Cognitive and educational outcomes of maltreated and non-maltreated youth: A birth cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: Previous research suggests that child maltreatment is associated with adverse outcomes, but the potential impact on cognitive and educational outcomes into adulthood has rarely been studied using a birth cohort design. The aim of this study is to investigate whether child maltreatment is...

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Main Authors: Mills, R., Kisely, S., Alati, Rosa, Strathearn, L., Najman, J.
Format: Journal Article
Published: Sage Publications Ltd. 2018
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/71680
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author Mills, R.
Kisely, S.
Alati, Rosa
Strathearn, L.
Najman, J.
author_facet Mills, R.
Kisely, S.
Alati, Rosa
Strathearn, L.
Najman, J.
author_sort Mills, R.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description OBJECTIVES: Previous research suggests that child maltreatment is associated with adverse outcomes, but the potential impact on cognitive and educational outcomes into adulthood has rarely been studied using a birth cohort design. The aim of this study is to investigate whether child maltreatment is associated with adverse outcomes in cognitive function, high school completion and employment by the age of 21. METHODS: Longitudinal birth cohort study commencing in the prenatal period, with mothers and infants followed up to age 21. Of the original birth cohort of 7223, 3778 (52.3%) young people participated at age 21. Child maltreatment was identified by linkage with prospectively collected data from the relevant government agency. Associations between child maltreatment (abuse and neglect) and the outcomes were adjusted for relevant sociodemographic and perinatal variables. RESULTS: After full adjustment, young people who had been notified as cases of child maltreatment had reduced performance on the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test by over a quarter of a standard deviation (coefficient = -2.85, p = 0.004). Maltreated young people also had three times the odds of failing to complete high school (odds ratio = 3.12, p < 0.001) and more than twice the odds of not being engaged in either study or employment at age 21 (odds ratio = 2.38, p < 0.001). Both abuse and neglect were similarly associated with adverse outcomes. CONCLUSION: Child maltreatment, including both abuse and neglect, is associated with adverse cognitive, educational and employment outcomes in young adulthood. This adds further impetus to efforts to prevent child maltreatment and assist young people who have experienced it.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-716802018-12-13T09:33:19Z Cognitive and educational outcomes of maltreated and non-maltreated youth: A birth cohort study. Mills, R. Kisely, S. Alati, Rosa Strathearn, L. Najman, J. OBJECTIVES: Previous research suggests that child maltreatment is associated with adverse outcomes, but the potential impact on cognitive and educational outcomes into adulthood has rarely been studied using a birth cohort design. The aim of this study is to investigate whether child maltreatment is associated with adverse outcomes in cognitive function, high school completion and employment by the age of 21. METHODS: Longitudinal birth cohort study commencing in the prenatal period, with mothers and infants followed up to age 21. Of the original birth cohort of 7223, 3778 (52.3%) young people participated at age 21. Child maltreatment was identified by linkage with prospectively collected data from the relevant government agency. Associations between child maltreatment (abuse and neglect) and the outcomes were adjusted for relevant sociodemographic and perinatal variables. RESULTS: After full adjustment, young people who had been notified as cases of child maltreatment had reduced performance on the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test by over a quarter of a standard deviation (coefficient = -2.85, p = 0.004). Maltreated young people also had three times the odds of failing to complete high school (odds ratio = 3.12, p < 0.001) and more than twice the odds of not being engaged in either study or employment at age 21 (odds ratio = 2.38, p < 0.001). Both abuse and neglect were similarly associated with adverse outcomes. CONCLUSION: Child maltreatment, including both abuse and neglect, is associated with adverse cognitive, educational and employment outcomes in young adulthood. This adds further impetus to efforts to prevent child maltreatment and assist young people who have experienced it. 2018 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/71680 10.1177/0004867418768432 Sage Publications Ltd. restricted
spellingShingle Mills, R.
Kisely, S.
Alati, Rosa
Strathearn, L.
Najman, J.
Cognitive and educational outcomes of maltreated and non-maltreated youth: A birth cohort study.
title Cognitive and educational outcomes of maltreated and non-maltreated youth: A birth cohort study.
title_full Cognitive and educational outcomes of maltreated and non-maltreated youth: A birth cohort study.
title_fullStr Cognitive and educational outcomes of maltreated and non-maltreated youth: A birth cohort study.
title_full_unstemmed Cognitive and educational outcomes of maltreated and non-maltreated youth: A birth cohort study.
title_short Cognitive and educational outcomes of maltreated and non-maltreated youth: A birth cohort study.
title_sort cognitive and educational outcomes of maltreated and non-maltreated youth: a birth cohort study.
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/71680