Childhood maltreatment is linked to larger preferred interpersonal distances towards friends and strangers across the globe.

Journal: Translational psychiatry

Volume: 14

Issue: 1

Year of Publication: 2024

Affiliated Institutions:  Faculty of Education, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel. Department of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK. Department of Psychology and Social Work, Mid Sweden University, Östersund, Sweden. Department of Psychology, University of the Bundeswehr Munich, Munich, Germany. Universidad de Piura, Facultad de Medicina, Lima, Peru. Department of History, Faculty of Arts, University of Bamenda, Bamenda, Cameroon. Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia. Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychological Therapies, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK. Private Practice, Istanbul, Turkey. Department of Psychiatry, Koç University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey. Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland. Interpsy EA, University of Lorraine, Nancy, France. Bipolar and Depressive Disorders Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Hospital Clínic, Institute of Neurosciences (UBNeuro), Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Department of Psychology, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India. School of Psychological Sciences, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Clayton, Australia. Department of Psychology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland. Division of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany. Department of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, Kurume University, Kurume, Japan. Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam Neuroscience & Public Health, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Department of Psychology, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, USA. Schizophrenia Research Foundation, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. Research Group Applied Statistical Modeling, Department of Psychology, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany. Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa. Al-Kitab University, Kirkuk, Iraq. Kanchi Kamakoti CHILDS Trust Hospital (KKCTH), Nungambakkam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. Psychological Sciences Faculty, University of Missouri - St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA. Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel. Department of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. monique.pfaltz@miun.se.

Abstract summary 

Childhood maltreatment (CM) is thought to be associated with altered responses to social stimuli and interpersonal signals. However, limited evidence exists that CM is linked to larger comfortable interpersonal distance (CID) - the physical distance humans prefer towards others during social interactions. However, no previous study has investigated this association in a comprehensive sample, yielding sufficient statistical power. Moreover, preliminary findings are limited to the European region. Finally, it is unclear how CM affects CID towards different interaction partners, and whether CID is linked to social functioning and attachment. To address these outstanding issues, adults (N = 2986) from diverse cultures and socio-economic strata completed a reaction time task measuring CID towards an approaching stranger and friend. Higher CM was linked to a larger CID towards both friends and strangers. Moreover, insecure attachment and less social support were associated with larger CID. These findings demonstrate for the first time that CM affects CID across countries and cultures, highlighting the robustness of this association.

Authors & Co-authors:  Haim-Nachum Shilat S Sopp Marie R MR Lüönd Antonia M AM Afzal Nimrah N Åhs Fredrik F Allgaier Antje-Kathrin AK Arévalo Adrián A Asongwe Christian C Bachem Rahel R Balle Stefanie R SR Belete Habte H Belete Mossie Tilahun T Berzengi Azi A Capraz Necip N Ceylan Deniz D Dukes Daniel D Essadek Aziz A Fares-Otero Natalia E NE Halligan Sarah L SL Hemi Alla A Iqbal Naved N Jobson Laura L Levy-Gigi Einat E Martin-Soelch Chantal C Michael Tanja T Oe Misari M Olff Miranda M Örnkloo Helena H Prakash Krithika K Quaatz Sarah M SM Raghavan Vijaya V Ramakrishnan Muniarajan M Reis Dorota D Şar Vedat V Schnyder Ulrich U Seedat Soraya S Shihab Ibtihal Najm IN Vandhana Susilkumar S Wadji Dany Laure DL Wamser Rachel R Zabag Reut R Spies Georgina G Pfaltz Monique C MC

Study Outcome 

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Statistics
Citations :  Moody G, Cannings-John R, Hood K, Kemp A, Robling M. Establishing the international prevalence of self-reported child maltreatment: A systematic review by maltreatment type and gender. BMC Public Health. 2018;18:1–15.
Authors :  43
Identifiers
Doi : 10.1038/s41398-024-02980-2
SSN : 2158-3188
Study Population
Male,Female
Mesh Terms
Humans
Other Terms
Study Design
Study Approach
Country of Study
Publication Country
United States