NCJ Number
213303
Journal
Child Abuse & Neglect Volume: 30 Issue: 1 Dated: January 2006 Pages: 17-25
Date Published
January 2006
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This study investigated the link between maternal childhood maltreatment and psychopathology and aggression in intimate relationships during pregnancy and the postpartum period.
Abstract
Results indicated that sexual abuse and emotional neglect were significantly related to psychopathology during pregnancy. Moreover, physical abuse and neglect, as well as emotional neglect, were related to poorer maternal mental health outcomes at 1 year postpartum. However, maternal childhood physical abuse was actually associated with less aggression during pregnancy and maternal emotional abuse was associated with less psychopathology during postpartum. The findings suggest that maternal childhood maltreatment is associated with mental health problems during pregnancy and 1 year postpartum. Mental health intervention programming should target pregnant women for screening and treatment of psychopathology. Participants were 44 pregnant women recruited from an obstetric clinic and via a local advertising periodical. Participants completed questionnaires measuring aspects of childhood maltreatment, anxiety, alcohol disorders, aggression, depression, and drug abuse. Statistical analysis techniques included basic descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression models. Future studies should attempt to replicate these findings with a larger sample of pregnant women. Tables, references