Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (대한소아청소년정신의학회)
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Impact of Childhood Maltreatment on Cognitive Function and Its Relationship With Emotion Regulation in Young Adults

  • Min Seok Kim (Department of Psychiatry, Kyungpook National University Hospital) ;
  • Kyungmin Kim (Department of Psychiatry, Kyungpook National University Chilgok Hospital) ;
  • Jihyun Nam (Bio-Medical Research Institute, Kyungpook National University Hospital) ;
  • Seung Jae Lee (Department of Psychiatry, Kyungpook National University Hospital) ;
  • Sang Won Lee (Department of Psychiatry, Kyungpook National University Chilgok Hospital)
  • Received : 2024.01.08
  • Accepted : 2024.03.19
  • Published : 2024.07.01
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Abstract

Objectives: Childhood maltreatment can negatively impact cognitive development, including executive function, working memory, and processing speed. This study investigated the impact of childhood maltreatment on cognitive function in young adults using various measurements, including computerized tests, and their relationship with emotional dysregulation. Methods: We recruited 149 healthy individuals with and without maltreatment experiences and used the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale IV (WAIS-IV) and a computerized battery to analyze cognitive function. Results: Both the WAIS-IV and computerized tests revealed that individuals with a history of childhood maltreatment had decreased cognitive function, especially in terms of working memory and processing speed. These individuals tended to employ maladaptive emotion regulation strategies. Among cognitive functions, working memory is negatively related to maladaptive emotion regulation strategies such as catastrophizing. Conclusion: This study highlights the effects of childhood maltreatment on cognitive function in young adulthood. Moreover, the study suggests clinical implications of cognitive interventions for improving emotion regulation and cognitive function in individuals with a history of childhood maltreatment.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

This manuscript is part of a Ph.D. thesis at Kyungpook National University (Min Seok Kim, the first author).

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