OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to demonstrate the relationship between retrospective reports of child neglect, family of origin functioning, and current psychological distress. It was hypothesized that experience of childhood emotional neglect would be associated with lower levels of cohesion and adaptability in participants' family of origin and greater levels of current psychological distress. Gender effects were explored. METHOD: Retrospective reports of emotional neglect in childhood were quantified by use of a parental bonding measure, specifically by assessing level of perceived parental care. Participants were assigned to one of three groups based on level of care scores: neglect by a primary male caregiver, neglect by a primary female caregiver, and no neglect. These groups were compared on three variables: current psychological functioning, retrospective report of family of origin adaptability, and retrospective report of family of origin cohesiveness. Amount of time left in the care of others was used as a covariate based on attachment theory literature. RESULTS: Data were analyzed for 69 female and 22 male undergraduate students. Participants who reported a childhood experience of emotional neglect by a primary female caregiver described greater current psychological distress than those reporting no neglect or neglect by a primary male caregiver. Participants who experienced emotional neglect by a primary female caregiver, as compared to those reporting emotional neglect by a primary male caregiver and those reporting no neglect, described lower cohesion and adaptability in their family of origin. There were no differences between male and female participants in terms of impact of emotional neglect. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests potential caregiver gender effects, regardless of respondent gender. Perceived neglect by female, but not male caregivers, led to psychological distress in adulthood and was associated with lower cohesion and adaptability in one's family of origin. Future research should attempt to account for the participants' expectations regarding male and female caregiver roles.
OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to demonstrate the relationship between retrospective reports of child neglect, family of origin functioning, and current psychological distress. It was hypothesized that experience of childhood emotional neglect would be associated with lower levels of cohesion and adaptability in participants' family of origin and greater levels of current psychological distress. Gender effects were explored. METHOD: Retrospective reports of emotional neglect in childhood were quantified by use of a parental bonding measure, specifically by assessing level of perceived parental care. Participants were assigned to one of three groups based on level of care scores: neglect by a primary male caregiver, neglect by a primary female caregiver, and no neglect. These groups were compared on three variables: current psychological functioning, retrospective report of family of origin adaptability, and retrospective report of family of origin cohesiveness. Amount of time left in the care of others was used as a covariate based on attachment theory literature. RESULTS: Data were analyzed for 69 female and 22 male undergraduate students. Participants who reported a childhood experience of emotional neglect by a primary female caregiver described greater current psychological distress than those reporting no neglect or neglect by a primary male caregiver. Participants who experienced emotional neglect by a primary female caregiver, as compared to those reporting emotional neglect by a primary male caregiver and those reporting no neglect, described lower cohesion and adaptability in their family of origin. There were no differences between male and female participants in terms of impact of emotional neglect. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests potential caregiver gender effects, regardless of respondent gender. Perceived neglect by female, but not male caregivers, led to psychological distress in adulthood and was associated with lower cohesion and adaptability in one's family of origin. Future research should attempt to account for the participants' expectations regarding male and female caregiver roles.
Authors: Ronald C Kessler; Katie A McLaughlin; Jennifer Greif Green; Michael J Gruber; Nancy A Sampson; Alan M Zaslavsky; Sergio Aguilar-Gaxiola; Ali Obaid Alhamzawi; Jordi Alonso; Matthias Angermeyer; Corina Benjet; Evelyn Bromet; Somnath Chatterji; Giovanni de Girolamo; Koen Demyttenaere; John Fayyad; Silvia Florescu; Gilad Gal; Oye Gureje; Josep Maria Haro; Chi-Yi Hu; Elie G Karam; Norito Kawakami; Sing Lee; Jean-Pierre Lépine; Johan Ormel; José Posada-Villa; Rajesh Sagar; Adley Tsang; T Bedirhan Ustün; Svetlozar Vassilev; Maria Carmen Viana; David R Williams Journal: Br J Psychiatry Date: 2010-11 Impact factor: 9.319
Authors: S Lee; W J Guo; A Tsang; Y L He; Y Q Huang; M Y Zhang; Z R Liu; Y C Shen; R C Kessler Journal: Psychol Med Date: 2010-04-06 Impact factor: 7.723
Authors: Katie A McLaughlin; Jennifer Greif Green; Michael J Gruber; Nancy A Sampson; Alan M Zaslavsky; Ronald C Kessler Journal: Arch Gen Psychiatry Date: 2010-02
Authors: Jennifer Greif Green; Katie A McLaughlin; Patricia A Berglund; Michael J Gruber; Nancy A Sampson; Alan M Zaslavsky; Ronald C Kessler Journal: Arch Gen Psychiatry Date: 2010-02
Authors: Katie A McLaughlin; Jennifer Greif Green; Michael J Gruber; Nancy A Sampson; Alan M Zaslavsky; Ronald C Kessler Journal: Arch Gen Psychiatry Date: 2012-11
Authors: Kobita Rikhye; Audrey R Tyrka; Megan M Kelly; Gerard G Gagne; Andrea F Mello; Marcelo F Mello; Lawrence H Price; Linda L Carpenter Journal: Child Abuse Negl Date: 2007-12-20