Don’t get too close to me: depressed and nondepressed survivors of child maltreatment prefer larger comfortable interpersonal distances towards strangers
Date
2022
Journal Title
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Publisher
European Journal of Psychotraumatology
Abstract
Childhood maltreatment (CM) is frequently linked to interpersonal problems
such as difficulties in social relationships, loneliness, and isolation. These difficulties might
partly stem from troubles regulating comfortable interpersonal distance (CIPD).
Objective: We experimentally investigated whether CM manifests in larger CIPD and whether
all subtypes of CM (i.e., physical, emotional, or sexual abuse and physical or emotional neglect)
affect CIPD.
Methods: Using the stop-distance method (i.e. a team member approached participants until
the latter indicated discomfort), we assessed CIPD in 84 adults with a self-reported history of
CM (24 with depressive symptoms) and 57 adult controls without a history of CM (without
depressive symptoms).
Results: Adults with CM showed a larger CIPD (Mdn = 86 cm) than controls (Mdn = 68 cm), and
CIPD was largest for those with CM combined with current depressive symptoms (Mdn =
145 cm) (p’s < .047). In the latter group, all subtypes of CM were associated with a larger
CIPD compared to controls (p’s < .045). In the CM group without depressive symptoms, only
those with emotional abuse (p = .040) showed a larger CIPD than controls.
Conclusions: These results add to findings of differential socio-emotional long-term
consequences of CM, depending upon the subtype of CM. Future research should explore
whether a larger CIPD has a negative impact on social functioning in individuals exposed to
CM, particularly in those with depressive symptoms.
Description
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Article
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Keywords
child abuse, neglect, personal space, depressive symptoms, social functioning, research
Citation
Lüönd, A. M., Wolfensberger, L., Wingenbach, T. S., Schnyder, U., Weilenmann, S., & Pfaltz, M. C. (2022). Don’t get too close to me: depressed and non-depressed survivors of child maltreatment prefer larger comfortable interpersonal distances towards strangers. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 13(1), 2066457.