Abstract
Early childhood trauma can have a significant impact on the mental health of adults. This paper brings together empirical data from quantitative, qualitative, and meta-analytical studies to examine the long-term effect of childhood trauma on mental health. Valladares-Garrido et al. (2023) quantitatively assess the relationship between childhood trauma and mental health disorders among the COVID-19 population. It uses a cross-sectional method and found high rates of depression (76.3%) and anxiety (62.3%) among youth exposed to childhood trauma. It demonstrated that early traumas have long-term psychological consequences. It implies an increased susceptibility to mental stress and substance abuse.
On the other hand, the qualitative analysis by Jobson et al. (2022) takes a different approach and focuses on the long-lasting effects of multiple childhood traumas. The qualitative study design reveals that exposure to multiple traumas during childhood influences the mental state and quality of life during adulthood. The study points out the need for guidance and counseling in recovering from childhood traumas. It also has specific processes for research on gender responses to traumatic experiences. Baldwin et al. (2023). A meta-analysis examining the association between childhood maltreatment and mental disorders in adulthood. The study is made up of 34 quasi-experimental studies that state that trauma moderately results from maltreatment that takes place during the childhood years. The research identifies a psychiatric intervention for those who have suffered from child abuse.
Introduction
Early childhood trauma has enduring impacts on several aspects of an individual’s life. Trauma in early childhood is often used to describe abusive or harmful actions or events that take place during childhood, which usually occurs before age five. Traumatic experiences like those may have long-term implications for health that affect both the physical and mental condition of a person. Traumas at a younger age have also been correlated with an increased risk of developing mental health disorders. Traumas that occur early in an individual’s life can have long-term consequences and deficiencies. Complex traumas can affect brain function and cause neurobiological changes. The neurobiological changes are responsible for mental and physical functioning. Empirical evidence from prior researchers indicates that childhood traumas correlate with physical, mental, and emotional symptoms observed during adulthood (Ho et al., 2021). In other words, childhood experiences have a significant influence on an individual’s physical, mental, and emotional well-being. In the long run, exposure to childhood traumas can cause persistent substance abuse, captivity, and co-occurring mental problems that affect individual productivity.
In most cases, individuals who have suffered childhood traumas are likely to show signs of withdrawal, rebellion, and low self-esteem. The effects of childhood trauma have prompted attempts to mitigate them. Most of these traumas can be addressed through continuous psychotherapy and protecting children at an early age. The effect early childhood trauma has on a person’s mental health and general welfare can be described in many ways because it is even more profound. It affects a child’s cognitive, affective, and social development. Different kinds of study findings, including quantitative, qualitative, and meta-analytical investigations, indicate that experiencing trauma in early childhood increases the likelihood of developing mental disorders in adulthood.
Literature Review
The review of literature examines the impact of early childhood trauma on adult mental health. It begins by discussing the concept of childhood trauma and its long-term consequences. Then, three research projects are examined using quantitative, qualitative, and meta-analytical methodologies. The review summarizes results on the incidence of mental health disorders, their long-term implications, and the effectiveness of interventions in treating the long-term impacts of childhood trauma on mental health.
a). Quantitative analysis
The COVID-19 pandemic revealed a clear picture of the primary consequences of childhood trauma. Valladares-Garrido et al. (2023), in a study that involved schoolchildren particularly college-going learners. The study set to evaluate the long-term consequences of child trauma during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was aimed at evaluating the long-term mental health consequences during childhood amidst the pandemic among learners in Chiclayo City and Northern Peru.
The study design was a cross-sectional analytic approach that was utilized to evaluate the connection between childhood trauma and mental health disorders among young adults. In this case, the secondary data used was from previous research findings. The research that previously analyzed the association between family breakups and post-traumatic mental disorders was utilized. The study evaluated data gathered between March 2021 and April 2022. For primary data, the sample size was 562, which was drawn from a population of 863 participants through snowball sampling technique was the primary technique used to obtain the study sample size of interest. The inclusion and exclusion criteria included learners between ages 16 and 21. Further, the study excluded individuals who did not adequately respond to the Child PTSD Symptom Scale and family APGAR instruments.
