Article Version of Record

The effects of maltreatment in childhood on working memory capacity in adulthood

Author(s) / Creator(s)

Dodaj, Arta
Krajina, Marijana
Sesar, Kristina
Šimić, Nataša

Abstract / Description

The aim of this study was to research the relation between exposure to maltreatment in childhood and working memory capacity in adulthood. A survey among 376 females in the age between 16 and 67 was administered. Exposure to maltreatment in childhood (sexual, physical and psychological abuse, neglect and witnessing family violence) was assessed retrospectively using the Child Maltreatment Questionnaire (Karlović, Buljan-Flander, & Vranić, 2001), whilst the Working Memory Questionnaire (Vallat-Azouvi, Pradat-Diehl, & Azouvi, 2012) was used to assess working memory capacity (recalling verbal information, numerical information, attention ability and executive functioning). The results suggest a significantly greater prevalence of physical abuse and witnessing family violence in comparison to other forms of maltreatment in childhood. Psychological abuse and witnessing family violence have shown themselves to be statistically significant predictors for deficits in total working memory capacity, verbal recall and attention ability. The results suggest that traumatic experiences during childhood, such as abuse, may trigger particular cognitive changes which may be reflected in adulthood. It is, therefore, exceedingly important to conduct further research in order to contribute to the understanding of the correlation between cognitive difficulties and maltreatment in childhood.

Keyword(s)

maltreatment in childhood trauma cognitive functioning working memory executive functions

Persistent Identifier

Date of first publication

2017-11-30

Journal title

Europe's Journal of Psychology

Volume

13

Issue

4

Page numbers

618–632

Publisher

PsychOpen GOLD

Publication status

publishedVersion

Review status

peerReviewed

Is version of

Citation

Dodaj, A., Krajina, M., Sesar, K., & Šimić, N. (2017). The effects of maltreatment in childhood on working memory capacity in adulthood. Europe's Journal of Psychology, 13(4), 618–632. https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.v13i4.1373
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Dodaj, Arta
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Krajina, Marijana
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Sesar, Kristina
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Šimić, Nataša
  • PsychArchives acquisition timestamp
    2018-11-21T10:00:08Z
  • Made available on
    2018-11-21T10:00:08Z
  • Date of first publication
    2017-11-30
  • Abstract / Description
    The aim of this study was to research the relation between exposure to maltreatment in childhood and working memory capacity in adulthood. A survey among 376 females in the age between 16 and 67 was administered. Exposure to maltreatment in childhood (sexual, physical and psychological abuse, neglect and witnessing family violence) was assessed retrospectively using the Child Maltreatment Questionnaire (Karlović, Buljan-Flander, & Vranić, 2001), whilst the Working Memory Questionnaire (Vallat-Azouvi, Pradat-Diehl, & Azouvi, 2012) was used to assess working memory capacity (recalling verbal information, numerical information, attention ability and executive functioning). The results suggest a significantly greater prevalence of physical abuse and witnessing family violence in comparison to other forms of maltreatment in childhood. Psychological abuse and witnessing family violence have shown themselves to be statistically significant predictors for deficits in total working memory capacity, verbal recall and attention ability. The results suggest that traumatic experiences during childhood, such as abuse, may trigger particular cognitive changes which may be reflected in adulthood. It is, therefore, exceedingly important to conduct further research in order to contribute to the understanding of the correlation between cognitive difficulties and maltreatment in childhood.
    en_US
  • Publication status
    publishedVersion
  • Review status
    peerReviewed
  • Citation
    Dodaj, A., Krajina, M., Sesar, K., & Šimić, N. (2017). The effects of maltreatment in childhood on working memory capacity in adulthood. Europe's Journal of Psychology, 13(4), 618–632. https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.v13i4.1373
  • ISSN
    1841-0413
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12034/1074
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.1266
  • Language of content
    eng
  • Publisher
    PsychOpen GOLD
  • Is version of
    https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.v13i4.1373
  • Keyword(s)
    maltreatment in childhood
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    trauma
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    cognitive functioning
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    working memory
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    executive functions
    en_US
  • Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)
    150
  • Title
    The effects of maltreatment in childhood on working memory capacity in adulthood
    en_US
  • DRO type
    article
  • Issue
    4
  • Journal title
    Europe's Journal of Psychology
  • Page numbers
    618–632
  • Volume
    13
  • Visible tag(s)
    Version of Record