Mapping adversities: A network analysis of childhood maltreatment and poly-adversity in a population-based sample

Background

Research on adolescent adversity has consistently shown such experiences rarely occur in isolation. However, not all adversities are equally intertwined, and effective approaches for capturing the complexity of these interconnected experiences have yet to be established.

Objectives

Using a network analytical approach, in this study, we aimed to deepen understanding of the patterns of co-occurrence among various childhood adversities. The analysis included not only intrafamilial maltreatment but also other intrafamilial adversities such as adverse caregiving conditions (e.g., caregiver substance abuse and mental illness), as well as extrafamilial adversities (e.g., peer sexual abuse).

Participants and settings

Data were drawn from a nationwide online survey conducted as part of the UEVO study (Hafstad et al., 2020), involving 9240 adolescents aged 12–16 years from 72 schools across Norway.

Methods

To account for mixed variable types (dichotomous and continuous), a pairwise mixed graphical model (MGM; Epskamp & Fried, 2018) was applied, identifying direct associations between adversities and their relative centrality.

Results

Strong connections were observed among various forms of child maltreatment. Psychological abuse emerged as the most central node, connected to all intrafamilial and extrafamilial adversities. Adverse caregiving conditions also demonstrated high centrality, showing links to both intrafamilial and extrafamilial adversities.

Conclusion

The strong interconnection among adversities, especially the central role of psychological abuse, highlights the complexity of understanding their impact. Shifting from a narrow concept of polyvictimization to a broader poly- adversity framework enables greater recognition of underexplored intrafamilial adversities such as adverse caregiving conditions. This complex web of adversity must be carefully considered in both future research and targeted interventions.