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Childhood maltreatment and cognitive functioning in middle adulthood.
Kristin S Lynch1, Cathy Spatz Widom1
1Psychology Department, John Jay College, City University of New York, United States of America; Graduate Center, City University of New York, United States of America.
Child Abuse & Neglect
|July 30, 2022
Summary
Childhood maltreatment is linked to adult cognitive deficits. However, neglect survivors experienced cognitive improvements over 10 years, suggesting varied long-term impacts.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- Childhood maltreatment, including abuse and neglect, is recognized to cause cognitive deficits in adulthood.
- The long-term effects of childhood maltreatment on cognitive functioning trajectories from early to middle adulthood remain under-researched.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between childhood maltreatment and changes in cognitive functioning over a decade in adulthood.
- To determine if the type of childhood maltreatment influences the trajectory of adult cognitive function.
Main Methods:
- A prospective cohort study followed 1196 individuals with and without histories of childhood maltreatment (ages 0-11) into adulthood.
- Cognitive assessments included verbal intelligence and reading ability at age 29, and executive functioning at age 41.
- Linear mixed-effects modeling analyzed childhood maltreatment as a predictor of cognitive levels and changes over time.
Main Results:
- Childhood maltreatment was associated with significantly lower cognitive functioning at age 29 compared to controls (β = -0.28).
- This association was particularly strong for childhood neglect (β = -0.33).
- While controls showed a cognitive decline over 10 years, individuals with maltreatment histories showed no overall change; notably, those with neglect histories exhibited cognitive improvement (β = 0.13).
Conclusions:
- Childhood maltreatment is linked to persistent cognitive deficits in adulthood.
- The type of maltreatment influences adult cognitive trajectories, with neglect showing a pattern of initial deficit followed by recovery.
- These findings highlight the complex, long-term impact of early life adversity on cognitive development and aging.
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