Gender-Specific Significance of Peer Abuse during Childhood and Adolescence on Physical and Mental Health in Adulthood—Results from a Cross-Sectional Study in a Sample of Hospital Patients

Lampe, Astrid; Nolte, Tobias; Schmid, Marc; Kampling, Hanna; Kruse, Johannes; Grote, Vincent; Fischer, Michael J.; Riedl, David

doi:10.3390/ijerph192315986

Open AccessArticle

Gender-Specific Significance of Peer Abuse during Childhood and Adolescence on Physical and Mental Health in Adulthood—Results from a Cross-Sectional Study in a Sample of Hospital Patients

by

Astrid Lampe

^1,2,

Tobias Nolte

^3,4,

Marc Schmid

⁵,

Hanna Kampling

⁶

,

Johannes Kruse

^6,7,

Vincent Grote

¹

,

Michael J. Fischer

^1,8

and

David Riedl

^1,9,*

¹

Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Rehabilitation Research, 1100 Vienna, Austria

²

VAMED Rehabilitation Center, 6780 Schruns, Austria

³

Wellcome Department of Imaging Neuroscience, University College London, London WC1N 3AR, UK

⁴

Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families, London N1 9JH, UK

⁵

Research Department for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Psychiatric Hospitals Basel, University of Basel, 4002 Basel, Switzerland

⁶

Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35390 Giessen, Germany

⁷

Department for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Medical Center of the Philipps University Marburg, 35037 Marburg, Germany

⁸

VAMED Rehabilitation Center Kitzbuehel, 6370 Kitzbuehel, Austria

⁹

University Hospital of Psychiatry II, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, Psychosomatics and Medical Psychology, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(23), 15986; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192315986

Submission received: 31 October 2022 / Revised: 24 November 2022 / Accepted: 29 November 2022 / Published: 30 November 2022

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Addictive Behaviors and Psychological Distress among Adolescents)

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Abstract

Peer abuse (PA) is a widespread and gender-sensitive form of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). However, research on its influence on physical and mental health in adulthood remains scarce. The aim of this study was to investigate gender-specific associations between PA and physical and mental health in adulthood in a sample of general hospital patients. A cross-sectional study at the University Hospital of Innsbruck was conducted. Data on ACEs, physical and mental health were collected using self-report questionnaires. We compared patients with no ACEs, PA only, ACEs without PA, and ACEs with PA using gender-specific binary logistic regressions to investigate the association of PA with physical and mental health. A total of 2,392 patients were included in the analyses. Women reported more emotional PA (13.1% vs. 9.4%; p = 0.006), while men reported more physical PA (8.3% vs. 5.2%; p = 0.003). PA was associated with a higher likelihood for depression (OR = 2.6), somatization (OR = 2.1), as well as worse physical health (OR = 2.1) in women but not in men. This study is the first to present data on the gender-specific detrimental effect of PA on physical and mental health in adulthood. Especially for women, PA poses a significant health risk. Thus, we should be aware of these effects and offer adequate support for affected individuals.

Keywords: peer abuse; adverse childhood experiences (ACEs); health impairment

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MDPI and ACS Style

Lampe, A.; Nolte, T.; Schmid, M.; Kampling, H.; Kruse, J.; Grote, V.; Fischer, M.J.; Riedl, D. Gender-Specific Significance of Peer Abuse during Childhood and Adolescence on Physical and Mental Health in Adulthood—Results from a Cross-Sectional Study in a Sample of Hospital Patients. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19, 15986. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192315986

AMA Style

Lampe A, Nolte T, Schmid M, Kampling H, Kruse J, Grote V, Fischer MJ, Riedl D. Gender-Specific Significance of Peer Abuse during Childhood and Adolescence on Physical and Mental Health in Adulthood—Results from a Cross-Sectional Study in a Sample of Hospital Patients. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2022; 19(23):15986. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192315986

Chicago/Turabian Style

Lampe, Astrid, Tobias Nolte, Marc Schmid, Hanna Kampling, Johannes Kruse, Vincent Grote, Michael J. Fischer, and David Riedl. 2022. "Gender-Specific Significance of Peer Abuse during Childhood and Adolescence on Physical and Mental Health in Adulthood—Results from a Cross-Sectional Study in a Sample of Hospital Patients" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19, no. 23: 15986. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192315986

APA Style

Lampe, A., Nolte, T., Schmid, M., Kampling, H., Kruse, J., Grote, V., Fischer, M. J., & Riedl, D. (2022). Gender-Specific Significance of Peer Abuse during Childhood and Adolescence on Physical and Mental Health in Adulthood—Results from a Cross-Sectional Study in a Sample of Hospital Patients. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(23), 15986. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192315986

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Gender-Specific Significance of Peer Abuse during Childhood and Adolescence on Physical and Mental Health in Adulthood—Results from a Cross-Sectional Study in a Sample of Hospital Patients

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