Exploring Multi-Type Maltreatment in Childhood

In recent years, research has begun to focus on the short- and long-term effects that the experiencing of multi-type maltreatment in childhood can exert later in life. The current research sought to explore the relationship between childhood multi-type maltreatment and long-term functioning and adulthood victimization risk as well as clarify the specific combinations of maltreatment that exert the greatest impact on subsequent functioning and victimization risk. Retrospective and prospective survey data were collected from 558 undergraduate women at a medium-sized Midwestern university. Findings showed that women who experienced multiple forms of maltreatment reported greater functional impairment and trauma symptomatology than women who reported experiencing only one form of abuse or no history of abuse. Differences in reportedparenting practices were also identified as women who endorsed having experiences of childhood abuse were more likely to report authoritarian parenting in their homes of origin whereas women with no abuse histories reported greater authoritative parenting practices. Results also demonstrated that some specific childhood multi-type maltreatment groups and the experiencing of multiple forms of victimization as identified by summary scores were predictive of participants’ experiences of adolescent victimization reported at the first study session and victimization occurring over the 8-week follow-up. Future research directions as well as implications for programming and clinical practice are discussed.