Abstract
This study investigated heterogeneity in the developmental trajectories of internalizing symptoms among 541 children who were involved with the child welfare system and examined child maltreatment characteristics, including types, level of harm, and timing, as predictors of internalizing trajectory patterns. Secondary longitudinal research was conducted using data from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being-I, collected from 1999 to 2007 in the United States. Three distinct trajectory groups were identified: high–decreasing; low–increasing; and low–stable Sexual abuse, emotional abuse, neglect, and more severe levels of harm from maltreatment predicted membership in two maladaptive groups compared to the low–stable group. The findings of the study suggest the importance of providing a thorough assessment of the type and severity of maltreatment experiences and continued monitoring of internalizing symptoms for children with child welfare involvement.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 247-257 |
Number of pages | 11 |
Journal | Child Abuse and Neglect |
Volume | 72 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Oct 2017 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:This document includes data from the National Survey on Child and Adolescent Well-Being, which was developed under contract with the Administration on Children, Youth, and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (ACYF/DHHS). The data were provided by the National Data Archive on Child Abuse and Neglect. Funded through the Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children's Bureau, Grant #90CA1817. The contents of this publication do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the funders, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S Department of Health and Human Services. This information is in the public domain. Readers are encouraged to copy and share it, but please credit the author.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 Elsevier Ltd
Keywords
- Child maltreatment
- Developmental trajectories
- Heterogeneity
- Internalizing symptoms
- Longitudinal