Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39366249›Full record

ArticleChild abuse & neglect2024

Why do prospective and retrospective measures of childhood maltreatment differ? Qualitative analyses in a cohort study.

Oonagh Coleman, Jessie R Baldwin, Terrie E Moffitt, Louise Arseneault, Helen L Fisher, Kelly Rose-Clarke, Andrea Danese

Abstract readTwin Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Child abuse & neglect, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Observational
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Parents' Positive Childhood Experiences: A Scoping Review.Adversity and resilience science · 2026
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Oonagh ColemanSocial, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
Jessie R BaldwinSocial, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK; Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, UK.
Terrie E MoffittSocial, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK; Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
Louise ArseneaultSocial, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
Helen L FisherSocial, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK; ESRC Centre for Society and Mental Health, King's College London, London, UK.
Kelly Rose-ClarkeDepartment of Global Health and Social Medicine, King's College London, London, UK.
Andrea DaneseSocial, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK; National and Specialist CAMHS Clinic for Trauma, Anxiety, and Depression, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK. Electronic address: andrea.danese@kcl.ac.uk.

Funding

Science CoreP2CHD065563 · NICHD · DUKE UNIVERSITY · PI James Moody · 2015 to 2026
$5.7M
Neuropsychological and genomic signatures of violence exposure in childhoodR01HD077482 · NICHD · DUKE UNIVERSITY · PI CASPI, AVSHALOM · 2013 to 2018
$2.8M
Medical Research Council G1002190Medical Research Council MR/X010791/1NICHD NIH HHS P2C HD065563NICHD NIH HHS R01 HD077482Wellcome Trust
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundResearch indicates that prospective and retrospective measures of maltreatment often identify different groups of individuals, yet the reasons for these discrepancies remain understudied.

objectiveThis study explores potential sources of disagreement between prospective and retrospective measures of maltreatment, utilising qualitative data from interviewers' notes. PARTICIPANTS AND

settingThe Environmental Risk Longitudinal Twin Study includes 2232 children followed from ages 5-18. Prospective measures relied on caregiver interviews and researcher observations from ages 5-12, while retrospective measures involved self-reports via the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire at age 18.

methodsWe purposively sampled written interviewer notes from 36 participants who reported more types of maltreatment retrospectively than prospectively ('new reports' group) and 31 participants who reported fewer types retrospectively than prospectively ('omitted reports' group). We conducted a framework analysis of the notes, comparing between the two groups to explore explanations for measurement disagreement.

resultsThree categories of themes emerged related to measurement discrepancies: challenges with prospective measures, highlighting reasons given by the 'new reports' group for why maltreatment went undetected or was not adequately responded to prospectively; challenges with retrospective measures that highlight difficulties with openness and accuracy of self-reports; and differences in appraisals of violence or distressing childhood experiences between the two groups that might lead to new or omitted retrospective reports.

conclusionsOur findings underscore potential mechanisms underlying the disagreement between prospective and retrospective measures, contributing to better understanding of these different constructs and more balanced interpretation of related findings.

Indexed as

Child AbuseQualitative ResearchAdolescentChildChild, PreschoolFemaleHumansLongitudinal StudiesMaleProspective StudiesRetrospective StudiesSelf ReportChildhood traumaMaltreatment disclosureMaltreatment measurement

Identifiers

PMID39366249
PMCPMC12139143

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.