A comparison Study of Positive and Negative Childhood Maltreatment Groups in Adult Substance Abuse Disorder Patients

Original Article

Psychiatry Investigation 2006;3(2):81-94.

Jaehak Yu, MD; and Doo-Heum Park, MD, PhD

Department of Psychiatry, Konkuk University Hospital, Seoul, Korea

Abstract

Objective

:
This study was conducted to examine any differences between two groups of adult substance abuse disorder (SAD) patients: those with and without a childhood history of maltreatment.

Methods

The interview survey subjects were 216 adult SAD patients admitted to three detoxification units. Their reports of childhood maltreatment history as presented to the nurse and physician, and on the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) were investigated. The CTQ was used to divide the patients into the maltreatment positive group (MPG, n=103) and the maltreatment negative group (MNG, n=80). Both groups were compared on demographics, history of substance abuse, and psychiatric and family histories.

Results

The report rates of childhood abuse to the nurse and physician, and on the CTQ were 29%, 42%, and 78%, respectively, indicating an increase of nearly three-fold for the detailed, self-report, CTQ inventory. The concordance (agreement) rate of the three reports of sexual abuse (92%) was higher than that of physical and emotional abuse (47% and 54%, respectively). Female SAD patients reported more childhood sexual (36% vs. 10%) and emotional (48% vs. 28%) abuse than male SAD patients did. Compared to MNG, MPG had more female patients, higher alcohol (50% vs. 36%) and lower heroin (47% vs. 63%) use as the main substance abused, earlier onset of substance abuse problems (14.1 years old vs. 16.2 years old), and increased history of psychiatric diagnosis and treatment (59% vs. 25%).

Conclusion

The SAD patients seemed to be heterogeneous, and the SAD patients could be divided according to their history of childhood maltreatment.

Key words Substance abuse;Childhood abuse history;Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ).