E6 Abstracts / Comprehensive Psychiatry 52 (2011) E1–E18
with childhood maltreatment and sex on the risk for alcohol dependence.
Using national data with extensive measures, we address these issues: (1)
Do childhood sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, physical
neglect, and emotional neglect predict adult lifetime DSM-IV alcohol
dependence, controlling for co-occurring maltreatments and other child-
hood traumas? (2) Are these relationships synergistically modified by
parental alcoholism history?
Method: Face-to-face interviews of 27 712 adult participants in the
National Epidemiological Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions
were conducted.
Results: Childhood physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, and physical
neglect were associated with alcohol dependence (P b .001), controlling for
demographics, co-occurring maltreatments, and other childhood trauma. A
significant (P b .05) synergistic relationship between parental history and
physical abuse was found in the entire sample (AP, 0.21), and between
parental history and sexual abuse (AP, 0.31) and emotional neglect (AP,
0.26) in women. In other words, the risk of alcohol dependence given both
parental history and the maltreatment was higher than what would be
expected given the additive effect of each alone.
Conclusions: Childhood maltreatments independently increased the risk of
alcohol dependence, underscoring the importance of early identification and
prevention and suggesting the need to develop and incorporate alcohol
preventative components, such as cognitive restructuring, in maltreatment
interventions. Importantly, the effect of physical abuse on alcohol
dependence may depend on genetic vulnerability as suggested by the effect
of parental history of alcoholism, whereas the effects of sexual abuse and
emotional neglect may depend on this vulnerability among women. Thus,
maltreatment may have a long-term negative impact, which may depend on
genetic vulnerability and sex. Findings can be used to guide genetic studies
and intervention development.
doi:10.1016/j.comppsych.2011.04.021
Prospective investigation of psychological and affective pathways from
childhood trauma to psychosis-like experiences in a UK birth cohort
H. Fisher a, A. Schreier b, S. Zammit c, G. Lewis c, B. Maughan a,
M. Munafo c, G. Harrison c, D. Wolke b
a OR = 1.76; P = .006), and blacks (72.3 vs 57.9%; OR = 1.91; P b .05).
London, UK
b Interestingly, there were no significant differences between the groups in
Warwick, UK
c terms of age of first cigarette smoking, number of cigarettes currently
Bristol, UK
Introduction: Several large population-based studies have demonstrated
associations between adverse experiences in childhood and later develop-
ment of psychosis-like symptoms (PLIKS). However, little attention has
been paid to investigating the mechanisms involved in this pathway; and the
few existing studies have relied on cross-sectional assessments.
Methods: Prospectively collected data on 6779 children from the UK Avon
Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) were used to
address this issue. Mothers provided reports of children's exposure to
physical and emotional cruelty, sexual abuse, parental loss, and domestic
violence between birth and 6 years of age along with the child's mental
state at 7 and 10 years and their depressive symptoms at 9 and 11 years.
The children completed assessments of self-esteem and locus of control at
8.5 years, self-reported exposure to bullying before age 8.5, and were
interviewed regarding PLIKS at 12.9 years. Multiple mediation analysis
was performed to examine direct and indirect effects of each childhood
adversity on PLIKS using the weighted least squares mean and variance
adjusted (WLSMV) method.
Results: Early victimization exerted most of its effects directly on PLIKS,
with smaller indirect pathways via depression, low self-esteem, and external
locus of control. The strongest indirect effect of bullying on PLIKS was via
locus of control, whereas depressive symptoms were the strongest mediator
between domestic violence, maternal physical cruelty, emotional cruelty
from a father figure, and PLIKS.
Conclusion: These findings tentatively suggest that cognitive and affective
difficulties in childhood could be targeted to prevent at least some
adolescents exposed to early trauma from developing subclinical psychosis.
Downloaded for Anonymous User (n/a) at UNICAMP - Universidade Estadual de Campinas - SA from ClinicalKey.com by Elsevier on May 16, 2018.
For personal use only. No other uses without permission. Copyright ©2018. Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Such prevention efforts could subsequently reduce the incidence of
psychotic disorders, which place a massive burden on the individual, their
family, and society.
Funding Source: This aspect of the ALSPAC study was funded by the
Wellcome Trust (GR072043MA). Dr Fisher is supported by an interdisci-
plinary postdoctoral fellowship from the Medical Research Council and the
Economic and Social Research Council in the UK and a travel award from the
National Institute on Drug Abuse's Division of Epidemiology, Services, and
Prevention Research.
doi:10.1016/j.comppsych.2011.04.022
Childhood victimization and risk for smoking in middle adulthood
M. Ghirmay , C.S. Widom
New York, NY
Introduction: The aim was to investigate whether childhood abuse and/or
neglect increases a person's risk for smoking.
Methods: Using data from a prospective cohort design study, participants were
808 individuals with documented cases of physical and sexual abuse and
neglect (ages 0-11) from a Midwestern metropolitan county area during the
years 1967 to 1971 and a control group of children without such histories
matched on the basis of age, sex, race/ethnicity, and approximate family social
class. The sample was about half male (51.3%) and half female (48.7%) and
approximately 62% white, 33% black, and 4% Hispanic. The average age of the
sample at the time of smoking assessment was 41.2 years old. The assessment
of smoking was based on questions taken from the 1999-2000 NHANES
Survey and administered during in-person interviews during 2003-2005.
Results: Individuals with documented histories of child abuse and/or neglect
were significantly more likely to have smoked at least 100 cigarettes
compared with the control group (74.9% vs 61.9%, respectively; OR = 1.83;
P b .001). When examining each specific type of maltreatment, only the
neglected group was at significantly increased risk for having smoked at least
100 cigarettes in their lifetime compared with controls (77.33% vs 61.93%,
respectively; OR = 2.11; P b.001). The increased risk for smoking was found
for abused/neglected women (74.6% vs 59.9%, respectively; OR = 1.96; P =
.002), men (75.4% vs 64.0%; OR = 1.70; P = .025), whites (76.5% vs 64.3%;
smoked, or number of years smoked. Controlling for a history of major
depressive disorder, dysthymia, generalized anxiety disorder, posttraumatic
stress disorder, and alcohol and drug abuse/dependence diagnoses and
current levels of anxiety, depression, illicit drug use, and heavy drinking,
child abuse and neglect remained a significant predictor of smoking.
Conclusion: Childhood abuse/and or neglect increases risk for smoking.
Cigarette smoking has been found to act as a gateway drug for subsequent
substance abuse and as a threat to a person's health. These findings suggest
that preventative efforts should be developed for victims of child abuse/and
or neglect to assist them in minimizing risk for adverse health consequences
associated with smoking and to avoid subsequent risks for illicit drug use.
Funding: This research was supported in part by grants from NICHD
(HD40774), NIMH (H49467, MH58386), NIJ (86-IJ-CX-0033, 89-IJ-CX-
0007), NIDA (DA17842, DA10060); NIAAA (AA09238, AA11108), and
the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation to CS Widom. Points of view are
those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the position of the US
Department of Justice.
doi:10.1016/j.comppsych.2011.04.023
Religiosity and substance use disorders in an adult Israeli
household sample
E. Greenstein , D. Shmulewitz , D. Hasin
New York, NY
Introduction: Research shows a relationship between religiosity and many
health behaviors and practices. Previous studies show an inverse