week 4: Baldwin et al (2024) prospective and retrospective measures f child maltreatmetn anad association wth psychopathology

What is the primary difference between prospective and retrospective measures of childhood maltreatment as defined in the study?

Prospective measure are assessments of maltreatment made while children are growing up, typically relying on third-party reports or official records. Retrospective measure rely on self-reports by individual i adolescence or adulthood about their past experiences.

What was the main objective of the systematic review and meta-analysis constructed by Baldwin et al. (2024)?

The objective was to analyse the association of prospective and retrospective measures of childhood maltreatment with psychopathology and to determine if these associations differed.

With database search platforms were used in this study?

The database searched were Embase, Psychinfo, and MEDLINE

I unadjusted analyses, which type of maltreatment measure showed a stronger association with psychopathology? Provide the approximate odds ratio (OR).

Retrospective measures showed a stronger association with psychopathology in unadjusted analyses, with an approximate Odds Ration of 2.21

In adjusted analyses, which type of maltreatment measure maintained a stronger association with psychopathology? Provide the approximate odds ratio (OR).

Retrospective measures maintained a stronger association with psychopathology in adjusted analyses, with an approximate OR of 2.14.

Were the associations between prospective measures of childhood maltreatment maltreatment and psychopathology significantly moderated by the variables tested in the study?

No, there was no statistically significant moderation of the unadjusted or adjusted associations between prospective measures of childhood maltreatment maltreatment and psychopathology.

Were the associations between retrospective measures of child maltreatment and psychopathology significantly moderated by and of the variables tested? If so, name at least one significant moderator.

Yes, the associations between retrospective measures and psychopathology were significantly moderated. Significant moderators included the type of maltreatment measure (specifically emotional abuse being stronger), type of psychopathology (internalising disorders being stronger), and informant for psychopathology (self-reports being stronger).

When the assessment of psychopathology was based on self-reports, were the associations with retrospective measures of maltreatment stronger or weaker compared to reports from others?

When psychopathology assessment was based on self-reports, the associations with retrospective measures of maltreatment were stronger.

Which type of psychopathology was more strongly associated with retrospective measures of maltreatment (internalising or externalising disorders)?

Internalising (emotional) disorders were more strongly associated with retrospective measures of maltreatment.

According to the authors, which theoretical perspective is best supported by the finding that psychopathology is more strongly associated with retrospective measures?

The findings support cognitive theories of childhood maltreatment-related psychopathology, which focus on subjective interpretation, conscious recall, and associated schemas.