The initial step in data collection was obtaining consent from parents and students. After which, questionnaires were distributed. The questionnaires were composed of questions on demographic features, alcohol consumption, family issues, previous family history of mental disorders, and an indication of any symptoms connected to depression and anxiety. Data obtained was analyzed using the Marshall’s Trauma Scale, which was used to analyze data based on childhood traumas, PHQ-9 used to analyze data on any symptoms of depression and anxiety; and lastly, the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) was used to indicate the rate of alcohol consumption. Data obtained from the study was analyzed using regression analysis, where each data set was assigned variables. Further, anxiety levels were 62.3% and increased at a rate of 55% among learners who underwent childhood traumas. The study concludes that children who undergo childhood traumas are likely to show mental distress and anxiety in later stages of life. Besides, these children are likely to consume alcohol and show signs of withdrawal (Kisely et al., 2020). Hence, this explains some of the long-term consequences of childhood trauma, which is the primary topic of research.
b). Qualitative Analysis
Jobson et al. (2022) evaluated the long-term impact of multiple childhood traumas. The study aimed to analyze the consequences of multiple stress exposures during childhood on an individual’s adult life. The study used a qualitative inquiry (GQI) research methodology and argues that GQI is a potent instrument for examining an individual’s beliefs and perception of a certain idea. The researchers used semi-structured interviews as a crucial method for accurately capturing individuals’ genuine feelings and experiences.
The study was done in Bay County, Florida, and the subjects included ten individuals. No sampling technique was involved because the study participants were self-selected. The inclusion criteria were individuals 18 years of age and must have been Bay County, Florida, residents. Individuals who did not meet these criteria were excluded. This study’s sample size was 10 with ages 25- 52 years of age from distinct ethnic groups in the region.
The initial step of the study was obtaining consent from the participants. Participants in this study were interviewed for 30 to 120 minutes. The researchers conducted semi-structured interviews, and all the responses from the participants were recorded. After the data was collected, the researchers conducted a theoretical thematic analysis. The theoretical thematic analysis was well-guided because of the pre-determined categories in the wellness model.
Jobson et al. (2022) found that exposure to multiple traumas during childhood affects an individual mental status in adulthood. Further, childhood traumas affect an individual quality of life. Simultaneously, it affects how individuals talk, relate, and interact with their equals. As such, this study contributes to the research topic because it explains the long-term effects of childhood traumas on individual mental well-being. The study recommends that guidance and counseling help individuals overcome childhood traumas. Further research can be done to explain gender differences and long-term responses to exposure to multiple traumatic events.
c). Meta-Analysis
Baldwin et al. (2023) perform a meta-analysis through a systematic review to understand the correlation between childhood traumas, maltreatment, and mental disorders that later occur in adulthood. However, there is a clear line of research that indicates childhood maltreatment directly affects an individual cognitive functionality in adulthood. There is a gap in understanding the extent to which maltreatment causes mental disorders. Thus, this study aims to bridge the gap by evaluating the correlation between childhood mistreatment and mental disorders later in life.
The researchers performed a systematic review and a meta-analysis to attain the study objectives. Adhering to the (CRD42020187520) protocol as stated by Prospero, observing the PRISMA and MOOSE analysis rules, Embase, PsycINFO, and MEDLINE were the databases used for this research. From this database, peer-reviewed studies were obtained. Two researchers scanned the eligible studies from the websites. Disagreements were resolved through dialogue.
Inclusion criteria were all the studies that discussed the extent of child maltreatment in humans. The form of maltreatment considered was corporal punishment of all forms of neglect towards a child, all forms of abuse towards children, and any form of victimization. Also, the study included peer-reviewed articles addressing the connection of maltreatment to mental health and all studies that discussed childhood trauma and included a quasi-experimental design. All other articles were excluded, apart from articles written after January 1, 2022.
