Emotional Abuse and Emotional Neglect in Childhood

198 Pages·2015·1.9 MB·English

by  Stephanie B Clarke

Emotional Abuse and Emotional Neglect in Childhood:
Subtypes, Ecological Correlates, and Developmental Tasks of Emerging Adulthood

A DISSERTATION
SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
BY

Stephanie Clarke

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS
FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

Advisor: Dante Cicchetti, PhD

June 2015
© 2015 Stephanie Clarke
~ For my Grammy, Doris Margaret ~
From the bottom of my heart – neither I, nor this dissertation, would have been possible without
you. I miss you every day.

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Abstract
Theoretical and empirical work indicate that childhood emotional maltreatment (CEM),
despite persistent views that it is not as widespread or damaging as other forms of childhood
maltreatment, is alarmingly common and exacts lasting consequences over youth and into
adulthood. Despite these findings, empirical and social attention to CEM lags behind other forms
of childhood maltreatment. With a large, diverse college student sample, this endeavor employed
a developmental psychopathology perspective to (Study 1) examine CEM subtypes, (Study 2)
document ecological correlates of childhood emotional abuse (CEA) and childhood emotional
neglect (CEN), and (Study 3) examine associations between CEM experiences and current
functioning on stage-salient tasks of emerging adulthood, with a focus on attachment theory to
guide possible mediators of these relationships.
First, this project responded to ongoing debate in the literature regarding conceptual and
operational definitions of CEM subtypes (Study 1), providing evidence through exploratory and
confirmatory factor analysis for CEN and CEA subtypes. Next, (Study 2) examination of shared
and unique ecological correlates associated with CEN and CEA, with a focus on family
characteristics and processes, were examined. With all predictors in a single model, correlates
unique to CEN included challenges to parenting, such as single parent households or children
who were raised in foster care or by other family members. Factors unique to CEA included
patterns of family interactions marked by hostility and negativity. Finally, (Study 3) examined the
association between retrospective reports of CEM experiences and current functioning in three
domains of stage-salient, developmental tasks of emerging adulthood particularly relevant to a
college student sample, including academic and intellectual functioning, conduct (i.e., crime and
problematic expressions of anger), and social competence. Due to a large proportion of, and
differences found for, participants identifying as Asian, separate analyses were carried out for
participants identifying as Asian and non-Asian (i.e., participants identifying as white, black, or
Hispanic/ Latino). For non-Asian participants, higher levels of CEA were associated with both
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measures of conduct (crime and problematic expressions of anger), but not with perceptions of
academic or social competence. For Asian students, on the other hand, CEA did not predict
conduct, but did predict academic functioning, especially for females, and social competence. For
non-Asian participants, higher levels of CEN predicted academic competence, particularly for
black males, and social competence. For Asian participants, CEN predicted crime (particularly
for those who had experienced sexual and/or physical abuse) and social competence (particularly
for males with a history of physical abuse).
Guided by attachment theory, hypothesized mediators of the relationship between
reported CEM experiences and current functioning included self-esteem (CEA and perceptions of
academic competence), emotion dysregulation (CEM and conduct), and current parent attachment
with regard to alienation (CEM and perceptions of social competence and friendships). Findings
for Asian students (but not non-Asian students) supported the hypothesized mediation of the
relationship between CEA and perceptions of academic competence by self-esteem. Findings
across all ethnicities supported the mediation of the relationship between CEM (CEA, in
particular) and conduct (problematic expressions of anger) by emotion dysregulation (in
particular, impulse control). Finally, the hypothesized mediation of the relationship between CEM
and social competence by current ratings of parent attachment was found for Asian participants
only. Discussion of results is guided by a developmental psychopathology perspective and
includes a focus on emerging adulthood and the CEM context for Asian-identified students.

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Table of Contents
List of Figures…………………………………………………………………...............................v
List of Tables..………………………………………………………………………………....….vi
Introduction…………………………………………………………………………..................….1
Methods (Overall)………………………………………………....………………..……22
Study 1: Introduction………………………………………………..…………………..….….…25
Hypotheses…………………………………………………………………………….…27
Methods……………………………………………………………………….……...… 28
Results………………………………………………………………………….…….…. 41
Study 2: Introduction……………………………………………………....…………………..…46
Hypotheses……………………………………………………………………….………51
Methods………………………………………………………………………...….…..…53
Results…………………………………………………………………..................….….61
Study 3: Introduction……………………………………………….……………………….……69
Hypotheses……………………………………………………………..…………...……74
Methods……………………………………………………………………………….….77
Results…………………………………………………………………..…….…..……...84
Discussion……………………………………………………………………..…….…..…...….107
Figures…………………………………………………………….……………….…………….125
Tables………………………………………………………………………….……………...…127
References……………………………...……………………………………...................…...…172
Appendix……………………………………………………………………………….……......189

