A study involving more than 2000 adults in the Netherlands found that childhood maltreatment is linked to lower quality relationships later on in life.
Research in the past has shown that neglect or abuse in childhood can lead to insecure attachment patterns as adults. However, this study suggests that these problems are primarily caused by severe depression resulting from childhood trauma.
This large cohort has been followed for almost a decade. Researchers assessed participants for anxiety and depression in the first, second and fourth years. The presence of maltreatment in childhood was also assessed during the fourth year. The quality of the relationships and attachment styles were assessed in the ninth year.
A little more than three quarters of the participants reported having experienced depression or anxiety in the past.
Similar to the previous findings, respondents who had suffered from maltreatment in the past also showed more severe depression and anxiety.
They also reported lower quality relationships, higher levels insecure attachment and lower levels of satisfaction. Anxious attachment is exemplified through extreme intimacy with low levels autonomy. Avoidant attachment is exemplified with high levels autonomy and discomfort with intimate contact.
Researchers tried different approaches to determine what these factors had in common. After controlling for gender, age and education, researchers found that maltreatment and poor quality intimate relationships were "fully mediated" through insecure attachments and severe depression.
To see how each leads to the next, researchers created six pathways. The results showed that there are two ways in which insecure attachments can form. The strongest link is between childhood maltreatment and increased depression severity, anxious attachment, then to lower quality relationships.
The authors state that this pathway shows that individuals who have been maltreated in childhood may experience low moods and other depressive symptoms. They may also become more dependent on others and more anxious, which could be perceived as being clingier. This may lead to a decrease in quality of the relationship.
This second pathway also links maltreatment to depression, but it is avoidant attachment that leads lower quality relationships.
The authors explain that this is the final step because partners who avoid attachment are more likely to reject intimacy and to be less trusting and reliant on others.
These pathways need to be replicated if further research is to be done, particularly if we are interested in understanding how each factor may lead to another.
Despite the large sample size, there were some people with severe depression who dropped out. This could mean that the research might not have been fully representative.
Furthermore, the childhood maltreatment that was reported is based on past memories, making it difficult to determine if they are true.
However, these findings are in line with research that shows childhood neglect or abuse can have long-lasting effects on one's health and well-being later in life.
The authors recommend that parents, teachers, general practitioners and the public be informed about the potential harmful effects of childhood maltreatment on mental health and intimate relationships. This will help to detect and prevent future problems.
The study was published by Child Abuse & Neglect.
