A novel tool showing that perceptions of adverse social relationships in childhood were linked with mental health problems and suicidal experiences: Validation of the English version of the History of Social Punishment (HoSP) scale. (March 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Angelakis, Ioannis; Gooding, Patricia
• Is Part Of: Psychiatry research. Volume 285(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-03
• Subjects: Adverse social relationships -- Mental health conditions -- Suicidal thoughts and behaviors -- Self-report scale; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Psychiatry -- periodicals; Psychiatrie -- Périodiques; 616.89
• DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2020.112807
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0165-1781

Abstract

Highlights: A novel scale measuring histories of social punishment (HoSP) in childhood was assessed. The scale showed very good to excellent construct, convergent, and divergent validity. Social punishment was strongly linked with depression, OCDs, and suicidal acts. Suicide prevention priorities should target such adverse social relationships. Abstract: There is robust evidence for relationships between adverse events experienced in childhood and mental health problems experienced as an adult. However, the measurement of perceptions of different types of adverse relationships in childhood, especially those that are in social contexts, is lacking. Given the absence of an appropriate tool to measure perceptions of adverse social relationships in childhood within English-speaking populations, we endeavored to examine the construct validity of the English version of the History of Social Punishment (HoSP) scale. In total, 557 adults from the extant community participated by completing self-report scales that measured perceptions of adverse childhood relationships, symptoms of depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), hoarding disorder (HD), body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), and suicidal experiences. Results demonstrated that the HoSP is a sound psychometric tool to evaluate perceptions of adverse social relationships within English-speaking populations. A strong association between perceptions of adverse social relationships in childhood, common mental health problems, and suicidal behaviors was established. These results provide robust evidence for the importance of screening for experiences of social adversities and for developing clinical interventions that directly target these experiences.