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 functionsPersistent 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
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Dodaj, Arta
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Krajina, Marijana
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Sesar, Kristina
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Šimić, Nataša
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PsychArchives acquisition timestamp2018-11-21T10:00:08Z
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Made available on2018-11-21T10:00:08Z
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Date of first publication2017-11-30
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Abstract / DescriptionThe 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
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Publication statuspublishedVersion
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Review statuspeerReviewed
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CitationDodaj, 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
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ISSN1841-0413
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Persistent Identifierhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12034/1074
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Persistent Identifierhttps://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.1266
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Language of contenteng
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PublisherPsychOpen GOLD
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Is version ofhttps://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.v13i4.1373
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Keyword(s)maltreatment in childhooden_US
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Keyword(s)traumaen_US
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Keyword(s)cognitive functioningen_US
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Keyword(s)working memoryen_US
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Keyword(s)executive functionsen_US
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Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)150
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TitleThe effects of maltreatment in childhood on working memory capacity in adulthooden_US
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DRO typearticle
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Issue4
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Journal titleEurope's Journal of Psychology
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Page numbers618–632
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Volume13
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Visible tag(s)Version of Record