Individual- and Relationship-Level Factors Related to Better Mental Health Outcomes following Child Abuse: Results from a Nationally Representative Canadian Sample

doi:10.1177/0706743716651832

. 2016 Dec;61(12):776-788.

doi: 10.1177/0706743716651832. Epub 2016 Jul 9.

Individual- and Relationship-Level Factors Related to Better Mental Health Outcomes following Child Abuse: Results from a Nationally Representative Canadian Sample

Tracie O Afifi^{1

2}, Harriet L MacMillan^{3

4}, Tamara Taillieu⁵, Sarah Turner¹, Kristene Cheung⁶, Jitender Sareen^{1

2

6}, Michael H Boyle³

Affiliations

¹ 1 Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba.
² 2 Department of Psychiatry, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba.
³ 3 Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario.
⁴ 4 Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario.
⁵ 5 Applied Health Sciences Program, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba.
⁶ 6 Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

PMID: 27310246
PMCID: PMC5564893
DOI: 10.1177/0706743716651832

Individual- and Relationship-Level Factors Related to Better Mental Health Outcomes following Child Abuse: Results from a Nationally Representative Canadian Sample

Tracie O Afifi et al. Can J Psychiatry. 2016 Dec.

. 2016 Dec;61(12):776-788.

doi: 10.1177/0706743716651832. Epub 2016 Jul 9.

Authors

Tracie O Afifi^{1

2}, Harriet L MacMillan^{3

4}, Tamara Taillieu⁵, Sarah Turner¹, Kristene Cheung⁶, Jitender Sareen^{1

2

6}, Michael H Boyle³

Affiliations

¹ 1 Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba.
² 2 Department of Psychiatry, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba.
³ 3 Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario.
⁴ 4 Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario.
⁵ 5 Applied Health Sciences Program, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba.
⁶ 6 Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

PMID: 27310246
PMCID: PMC5564893
DOI: 10.1177/0706743716651832

Abstract
in English, French

Objective: Child abuse can have devastating mental health consequences. Fortunately, not all individuals exposed to child abuse will suffer from poor mental health. Understanding what factors are related to good mental health following child abuse can provide evidence to inform prevention of impairment. Our objectives were to 1) describe the prevalence of good, moderate, and poor mental health among respondents with and without a child abuse history; 2) examine the relationships between child abuse and good, moderate, and poor mental health outcomes; 3) examine the relationships between individual- and relationship-level factors and better mental health outcomes; and 4) determine if individual- and relationship-level factors moderate the relationship between child abuse and mental health.

Method: Data were from the nationally representative 2012 Canadian Community Health Survey: Mental Health ( n = 23,395; household response rate = 79.8%; 18 years and older). Good, moderate, and poor mental health was assessed using current functioning and well-being, past-year mental disorders, and past-year suicidal ideation.

Results: Only 56.3% of respondents with a child abuse history report good mental health compared to 72.4% of those without a child abuse history. Individual- and relationship-level factors associated with better mental health included higher education and income, physical activity, good coping skills to handle problems and daily demands, and supportive relationships that foster attachment, guidance, reliable alliance, social integration, and reassurance of worth.

Conclusions: This study identifies several individual- and relationship-level factors that could be targeted for intervention strategies aimed at improving mental health outcomes following child abuse.

Objectif:: La violence faite aux enfants peut avoir des conséquences désastreuses sur la santé mentale. Heureusement, les personnes exposées à la violence dans l’enfance ne souffriront pas toutes d’une mauvaise santé mentale. Connaître quels sont les facteurs liés à une bonne santé mentale suite à la violence faite aux enfants peut procurer des données probantes pour éclairer la prévention de déficiences. Nos objectifs étaient de: 1) décrire la prévalence de santé mentale bonne, modérée et mauvaise chez les répondants ayant ou non des antécédents de violence faite aux enfants; 2) examiner les relations entre la violence faite aux enfants et les résultats de santé mentale bonne, modérée et mauvaise; 3) examiner les relations entre les facteurs individuels et relationnels et les meilleurs résultats de santé mentale; et 4) déterminer si les facteurs individuels et relationnels modèrent la relation entre la violence faite aux enfants et la santé mentale.

Méthode:: Les données nationalement représentatives provenaient de l’Enquête sur la santé dans les collectivités canadiennes - Santé mentale de 2012 (n = 23 395; taux de réponse des ménages = 79,8%; 18 ans et plus). La santé mentale bonne, modérée et mauvaise a été évaluée par le fonctionnement et le bien-être actuels, les troubles mentaux de l’année précédente, et l’idéation suicidaire de l’année précédente.

