This longitudinal study explored the unique profiles of maltreatment among youth in the child welfare system and examined their relation to mental health outcomes over time. We additionally examined the moderating role of age. Participants included 316 youth in the foster care system (age range: 6–13 years). Data were collected through the Department of Children and Family Services upon youths’ entry into foster care, then quarterly for the duration of care. A latent profile analysis identified five profiles of maltreatment, categorized as primary neglect (PN), neglect and physical abuse (PA), complex trauma, complex trauma with severe sexual abuse (SA), and neglect with SA. A hierarchical general linear model applied to the data revealed that all four classes predicted higher internalizing symptom trajectories compared with the PN reference class, event rate ratios (eRRs) = 1.19–1.37, but none of these associations were significantly moderated by age. Membership in the two classes categorized by complex trauma predicted higher externalizing behavior trajectories as compared to the PN reference class, eRRs = 1.11–1.13. The relation between membership in the neglect with SA class and externalizing behaviors was moderated by age, eRR = 0.83. Finally, membership in all four classes predicted higher posttraumatic stress symptoms as compared with the reference group, eRRs = 1.84–2.45, and with all associations moderated by age, eRRs = 0.51–0.53. These findings provide insight into the maltreatment experiences of youth in the child welfare system and have important implications for treatment needs.

中文翻译：

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儿童福利系统中的虐待概况：预测心理健康结果和检查年龄作为调节器

这项纵向研究探讨了儿童福利系统中青年遭受虐待的独特情况，并检查了它们与心理健康结果的关系。我们还检查了年龄的调节作用。参与者包括寄养系统中的 316 名青年（年龄范围：6-13 岁）。数据是在青少年进入寄养时通过儿童和家庭服务部收集的，然后在寄养期间每季度收集一次。一项潜在的概况分析确定了五种虐待概况，分为主要忽视 (PN)、忽视和身体虐待 (PA)、复杂创伤、严重性虐待的复杂创伤 (SA) 和忽视 SA。应用于数据的分层一般线性模型显示，与 PN 参考类相比，所有四个类都预测了更高的内化症状轨迹，RR s) = 1.19–1.37，但这些关联均未因年龄而显着缓和。与 PN 参考类别相比，按复杂创伤分类的两个类别的成员预测更高的外化行为轨迹，e RR s = 1.11–1.13。SA 类的忽视成员与外化行为之间的关系受年龄的影响，e RR = 0.83。最后，与参考组相比，所有四个类别的成员都预测了更高的创伤后应激症状，e RR s = 1.84-2.45，并且所有关联都受年龄影响，e RR s =0.51–0.53。这些发现提供了对儿童福利系统中青少年虐待经历的洞察，并对治疗需求具有重要意义。