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The aim of the current study was to identify patterns of child maltreatment experienced prior to age 18 and examine the relationship between those patterns and substance use and mental health disorders among emerging adults. Data were from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III. The analytic sample consisted of 5,194 adults between 18 and 25 years old. Latent class analysis revealed a three-class model: Rare Maltreatment (59%); Occasional Maltreatment, Rare Sexual Abuse (37%); and Frequent Maltreatment, Some Sexual Abuse (4%). Risk of substance use disorders and poor mental health was higher for the two classes who experienced maltreatment; however, those with Frequent Maltreatment had higher risk of poor mental health, but not substance use disorders compared to those with Occasional Maltreatment. Patterns of child maltreatment are important predictors of substance use and mental health disorders in emerging adulthood, but different patterns may necessitate specific intervention efforts.

This study used latent class analysis to identify patterns (i.e., classes) across a broad range of online sexual experiences among female adolescents (n = 312) and to explore offline sexual behavior and substance use correlates of as well as maltreatment differences in class membership. The following four classes were identified: Online Abstinent, Online Inclusive, Attractors, and Seekers. Maltreated female adolescents were more likely to be members of the Online Inclusive class and less likely to be members of the Online Abstinent class than nonmaltreated female adolescents. Offline sexual behaviors and substance use differentially predicted class membership. These results suggest online sexual experiences vary greatly and should not be aggregated together as a global risk factor for all female adolescents.

AbstractObjectiveThis study aims to investigate the association between family relationship constellations and adolescent friendship quality in a more holistic way and disentangle gender differences on their associations.BackgroundFamily relationships are important for adolescent friendship, but little is known about how mother–adolescent and father–adolescent relationships work in the context of each other.MethodLatent profile analysis was conducted in a sample of 326 ethnically diverse high schoolers (ages: 14–19 years; 60.4% female) to identify different combinations of mother– and father–adolescent closeness and their associations with friendships for adolescent boys and girls.ResultsFindings revealed five family relationship patterns: Cohesive (22%; high closeness with both parents), Alliance With Mother (9%; high mother–adolescent closeness only), Alliance With Father (10%; high father–adolescent closeness only), Disengaged (22%; low closeness with both parents), and Average (36%; average closeness with both parents) profiles. Adolescents in Cohesive families had high conflict resolution, and adolescents in alliance families had high companionship, whereas adolescents in Disengaged and Average families had the worst friendships. Adolescent boys in Disengaged families had the poorest friendships in all four domains when compared to adolescent girls in Disengaged families and adolescent boys in other family types; mother–adolescent closeness was important for adolescent boys' validation and intimate exchange. Adolescent girls' friendship quality generally was highest in Cohesive families.ConclusionFindings highlight the importance of simultaneously accounting for relationships with both parents from the family systems perspective.ImplicationsBeing close to at least one parent is critical for adolescent social–emotional and friendship development, and this is especially important for adolescent boys' friendship quality.

Objective and BackgroundThe current study examines the types of childhood experiences with mothers (i.e., maternal abuse, affection, discipline) among caregivers of aging mothers and investigates whether membership in specific latent classes, particularly maternal maltreatment, is associated with psychological functioning among caregivers.MethodUsing data from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS), we used the Bolck, Croon, and Hagenaars approach of latent class analysis to predict distal outcomes.ResultsWe identified four latent classes (prevalence rate noted): "Affectionate and authoritative" (65%), "affectionate and permissive" (11%), "emotionally abusive and neglectful" (8%), and "emotionally/physically abusive and authoritative" (16%). Caregivers in the "emotionally/physically abusive and authoritative" class endorsed high probabilities of both maternal affection and abuse and were most negatively affected across the three psychological functioning outcomes (i.e., self‐rated mental health, psychological distress, and psychological well‐being).ConclusionIn support of the life course perspective, our findings emphasized the importance of examining adult children caregivers' early life experiences with aging mothers and how those experiences can impact the psychological effects of caregiving.ImplicationsThis study suggests specific practice implications; for example, assessment tools for evaluating caregiver burden should consider life course factors, such as caregivers' childhood experiences with aging parents.