Patterns in Blame Attributions in Maltreated Youth: Association with Psychopathology and Interpersonal Functioning |
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| Authors: | Komal Sharma-Patel Beryl Filton Alison Tebbett Kavita Tahilani Carole L Swiecicki Elissa J Brown |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Psychology, St. John’s University, Queens, New York, USAsharmak@stjohns.edu;3. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, The New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA;4. Department of Psychology, St. John’s University, Queens, New York, USA;5. Dee Norton Lowcountry Children’s Center, Charleston, South Carolina, USA |
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| Abstract: | This investigation explored patterns of blame attributions in 128 youth, primarily (87%) female, with maltreatment histories. Second, the study also evaluated the relative variance in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity, emotional distress, and interpersonal functioning outcomes, accounted for by age, abuse characteristics, and blame attribution patterns. Cluster analyses revealed distinctive blame profiles: high perpetrator blame, moderate perpetrator blame, high self-blame, high perpetrator/high self-blame, and low perpetrator/low self-blame. Regression analyses yielded significant models, accounting for 15% to 34% of the variance of outcomes. Most notably, youth endorsing a high perpetrator/high self-blame (i.e., compounded blame) attribution pattern reported poorer outcomes as compared to youth presenting with other blame profiles. Maltreatment type and age differences were not demonstrated across clusters. Implications and limitations are discussed. |
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| Keywords: | assessment/evaluation maltreatment physical abuse sexual abuse |
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