Long-term effects of child abuse and neglect on alcohol use and excessive drinking in middle adulthood.

doi:10.15288/JSAD.2007.68.317

Paper

Long-term effects of child abuse and neglect on alcohol use and excessive drinking in middle adulthood.

Published May 1, 2007 · C. Widom, H. White, S. Czaja

Journal of studies on alcohol and drugs

Q1 SJR score

240

Citations

8

Influential Citations

Full text

Semantic Scholar

Abstract

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to determine the long-term effects of child abuse and neglect on alcohol use in middle adulthood. METHOD Individuals with documented cases of childhood physical and sexual abuse and/or neglect (n = 500) and matched controls (n = 396) from a metropolitan county in the Midwest were followed and interviewed in middle adulthood. Outcomes were Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Third Edition, Revised, diagnoses of alcohol abuse or dependence in young adulthood (age 29) and excessive drinking in middle adulthood (age 40). RESULTS Women with documented histories of child abuse or neglect reported higher past-year typical quantity (p < .01) and past-month number of days drinking eight or more drinks (p < .05) than nonabused/nonneglected women. Controlling for parental alcohol/drug problems, the effect of child maltreatment on excessive drinking in middle adulthood was not significant for women. For women, the final structural equation model revealed an indirect path through alcohol diagnosis in young adulthood (p < .05) to excessive drinking in middle adulthood (p < .001) but no direct path from child abuse and neglect to excessive drinking in middle adulthood. For men, there were no significant paths from child abuse and neglect to alcohol diagnosis in young adulthood or excessive drinking in middle adulthood. For men and women, parental alcohol/drug problems had a significant indirect effect on the offspring's drinking in middle adulthood (p < .001) through young adult alcohol diagnosis (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS Consequences of abuse and neglect persist into middle adulthood for women, through continuation of earlier alcohol problems, suggesting the need for interventions throughout the life course. The influence of parental alcohol and drug problems warrants further attention.

Observational Study

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Key takeawayChild abuse and neglect have long-term effects on alcohol use and excessive drinking in middle adulthood, particularly for women, but not for men.

PopulationOlder adults (50-71 years)

Sample size24

MethodsObservational

OutcomesBody Mass Index projections

ResultsSocial networks mitigate obesity in older groups.

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Long-term effects of child abuse and neglect on alcohol use and excessive drinking in middle adulthood.

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References

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Genetic markers may help identify individuals at higher risk for alcoholism, as they show higher levels of acetaldehyde after drinking, less intense intoxication, and a lower amplitude of a positive brain wave.

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Childhood victimization is linked to later alcohol and drug problems, highlighting the need for a lifespan-focused prevention approach and targeted interventions.

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Abuse and neglect in childhood increase the likelihood of juvenile and adult arrests for violent crimes, with neglect being more highly correlated with violent arrests than sexual abuse.

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Childhood abuse history is strongly linked to substance use, with 20% of men and over 50% of women receiving detoxification services having a history of abuse.

Comparison of logistic regression versus propensity score when the number of events is low and there are multiple confounders.

Propensity scores are a more accurate and robust method for controlling imbalances when there are seven or fewer events per confounder, while logistic regression is the preferred choice for at least eight events per confounder.

Citations

Associations between child maltreatment and hospital admissions for alcohol and other substance use-related disorders up to 40 years of age: Results from the Childhood Adversity and Lifetime Morbidity study.

People with a history of child maltreatment have significantly higher odds of inpatient admissions for alcohol use disorders and other substance use disorders up to 40 years of age compared to those without such a history.

Longitudinal associations among experiences of sexual assault, posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, and heavy drinking in young adults.

Higher levels of PTSD symptoms in young adults are associated with larger increases in binge drinking over time, with females experiencing larger increases and males experiencing decreases in PTSD symptoms.

Positive personality traits moderate persistent high alcohol consumption, determined by polygenic risk in U.S. military veterans: results from a 10-year, population-based, observational cohort study

Positive personality traits like agreeableness and gratitude can help mitigate the risk of persistent high alcohol consumption in US military veterans with higher polygenic risk for alcohol consumption.

Alcohol Use Disorder Incidence, Mortality, and Disability-Adjusted Life Years in Estonia, 1990 to 2019: A Joinpoint Regression Analysis Using Global Burden of Disease Study

Alcohol use disorders in Estonia experienced a decreasing trend from 1990 to 2019, with men experiencing higher rates of incidence and mortality compared to women.

Do Coping Motives and Perceived Impaired Control Mediate the Indirect Links from Childhood Trauma Facets to Alcohol-Related Problems?

Childhood trauma, such as physical neglect and emotional and sexual abuse, indirectly contribute to alcohol use and related problems through increased coping motives and impaired control over alcohol.

Childhood neglect is associated with low affect and high stress in habitual alcohol drinkers.

Moderate to heavy daily drinkers with greater childhood physical neglect experience poorer mood and higher stress, with smaller improvements in stress, affect, and desire for alcohol after drinking alcohol.