbances and childhood sexual abuse. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 31, 469480.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Outlaw, M., Ruback, B., & Britt, C. (2002). Repeat and multiple victimizations: The role of individual and contextual factors. Violence and Victims, 17, 187.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Peckins, M. K., Negriff, S., Schneiderman, J. U., Gordis, E. B., & Susman, E. J. (in press). The moderating role of cortisol reactivity on the link between maltreatment and BMI trajectory across adolescence. Journal of Adolescent Health.Google Scholar
Peckins, M. K., Susman, E. J., Negriff, S., Noll, J. G., & Trickett, P. K. (2015). Cortisol profiles: A test for the adaptive calibration of the stress response system in maltreated and nonmaltreated youth. Development & Pscyhopathlogy, 27, 14611470.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rugulies, R. (2002). Depression as a predictor for coronary heart disease: A review and meta-analysis. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 23, 5161.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Runyan, D. K., Cox, C. E., Dubowitz, H., Newton, R. R., Upadhyaya, M., Kotch, J. B., … Knight, E. D. (2005). Describing maltreatment: Do child protective service reports and research definitions agree? Child Abuse & Neglect, 29, 461477.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Saxbe, D. E., Negriff, S., Susman, E. J., & Trickett, P. K. (2015). Attenuated HPA axis functioning predicts accelerated pubertal development in girls one year later. Development and Psychopathology, 27, 819828.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schaie, K. W. (1965). A general model for the study of developmental problems. Psychological Bulletin, 64, 92107.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schneiderman, J. U., Ji, J., Mennen, F. E., & Negriff, S. (2018). Longitudinal relationship between mental health symptoms and sleep disturbances and duration in maltreated and comparison adolescents. Journal of Adolescent Health, 63, 7480.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Schneiderman, J. U., Kennedy, A., Negriff, S., Jones, J., & Trickett, P. K. (2016). Maltreated and comparison adolescents’ recollections of lifetime residences: Relationship to delinquency and marijuana use. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 25, 34813487.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Schneiderman, J. U., Kennedy, A. K., & Negriff, S. (2019). Predictors and correlates of unstable housing experiences across a child welfare-involved sample. Journal of Public Child Welfare. doi:10.1080/15548732.2019.1590288.Google Scholar
Schneiderman, J. U., Kools, S., Negriff, S., Smith, S., & Trickett, P. K. (2015). Differences in caregiver-reported health problems and health care use in maltreated adolescent and a comparison group from the same urban environment. Research in Nursing and Health, 38, 6070.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schneiderman, J. U., Mennen, F. E., Negriff, S., & Trickett, P. K. (2012). Overweight and obesity in maltreated young adolescents. Child Abuse & Neglect, 36, 370378.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Schneiderman, J. U., Negriff, S., Peckins, M., Mennen, F. E., & Trickett, P. K. (2015). Body Mass Index trajectory throughout adolescence: A comparison of maltreated adolescents by maltreatment type to a community sample. Pediatric Obesity, 10, 296304.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Schneiderman, J. U., Negriff, S., & Trickett, P. K. (2016). Self-report of health problems and health care use among maltreated and comparison adolescents. Children & Youth Services Review, 61, 15.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Shochat, T., Cohen-Zion, M., & Tzischinsky, O. (2014). Functional consequences of inadequate sleep in adolescents: A systematic review. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 18, 7587.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Starr, L. R., & Davila, J. (2008). Excessive reassurance seeking, depression, and interpersonal rejection: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 117, 762775.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Stein, R. E. K., Hurlburt, M. S., Heneghan, A. M., Zhang, J., Rolls-Reutz, J., Silver, E. J., … Horwitz, S. M. (2013). Chronic conditions among children investigated by child welfare: a national sample. Pediatrics, 131, 455462.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Stevens, K. I., Schneiderman, J. U., Negriff, S., Brinkman, A., & Trickett, P. K. (2015). The whole picture: Child maltreatment experiences of young adolescents who were physically abused. Child Abuse & Neglect, 43, 3041.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Susman, E. J. (2006). Psychobiology of persistent antisocial behavior: Stress, early vulnerabilities and the attenuation hypothesis. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 30, 376389.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tarullo, A. R., & Gunnar, M. R. (2006). Child maltreatment and the developing HPA axis. Hormones and Behavior, 50, 632639.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Trickett, P. K., Gordis, E., Peckins, M. K., & Susman, E. J. (2014). Stress reactivity in maltreated and comparison male and female young adolescents. Child Maltreatment, 19, 2737.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Trickett, P. K., Kim, K., & Prindle, J. (2011). Variations in emotional abuse experiences among multiply maltreated young adolescents and relations with developmental outcomes. Child Abuse & Neglect, 35, 876886.Google ScholarPubMed
Trickett, P. K., Mennen, F. E., Kim, K., & Sang, J. (2009). Emotional abuse in a sample of multiply maltreated, urban young adolescents: Issues of definition and identification. Child Abuse & Neglect, 33, 2735.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Trickett, P. K., & Negriff, S. (2011). Child maltreatment and interpersonal relationships. In Underwood, M. K. & Rosen, L. H. (Eds.), Social development: Relationships in infancy, childhood, and adolescence (pp. 403426). New York, NY: The Guilford Press.Google Scholar
Trickett, P. K., Negriff, S., Ji, J., & Peckins, M. (2011). Child maltreatment and adolescent development. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 21, 320.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Trickett, P. K., Noll, J. G., & Putnam, F. W. (2011). The impact of sexual abuse on females development: Lessons from a multigenerational, longitudinal research study. Development and Psychopathology, 23, 453476.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Trickett, P. K., & Putnam, F. W. (1993). Impact of child sexual abuse on females: Toward a developmental, psychobiological integration. Psychological Science, 4, 8187.CrossRefGoogle Scholar