Poster #34 - Childhood Maltreatment, Juvenile Arrest, and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder in Adulthood: A Prospective Longitudinal Investigation

• In Event: ASC Poster Session II

Abstract

Childhood maltreatment has been associated with increased risk of legal system involvement during adolescence and adulthood and unfavorable mental health outcomes, such as symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Despite scientific evidence and popular beliefs about the detrimental impact of legal system involvement, little is known about the long-term mental health consequences of juvenile arrests. Given the overrepresentation of trauma and childhood maltreatment in juvenile legal system populations, it is important to understand the extent to which prior trauma history impacts youth as they interact with the legal system. This study examines the effects of childhood maltreatment and juvenile arrest on PTSD symptoms in adulthood, using data from a 30-year longitudinal study. Using a prospective cohorts design, maltreated and non-maltreated children (ages 0-11) were matched on age, sex, race, and approximate family social class and interviewed at mean age 28.7 years (N = 1196). Based on previous findings, we expect that maltreatment will predict a higher number of PTSD symptoms in young adulthood. We also expect that juvenile arrest (any arrest and number of arrests) will predict PTSD symptoms and hypothesize a significant interaction between maltreatment and arrest, with maltreatment exacerbating the impact of arrest on PTSD symptoms. Findings may inform clinical understanding of what constitutes trauma for mental health professionals working with legal system-involved populations and promote evidence-based policy recommendations for trauma-informed care and interventions in correctional settings.

Authors

• Makena Tinney, John Jay College of Criminal Justice / CUNY Graduate Center

• Cathy Spatz Widom, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY