Childhood maltreatment and somatic, depressive and anxiety symptoms among adolescents: A network analysis

This study applied network analysis to identify central and bridging nodes linking somatic, depressive, and anxiety symptoms with childhood maltreatment among male and female adolescents.

Adolescents, particularly those with a history of childhood maltreatment, are at an elevated risk for somatic, depressive, and anxiety symptoms. However, the complex interactions between these symptoms and maltreatment, as well as the potential influence of gender, remain unclear.

A multi-stage cluster sampling strategy was employed to conduct a questionnaire-based survey on childhood maltreatment, mental health, and somatic symptoms among 10,653 Chinese adolescents in 2023.

Network analysis was conducted utilizing the qgraph package in R Studio to identify central nodes and bridge nodes.

No significant gender-based differences were observed in the network structure or overall network strength. Both males and females exhibited common central nodes-headaches, tired or low energy and emotional abuse-that were central to connecting childhood maltreatment and somatic, depressive, and anxiety symptoms. Furthermore, emotional abuse, emotional neglect, sleep disturbance, and trouble sleeping were identified as shared bridge nodes, serving as crucial connectors in the networks.

Central nodes such as headaches, tired or low energy and emotional abuse, along with bridge nodes like emotional abuse, emotional neglect, sleep disturbance, and trouble sleeping, emerge as critical elements. These nodes provide valuable insights for public health and represent potential intervention targets to reduce the mental and physical health burden in adolescents.