Demographic characteristics of 20 youth exposed to childhood abuse, 18 psychiatric controls and 25 healthy controls
| Characteristic | Group; mean ± SD or no. (%) | F2,60 | p value* | Between groups | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Childhood abuse (n = 20) | Psychiatric controls (n = 18) | Healthy controls (n = 25) | ||||
| Age, yr† | 17.1 ± 2.52 | 16.8 ± 2.65 | 17.75 ± 1.61 | 0.85 | 0.43 | — |
| Socioeconomic status | 2.81 ± 0.70 | 3.00 ± 0.69 | 3.28 ± 0.74 | 2.59 | 0.09 | — |
| IQ | 92.1 ± 15.5 | 92.8 ± 12.8 | 105.3 ± 10.5 | 7.56 | 0.001 | CA, PC < HC |
| Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire | ||||||
| Emotional problems | 4.35 ± 2.82 | 5.00 ± 3.03 | 2.09 ± 1.56 | 7.94 | 0.001 | CA, PC > HC |
| Conduct problems | 4.10 ± 2.17 | 2.33 ± 2.20 | 1.83 ± 1.59 | 7.55 | 0.001 | CA > PC, HC |
| Hyperactivity | 5.40 ± 2.28 | 4.72 ± 2.72 | 3.00 ± 2.13 | 5.93 | 0.005 | CA, PC > HC |
| Peer problems | 3.65 ± 1.51 | 2.61 ± 1.98 | 1.22 ± 1.78 | 9.56 | < 0.001 | CA, PC > HC |
| Prosocial | 7.30 ± 1.72 | 8.50 ± 1.79 | 8.04 ± 1.46 | 2.59 | 0.09 | — |
| Total difficulties score | 17.5 ± 6.75 | 14.7 ± 6.31 | 8.13 ± 5.67 | 12.9 | < 0.001 | CA, PC > HC |
| Beck Depression Inventory | 15.6 ± 10.8 | 19.9 ± 10.3 | 5.92 ± 6.09 | 8.03 | 0.001 | CA, PC > HC |
| Childhood Trauma Questionnaire | ||||||
| Physical abuse | 20.2 ± 5.53 | 6.00 ± 1.50 | 5.52 ± 0.96 | 133.9 | < 0.001 | CA > PC, HC |
| Emotional abuse | 17.3 ± 4.76 | 6.89 ± 1.84 | 6.60 ± 2.63 | 69.5 | < 0.001 | CA > PC, HC |
| Sexual abuse | 5.05 ± 0.22 | 5.28 ± 0.56 | 5.05 ± 0.28 | 2.08 | 0.13 | — |
| Physical neglect | 13.4 ± 5.40 | 6.72 ± 2.22 | 6.08 ± 2.41 | 26.3 | < 0.001 | CA > PC, HC |
| Emotional neglect | 17.8 ± 4.73 | 9.00 ± 3.68 | 8.40 ± 3.67 | 33.2 | < 0.001 | CA > PC, HC |
| Age at onset of (physical) abuse, yr | 3.85 ± 2.80 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Duration of (physical) abuse, yr | 8.00 ± 3.15 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Male sex | 12 (65) | 8 (45) | 16 (76) | 4.52§ | 0.11 | — |
| DSM-IV Psychiatric diagnosis | ||||||
| PTSD | 10 (50) | 11 (61) | — | — | — | — |
| Depression | 5 (25) | 5 (28) | — | — | — | — |
| Anxiety disorders | 4 (20) | 5 (27) | — | — | — | — |
| Social phobia | 2 (10) | 2 (11) | — | — | — | — |
| Panic disorder | 1 (5) | 1 (6) | — | — | — | — |
| ADHD | 1 (5) | 1 (6) | — | — | — | — |
| ODD/CD/other disruptive behaviours | 4 (20) | 3 (17) | — | — | — | — |