Résultats:: Seulement 56,3% des répondants ayant des antécédents de violence faite aux enfants déclarent une bonne santé mentale comparativement à 72,4% de ceux n’ayant pas ces antécédents. Les facteurs individuels et relationnels associés à une meilleure santé mentale étaient notamment: un niveau élevé d’instruction et de revenu, l’activité physique, de bonnes stratégies d’adaptation pour traiter les problèmes et les exigences de la vie quotidienne, et des relations de soutien qui favorisent l’attachement, l’encadrement, une alliance fiable, l’intégration sociale, et la réaffirmation de la valeur.

Conclusions:: Cette étude identifie plusieurs facteurs individuels et relationnels qui pourraient être ciblés pour des stratégies d’intervention visant à améliorer les résultats de santé mentale suite à la violence faite aux enfants.

Keywords: child abuse; coping; functioning; intervention; mental disorders; mental health; physical activity; resilience; suicidal ideation; well-being.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Conflicting Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

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References

1. Afifi TO, MacMillan H, Boyle M, Taillieu T, Cheung K, Sareen J. Child abuse and mental disorders in Canada. CMAJ. 2014;186(9):E324–E332. - PMC - PubMed
1. Gilbert R, Widom CS, Browne K, Fergusson D, Webb E, Janson S. Burden and consequences of child maltreatment in high-income countries. Lancet. 2009;373(9657):68–81. - PubMed
1. El-Bassel N, Gilbert L, Witte S, et al. Intimate partner violence and substance abuse among minority women receiving care from an inner-city emergency department. Womens Health Issues. 2003;13(1):16–22. - PubMed
1. Afifi TO, Mota NP, Dasiewicz P, MacMillan H, Sareen J. Physical punishment and mental disorders: results from a nationally representative US sample. Pediatrics. 2012;130(2):184–192. - PubMed
1. Afifi TO, Mather A, Boman J, et al. Childhood adversity and personality disorders: results from a nationally representative population-based study. J Psychiatr Res. 2011;45(6):814–822. - PubMed

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[1] Afifi TO, MacMillan H, Boyle M, Taillieu T, Cheung K, Sareen J. Child abuse and mental disorders in Canada. CMAJ. 2014;186(9):E324–E332. - PMC - PubMed

[2] Afifi TO, MacMillan H, Boyle M, Taillieu T, Cheung K, Sareen J. Child abuse and mental disorders in Canada. CMAJ. 2014;186(9):E324–E332. - PMC - PubMed

[3] Gilbert R, Widom CS, Browne K, Fergusson D, Webb E, Janson S. Burden and consequences of child maltreatment in high-income countries. Lancet. 2009;373(9657):68–81. - PubMed

[4] Gilbert R, Widom CS, Browne K, Fergusson D, Webb E, Janson S. Burden and consequences of child maltreatment in high-income countries. Lancet. 2009;373(9657):68–81. - PubMed

[5] El-Bassel N, Gilbert L, Witte S, et al. Intimate partner violence and substance abuse among minority women receiving care from an inner-city emergency department. Womens Health Issues. 2003;13(1):16–22. - PubMed

[6] El-Bassel N, Gilbert L, Witte S, et al. Intimate partner violence and substance abuse among minority women receiving care from an inner-city emergency department. Womens Health Issues. 2003;13(1):16–22. - PubMed

[7] Afifi TO, Mota NP, Dasiewicz P, MacMillan H, Sareen J. Physical punishment and mental disorders: results from a nationally representative US sample. Pediatrics. 2012;130(2):184–192. - PubMed

[8] Afifi TO, Mota NP, Dasiewicz P, MacMillan H, Sareen J. Physical punishment and mental disorders: results from a nationally representative US sample. Pediatrics. 2012;130(2):184–192. - PubMed

[9] Afifi TO, Mather A, Boman J, et al. Childhood adversity and personality disorders: results from a nationally representative population-based study. J Psychiatr Res. 2011;45(6):814–822. - PubMed

[10] Afifi TO, Mather A, Boman J, et al. Childhood adversity and personality disorders: results from a nationally representative population-based study. J Psychiatr Res. 2011;45(6):814–822. - PubMed

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Individual- and Relationship-Level Factors Related to Better Mental Health Outcomes following Child Abuse: Results from a Nationally Representative Canadian Sample

Affiliations

Individual- and Relationship-Level Factors Related to Better Mental Health Outcomes following Child Abuse: Results from a Nationally Representative Canadian Sample

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract
in English, French

Conflict of interest statement

Similar articles

Cited by

References

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources

Other Literature Sources

Medical

Miscellaneous

Abstract in English, French

Conflict of interest statement

Similar articles

Cited by

References

Publication types

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Related information

Grants and funding

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Medical

Miscellaneous

Abstract
in English, French