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List of Figures
Figure
1. Scree Plot for Childhood Emotional Maltreatment (CEM) Items in Exploratory Factor
Analysis………………………………………………………………………………………….125
2. Proposed Two-Factor Structure of CEM………………………...……………………..126

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List of Tables
Tables – Study 1
1. Demographic Characteristics and Difference Tests for Subsamples and Total
Sample…………………………………………………………………………………………...127
2. Items Selected for Factor Analysis to Represent Latent Childhood Emotional Abuse
(CEA) and Childhood Emotional Neglect (CEN) Constructs………………………..…………129
3. Zero-Order Correlation Matrix of CEM Items…………………………………………130
4. Anti-Image Correlation Matrix of CEM Items…………………………………………131
5. Factor Eigenvalues and Percentages of Variance Explained…………………………...132
6. Communalities………………………………………………………………………….133
7. Pattern Matrix of Item Factor Loadings for the Two-Factor Solution………………….134
8. Structure Matrix of Item Factor Loadings for the Two-Factor Solution……….………135
9. Factor Correlation Matrix………………………………………………………………136
Tables – Study 2
10. Name and Description of Selected Variables by Ecological Level…………………….137
11. Statistical Associations (ANOVA and Chi-Square) among Ecological Correlates and
CEM Subtype……………………………………………………………………………………139
12. Predictors’ Contributions to the Multinomial Logistic Regression…………………….142
13. Parameter Estimates from Multinomial Logistic Regression Contrasting the No CEM
(Contrast) Group to the CEM Subgroups: CEN Only, CEA Only, and Combined CEA/ CEN...144
Tables – Study 3
14. Zero-Order Correlations Between Study 3 Variables for Total Sample and by Sex…...148
15. Results of Hierarchical Regression Examining Predictive Power of CEA on Academic
Achievement (Self-Perception of Scholastic Competence) in Non-Asian and Asian participants…
…………………………………………………………………………………………………...151
16. Results of Hierarchical Regression Examining Predictive Power of CEN on Academic
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Achievement (Self Perception of Scholastic Competence) in Non-Asian and Asian participants…
…………………………………………………………………………………………………...152
17. Results of Hierarchical Regression Examining Predictive Power of CEA on Academic
Achievement (Self Perception of Intellectual Ability) in Non-Asian And Asian Participants…
…………………………………………………………………………………………………...153
18. Results of Hierarchical Regression Examining Predictive Power of CEN on Academic
Achievement (Self Perception of Intellectual Ability) in Non-Asian And Asian Participants…
…………………………………………………………………………………………………...154
19. Results of Hierarchical Regression Examining Predictive Power Of CEA on Conduct
(Types of Crime Committed) in Non-Asian And Asian Participants…………………………...155
20. Results of Hierarchical Regression Examining Predictive Power of CEN on Conduct
(Types of Crime Committed) in Non-Asian And Asian Participants…………………………...156
21. Results of Hierarchical Regression Examining Predictive Power of CEA on Conduct
(Anger Expressed Outwardly) in Non-Asian And Asian Participants………………………...157
22. Results of Hierarchical Regression Examining Predictive Power of CEN on Conduct
(Anger Expressed Outwardly) in Non-Asian And Asian Participants………………………...158
23. Results of Hierarchical Regression Examining Predictive Power of CEA on Social
Competence And Friendship (Self Perception of Close Friendships) in Non-Asian And Asian
Participants……………………………………………………………………………………...159
24. Results of Hierarchical Regression Examining Predictive Power of CEN on Social
Competence And Friendship (Self Perception of Close Friendships) in Non-Asian And Asian
Participants……………………………………………………………………………………...160
25. Results of Hierarchical Regression Examining Predictive Power of CEA on Social
Competence And Friendship (Peer Alienation) in Non-Asian And Asian Participants………...161
26. Results of Hierarchical Regression Examining Predictive Power of CEN on Social
Competence And Friendship (Peer Alienation) in Non-Asian And Asian Participants……...…162
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27. Results of Hierarchical Regression Examining Predictive Power of CEA on Social
Competence and Friendship (Peer Trust) in Non-Asian And Asian Participants……………….163
28. Results of Hierarchical Regression Examining Predictive Power of CEN on Social
Competence and Friendship (Peer Trust) in Non-Asian And Asian Participants……………….164
29. Results of Hierarchical Regression Examining Predictive Power of CEA on Social
Competence and Friendship (Peer Communication) in Non-Asian And Asian Participants...…165
30. Results of Hierarchical Regression Examining Predictive Power of CEN on Social
Competence and Friendship (Peer Communication) in Non-Asian And Asian Participants...…166
Tables - Discussion
31. Results of hierarchical regression examining predictive power of CEN on social
competence and friendship (confidant support) in non-Asian and Asian participants……...…..167
32. Results of hierarchical regression examining predictive power of CEA on social
competence and friendship (affective support) in non-Asian and Asian participants…………..169
33. Results of hierarchical regression examining predictive power of CEN on social
competence and friendship (affective support) in non-Asian and Asian participants…………..170

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