The Cost of Cumulative Trauma: The Mediating Role of Callous-Unemotional Traits in the Development of Psychopathology Among Institutionalized Children inIndia

Introduction: Early childhood trauma can cause long-term psychological and medicaldeficiencies. Childhood trauma, especially cumulative trauma, can cause changes leading tobehavioral and cognitive dysfunctions. The purpose of the study is to examine the associationbetween cumulative trauma and behavioral problems caused by callous-unemotional traitsamong institutionalized children.Method: In this cross-sectional study, data were collected from ۳۱۴ participants (Girls = ۱۶۷,Boys = ۱۴۷) aged ۱۳ to ۱۷ years (Mage = ۱۵). Data were collected from November ۲۰۲۲ to June۲۰۲۳ from child care institutions located in the Kamrup Metro, Nagaon, and Sonitpur districts ofAssam, India, using purposive sampling. Inferential statistics, comprising linear regression andmediation analysis, were performed using the JASP (Jeffreys’ Amazing Statistics Program).Results: Linear regression analysis indicated that cumulative trauma as well as age of onset oftrauma were significant predictors of externalizing problems, internalizing problems, personaladjustment, and school problems. Additionally, mediation analysis showed that both callousnesstrait and unemotional trait (β = ۰.۰۴, t = ۲.۵۹, P ≤ ۰.۰۱ and β = ۰.۰۲, t = ۱.۸۹, P ≤ ۰.۰۵, respectively)partially mediated the link between cumulative trauma and externalizing problems; callousnesstrait partially mediated the link between cumulative trauma and internalizing problems (β = ۰.۰۳,t = ۲.۱۹, P ≤ ۰.۰۵); unemotional trait partially mediated the association between cumulativetrauma and personal adjustment (β = ۰.۰۲, t = ۲.۰۵, P ≤ ۰.۰۵) and both callousness trait andunemotional trait (β = ۰.۰۲, t = ۲.۰۷, P ≤ ۰.۰۵ and β = ۰.۰۴, t = ۲.۶۵, P ≤ ۰.۰۵, respectively) partiallymediated the association between cumulative trauma and school problems.Conclusion: This study demonstrates that cumulative trauma, as well as callous-unemotionaltraits, should be targeted in prevention programs among children who report they haveexperienced trauma.

کلیدواژه ها:

cumulative trauma ، callous unemotional traits ، psychopathology