Relations between childhood psychological maltreatment and mental health dimensions within a higher-order model

Experiences of childhood psychological maltreatment have been found to be associated with various mental health outcomes, and this association persists into adulthood. This study investigated whether some types of psychological maltreatment are more harmful than others; whether the harms associated with different types of psychological maltreatment are generalized or specific to particular domains of psychopathology; and whether the associations vary by gender. Participants ( N  = 544, 63.9 % mother as primary caregiver) were Chinese adults from various regions in China. Participants completed measures of childhood psychological maltreatment experiences perpetrated by their primary caregiver and the mental health outcomes of depression, anxiety, anger, physical aggression, and hostility. The data were analyzed in a hierarchical model in which depression and anxiety were defined as indicators of an internalizing factor, while anger, physical aggression, and hostility were defined as indicators of an externalizing factor. Internalizing and externalizing then defined a higher-order general psychopathology factor. The results suggested equivalent harms of psychological abuse and psychological neglect. Further, the associations between psychological maltreatment and mental health were not unique to specific symptom domains but showed broadband associations with general psychopathology. These findings suggest that trans-diagnostic interventions may be the most effective approach for addressing the mental health impacts of psychological maltreatment. Childhood psychological maltreatment may pose a broadband risk for any and all forms of psychopathology.