Maltreatment during childhood and risk for common mental disorders among first year university students in South Africa

doi:10.1007/s00127-020-01992-9

. 2021 Jul;56(7):1175-1187.

doi: 10.1007/s00127-020-01992-9. Epub 2021 Jan 4.

Maltreatment during childhood and risk for common mental disorders among first year university students in South Africa

Bronwyn Myers^{1

2}, Jason Bantjes³, Christine Lochner⁴, Phillippe Mortier^{5

6

7}, Ronald C Kessler⁸, Dan J Stein^{9

10}

Affiliations

¹ Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, PO Box 19070, Tygerberg, 7505, South Africa. bmyers@mrc.ac.za.
² Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa. bmyers@mrc.ac.za.
³ Institute for Life Course Health Research, Department of Global Health, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa.
⁴ SAMRC Unit On Risk and Resilience in Mental Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa.
⁵ Group Health Services Research Group, IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute), Barcelona, Spain.
⁶ CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain.
⁷ Research Group Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven University, Leuven, Belgium.
⁸ Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA.
⁹ Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
¹⁰ SAMRC Unit on Risk and Resilience in Mental Disorders, Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.

PMID: 33394071
PMCID: PMC7780593
DOI: 10.1007/s00127-020-01992-9

Maltreatment during childhood and risk for common mental disorders among first year university students in South Africa

Bronwyn Myers et al. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2021 Jul.

. 2021 Jul;56(7):1175-1187.

doi: 10.1007/s00127-020-01992-9. Epub 2021 Jan 4.

Authors

Bronwyn Myers^{1

2}, Jason Bantjes³, Christine Lochner⁴, Phillippe Mortier^{5

6

7}, Ronald C Kessler⁸, Dan J Stein^{9

10}

Affiliations

¹ Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, PO Box 19070, Tygerberg, 7505, South Africa. bmyers@mrc.ac.za.
² Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa. bmyers@mrc.ac.za.
³ Institute for Life Course Health Research, Department of Global Health, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa.
⁴ SAMRC Unit On Risk and Resilience in Mental Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa.
⁵ Group Health Services Research Group, IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute), Barcelona, Spain.
⁶ CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain.
⁷ Research Group Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven University, Leuven, Belgium.
⁸ Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA.
⁹ Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
¹⁰ SAMRC Unit on Risk and Resilience in Mental Disorders, Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.

PMID: 33394071
PMCID: PMC7780593
DOI: 10.1007/s00127-020-01992-9

Abstract

Purpose: Childhood maltreatment elevates risk for common mental disorders (CMDs) during late adolescence and adulthood. Although CMDs are highly prevalent among university students, few studies have examined the relationship between childhood maltreatment and 12 month CMDs in a low- to middle-income countries. This paper describes the prevalence of maltreatment and the relationship between type, number and patterns of maltreatment exposure and 12 month CMDs among first-year university students in South Africa.

Methods: Maltreatment and CMD data were collected via well-validated self-report scales (corresponding with DSM-IV diagnoses) in a web-based survey of first-year students from two large urban universities (n = 1290) in South Africa. Various multivariate modelling approaches (additive, restrictive interactive and latent class) were used to examine the relationship between maltreatment and CMDs.

Results: Overall, 48.4% of participants reported childhood maltreatment, the most common type being emotional abuse (26.7%). Regardless of the modelling approach used, emotional abuse was the only type of maltreatment independently associated with 12-month diagnoses of major depressive disorder (MDD), generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) or drug use disorder (DUD) even after adjusting for types and number of types of maltreatment. Similarly, students in the latent class reflecting histories of emotional abuse (either alone or combined with physical abuse) were more likely to meet criteria for 12-month MDD, GAD or DUD.

Conclusion: Findings confirm the high prevalence of childhood maltreatment among South African students. As this exposure elevates risk for MDD, GAD and DUD, interventions aimed at preventing and treating CMDs among first-year students should address experiences of childhood maltreatment.

Keywords: Childhood maltreatment; Common mental disorders; Emotional abuse; South africa; University students.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

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Wechsberg WM, van der Drift I, Howard BN, Myers B, Browne FA, Bonner CP, Carney T, Ndirangu J, Washio Y. Wechsberg WM, et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Jul 16;19(14):8661. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19148661. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022. PMID: 35886515 Free PMC article. Review.
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Nguyen KA, Myers B, Abrahams N, Jewkes R, Mhlongo S, Seedat S, Lombard C, Garcia-Moreno C, Chirwa E, Kengne AP, Peer N. Nguyen KA, et al. Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy. 2023 Jun 22;18(1):38. doi: 10.1186/s13011-023-00549-8. Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy. 2023. PMID: 37349847 Free PMC article.
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Lemma A, Minichil W, Salelew E, Tadesa J, Kerebih H, Nigussie K, Demilew D, Shumet S. Lemma A, et al. PLoS One. 2022 Jul 13;17(7):e0271392. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0271392. eCollection 2022. PLoS One. 2022. PMID: 35830383 Free PMC article.
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References

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1. McGorry PD, Purcell R, Goldstone S, Amminger GP. Age of onset and timing of treatment for mental and substance use disorders: implications for preventive intervention strategies and models of care. Current Opin Psychiatry. 2011;24:301–306. - PubMed
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1. Ibrahim AK, Kelly SJ, Glazebrook C. Socioeconomic status and the risk of depression among UK higher education students. Soc Psychiatry PsychiatrEpidemiol. 2013;48:1491–1501. - PubMed

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[1] Arnett JJ. Emerging adulthood: a theory of development from the late teens through the twenties. Am Psychol. 2000;55:469–480. - PubMed

[2] Arnett JJ. Emerging adulthood: a theory of development from the late teens through the twenties. Am Psychol. 2000;55:469–480. - PubMed

[3] McGorry PD, Purcell R, Goldstone S, Amminger GP. Age of onset and timing of treatment for mental and substance use disorders: implications for preventive intervention strategies and models of care. Current Opin Psychiatry. 2011;24:301–306. - PubMed

[4] McGorry PD, Purcell R, Goldstone S, Amminger GP. Age of onset and timing of treatment for mental and substance use disorders: implications for preventive intervention strategies and models of care. Current Opin Psychiatry. 2011;24:301–306. - PubMed

[5] Stallman HM. Psychological distress in university students: a comparison with general population data. Australian Psychologist. 2010;45:249–257.

[6] Stallman HM. Psychological distress in university students: a comparison with general population data. Australian Psychologist. 2010;45:249–257.

[7] Larcombe W, Finch S, Sore R, et al. Prevalence and socio-demographic correlates of psychological distress among students at an Australian university. Studies in Higher Education. 2016;41:1074–1091.

[8] Larcombe W, Finch S, Sore R, et al. Prevalence and socio-demographic correlates of psychological distress among students at an Australian university. Studies in Higher Education. 2016;41:1074–1091.

[9] Ibrahim AK, Kelly SJ, Glazebrook C. Socioeconomic status and the risk of depression among UK higher education students. Soc Psychiatry PsychiatrEpidemiol. 2013;48:1491–1501. - PubMed

[10] Ibrahim AK, Kelly SJ, Glazebrook C. Socioeconomic status and the risk of depression among UK higher education students. Soc Psychiatry PsychiatrEpidemiol. 2013;48:1491–1501. - PubMed

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Maltreatment during childhood and risk for common mental disorders among first year university students in South Africa

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Maltreatment during childhood and risk for common mental disorders among first year university students in South Africa

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