TY - JOUR
T1 - Childhood abuse, left-behind status and mental health among lesbian, gay, and bisexual young adults in China
AU - Xu, Wenjian
AU - Xue, Shuang
AU - Huang, Yuxia
AU - Zhang, Xing
AU - Tang, Wanjie
AU - Kaufman, Michelle R.
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by the National Social Science Foundation of China (grant number 22CSH050), Social Development and Social Risk Control Research Center Project of Sichuan Key Research Base of Philosophy and Social Sciences (grant number SR22A14), and Sichuan University (grant number SKSYL202207).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2022/12
Y1 - 2022/12
N2 - Background: Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) young adults are at increased risk of mental distress in China. To better carry out psychological intervention, it is essential to understand unique patterns of mental distress and their association with childhood abuse/neglect, including experiencing being left behind by migrating parents. Objective: In a sample of Chinese LGB young adults, we examined: (1) associations between childhood abuse and left-behind status and mental distress; (2) latent profiles of mental distress; and (3) associations between childhood abuse and left-behind status and latent profiles of mental distress. Participants and setting: A sample of 630 Chinese LGB young adults aged 18–30 years was recruited to complete an online survey. Methods: Participants provided demographic information and completed validated measures of childhood abuse experience and mental distress. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was used to identify patterns of mental distress, and logistic regression analysis was used to examine the relationships among these variables. Results: Results showed that all forms of childhood abuse and left-behind status were associated with all dimensions of adulthood mental distress. The LPA suggested a 3-group solution as optimal (no mental distress, mild mental distress, and moderate/severe mental distress). Participants who experienced any forms of childhood abuse were more likely to be members of both the mild mental distress and moderate/severe mental distress groups (all p's < 0.001). Also, participants who had left-behind status were more likely to be in the moderate/severe mental distress group (AOR = 1.61, p < .05). Conclusions: Our findings highlight the need for interventions aimed at addressing childhood abuse/neglect among Chinese LGB young adults, as these experiences increase the risk for mental health issues in adulthood.
AB - Background: Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) young adults are at increased risk of mental distress in China. To better carry out psychological intervention, it is essential to understand unique patterns of mental distress and their association with childhood abuse/neglect, including experiencing being left behind by migrating parents. Objective: In a sample of Chinese LGB young adults, we examined: (1) associations between childhood abuse and left-behind status and mental distress; (2) latent profiles of mental distress; and (3) associations between childhood abuse and left-behind status and latent profiles of mental distress. Participants and setting: A sample of 630 Chinese LGB young adults aged 18–30 years was recruited to complete an online survey. Methods: Participants provided demographic information and completed validated measures of childhood abuse experience and mental distress. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was used to identify patterns of mental distress, and logistic regression analysis was used to examine the relationships among these variables. Results: Results showed that all forms of childhood abuse and left-behind status were associated with all dimensions of adulthood mental distress. The LPA suggested a 3-group solution as optimal (no mental distress, mild mental distress, and moderate/severe mental distress). Participants who experienced any forms of childhood abuse were more likely to be members of both the mild mental distress and moderate/severe mental distress groups (all p's < 0.001). Also, participants who had left-behind status were more likely to be in the moderate/severe mental distress group (AOR = 1.61, p < .05). Conclusions: Our findings highlight the need for interventions aimed at addressing childhood abuse/neglect among Chinese LGB young adults, as these experiences increase the risk for mental health issues in adulthood.
KW - Childhood abuse
KW - Latent profile analysis
KW - Left-behind status
KW - Mental health
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U2 - 10.1016/j.chiabu.2022.105936
DO - 10.1016/j.chiabu.2022.105936
M3 - Article
C2 - 36327763
AN - SCOPUS:85140913293
SN - 0145-2134
VL - 134
JO - Child Abuse and Neglect
JF - Child Abuse and Neglect
M1 - 105936
ER -