Michael Fitzgerald1, Kami Gallus2. 1. School of Child and Family Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, United States. Electronic address: Michael.C.Fitzgerald@usm.edu. 2. Department of Human Development and Family Science, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Research has well-established that childhood maltreatment is associated with depressive and social anxiety symptoms in adults. Emotional support has been proposed as a mediator, yet research investigating the unique contributions of emotional support from friends, family members, and romantic partners in adulthood is sparse. OBJECTIVE: The current study tested emotional support from family, friends, and romantic partners as mechanisms linking childhood maltreatment to depressive and social anxiety symptoms in adults. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: Participants for the current study (N = 798) included adults in a committed romantic relationship and completed both the second wave of the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS 2) as well as the MIDUS 2 biomarker follow-up project. Emotional support from family, friends, and romantic partners was measured at MIDUS 2 and mental health symptoms were reported at the MIDUS 2 biomarker follow up. RESULTS: Emotional support from friends was identified as a mechanism from maltreatment to social anxiety symptoms (ß = .04, 95 % CI [.019, .066]), emotional support from family members was a mechanism to depressive symptoms (ß = .09, 95 % CI [.045, .146]), and emotional support from romantic partners was a mechanism for both depressive (ß = .02, 95 % CI [.005, .048]) and social anxiety symptoms (ß = .03, 95 % CI [.008, .048]). CONCLUSIONS: The current study documents that emotional support may be a mechanism linking childhood maltreatment to mental health symptoms. Emotional support from different sources appear to be of significant importance in understanding adult mental health. Clinical implications are discussed.
BACKGROUND: Research has well-established that childhood maltreatment is associated with depressive and social anxiety symptoms in adults. Emotional support has been proposed as a mediator, yet research investigating the unique contributions of emotional support from friends, family members, and romantic partners in adulthood is sparse. OBJECTIVE: The current study tested emotional support from family, friends, and romantic partners as mechanisms linking childhood maltreatment to depressive and social anxiety symptoms in adults. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING:Participants for the current study (N = 798) included adults in a committed romantic relationship and completed both the second wave of the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS 2) as well as the MIDUS 2 biomarker follow-up project. Emotional support from family, friends, and romantic partners was measured at MIDUS 2 and mental health symptoms were reported at the MIDUS 2 biomarker follow up. RESULTS: Emotional support from friends was identified as a mechanism from maltreatment to social anxiety symptoms (ß = .04, 95 % CI [.019, .066]), emotional support from family members was a mechanism to depressive symptoms (ß = .09, 95 % CI [.045, .146]), and emotional support from romantic partners was a mechanism for both depressive (ß = .02, 95 % CI [.005, .048]) and social anxiety symptoms (ß = .03, 95 % CI [.008, .048]). CONCLUSIONS: The current study documents that emotional support may be a mechanism linking childhood maltreatment to mental health symptoms. Emotional support from different sources appear to be of significant importance in understanding adult mental health. Clinical implications are discussed.