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Child maltreatment and executive function development throughout adolescence and into young adulthood
Claudia Clinchard1, Brooks Casas1,2, Jungmeen Kim-Spoon1
1Department of Psychology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA.
Development and Psychopathology
|October 28, 2024
Summary
Early life neglect, not abuse, is linked to slower working memory development in adolescents. This research highlights the long-term impact of childhood neglect on cognitive skills during critical developmental periods.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Child Psychology
Background:
- Child maltreatment affects 1 in 7 US children, causing lifelong adverse outcomes.
- Adolescence is crucial for executive function development, yet research on maltreatment's differential impact is limited.
- Executive function (EF) dimensions include working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine how early life neglect and abuse differentially impact the developmental trajectories of executive function from adolescence to young adulthood.
- To investigate the prospective effects of recalled childhood neglect and abuse on executive function development.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study with 167 adolescents assessed at six time points (ages 14-20).
- Behavioral tasks measured working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility at each time point.
- Childhood neglect and abuse (ages 1-13) were self-reported at ages 18-19.
Main Results:
- All three executive function dimensions showed age-related improvements.
- Childhood neglect was prospectively associated with slower development of working memory abilities from ages 14-20.
- No significant associations were found between childhood abuse and executive function trajectories.
Conclusions:
- Early life neglect has adverse consequences, specifically delaying working memory development during adolescence and young adulthood.
- These findings underscore the importance of addressing childhood neglect to support healthy cognitive development.
- Further research should explore mechanisms linking neglect to working memory deficits.
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