After data extraction, the study was analyzed using a meta-analysis. This study included 34 quasi-experimental studies, which engaged 54,646 research subjects. Baldwin et al., 2023 found that childhood maltreatment moderately causes trauma that results in mental illness in adulthood; the quasi-experimental reports of this study were (Cohen’s d=0.56, 95% CI=0.41-0.71). Again, adhering to quasi-adjustment, there was still a minor rate of correlation between child maltreatment and mental disorders; this was marked at (Cohen’s d=0.31, 95% CI=0.24-0.37).
Lastly, from the analysis of the results, Baldwin et al. (2023) concluded that childhood traumas are a result of maltreatment that results in mental disorders in adulthood. The research adds that childhood trauma can also be caused by exposure to violent environments. In addition, the impacts of childhood traumas can be correlated with an individual’s genetics and family history. The study, therefore, recommends that individuals who have undergone childhood maltreatment seek psychiatric help in dealing with their awful childhood experiences. Thus, this study contributes to my research work because it explains how childhood maltreatment causes trauma that causes mental disorders in adulthood.
Conclusion
Childhood trauma is a risk factor for mental disorders in adulthood. The effects of childhood trauma are remarkably extreme because they cause disorientation in children. The disorientation affects the child’s ability to respond to stress. It also provokes a child’s development of autoimmune disorders, and it harms the child’s mental capability, influencing their mental operations. Among the notable extreme causes of childhood trauma are, but are not limited to, corporal treatment, sexual abuse, harassment, emotional neglect, rejection, dysfunctional families, and physical neglect. Extreme cases of these events make children feel rejected and abandoned, and hence, they tend to develop low self-esteem and withdrawal symptoms. Thus, it is necessary to guide children on how to respond to traumas; this will help minimize the long-term consequences of these traumas. One way is by offering emotional support. For instance, in cases of sexual abuse, it is necessary to seek help through guidance and counseling. Also, it is necessary to give the child words of consultation. Precisely, this will help the child realize they are not alone, which will then help ease the child’s mental battle. Lastly, it is necessary to seek psychiatric help in case a child undergoes trauma. Undoubtedly, joining hands to address childhood traumas will help address the possible occurrence of mental disorders during adulthood.
References
Baldwin, J. R., Wang, B., Karwatowska, L., Schoeler, T., Tsaligopoulou, A., Munafò, M. R., & Pingault, J.-B. (2023). Childhood Maltreatment and Mental Health Problems: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Quasi-Experimental Studies. American Journal of Psychiatry, 180(2), 117–126. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.20220174
Ho, G. W. K., Karatzias, T., Vallières, F., Bondjers, K., Shevlin, M., Cloitre, M., Ben-Ezra, M., Bisson, J. I., Roberts, N. P., Astill Wright, L., & Hyland, P. (2021). Complex PTSD symptoms mediate the association between childhood trauma and physical health problems. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 142, 110358. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2021.110358
Jobson, L., Wade, K. A., Rasor, S., Spearing, E., McEwen, C., & Fahmi, D. (2022). Associations between the misinformation effect, trauma exposure and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder and depression. Memory, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/09658211.2022.2134422
Kisely, S., Strathearn, L., & Najman, J. M. (2020). Child maltreatment and mental health problems in 30-year-old adults: A birth cohort study. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 129, 111–117. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2020.06.009
Valladares-Garrido, M. J., León-Figueroa, D. A., Dawson, F. M., Burga-Cachay, S. C., Fernandez-Canani, M. A., Failoc-Rojas, V. E., César Johan Pereira-Victorio, Danai Valladares-Garrido, & Fiorella Inga-Berrospi. (2023). Association between childhood trauma and mental health disorders in adolescents during the second pandemic wave of COVID-19, Chiclayo-Peru. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1169247
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