Executive Control Function and Emotion Regulation Processes in the Developmental Pathway from Childhood Maltreatment to Alcohol Use Problems

Abstract

Experiencing maltreatment during childhood has been implicated in numerous and diverse developmental impairments, including problematic alcohol use and alcohol use disorders. However, little research examines the processes by which childhood maltreatment confers risk for alcohol use problems, or potential risk or protective factors in the emergence of problematic alcohol use among individuals experiencing childhood maltreatment. To address this gap, the current study investigated executive cognitive functions and emotion regulation as probable risk or protective factors linking childhood maltreatment and subsequent problematic alcohol use, given that deficits in both executive cognitive functions and emotion regulation are associated with maltreatment and problematic alcohol use. Participants were drawn from a longitudinal sample of children at both high and low risk for substance dependence, based on their paternal history of psychiatric or substance use disorder (N = 475; 70% male; 74% Caucasian, 23% African American, 3% multiracial; M = 11.38±.93 years at Time 1). Analyses involved both person- and variable-centered approaches. The person-centered approach identified groups of individuals based on maltreatment experiences, executive cognitive functions, and emotion regulation, and then examined whether and to what extent these classes differed on concurrent and longitudinal problematic alcohol use. Findings suggested that there are distinct risk groups consisting of abuse/neglect, neglect only, executive control function deficits, and emotion regulation deficits. These groups did not differ on levels of alcohol use, counter to prediction. Variable-centered approaches involved a longitudinal examination of pathways from childhood maltreatment to alcohol use frequency and symptoms of alcohol use disorder that included executive cognitive functioning and emotion regulation. Results of these variable-centered structural equation modeling analyses indicated that maltreatment, executive control function, and emotion regulation concurrently predicted problematic alcohol use. Investigating the current models allows for a better understanding of pathways to alcohol use in both adolescence and adulthood, which has implications for prevention and intervention, particularly in identifying groups at highest risk for problematic alcohol use outcomes and in treatment selection or modification.