Don’t get too close to me: depressed and nondepressed survivors of child maltreatment prefer larger comfortable interpersonal distances towards strangers

dc.contributor.authorLüönd, A. M., Wolfensberger, L., Wingenbach, T. S., Schnyder, U., Weilenmann, S., & Pfaltz, M. C.
dc.date.accessioned2022-06-16T17:41:36Z
dc.date.available2022-06-16T17:41:36Z
dc.date.issued2022
dc.description.abstractChildhood 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.en_US
dc.identifier.citationLüönd, 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.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/20008198.2022.2066457
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11212/5440
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherEuropean Journal of Psychotraumatologyen_US
dc.subjectchild abuseen_US
dc.subjectneglecten_US
dc.subjectpersonal spaceen_US
dc.subjectdepressive symptomsen_US
dc.subjectsocial functioningen_US
dc.subjectresearchen_US
dc.titleDon’t get too close to me: depressed and nondepressed survivors of child maltreatment prefer larger comfortable interpersonal distances towards strangersen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US

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