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Perceived Uncontrollability as a Potential Mechanism of Parental Child Abuse Predicting Executive Dysfunction in Adulthood 18 Years Later: Replication across Two Studies

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Title: Perceived Uncontrollability as a Potential Mechanism of Parental Child Abuse Predicting Executive Dysfunction in Adulthood 18 Years Later: Replication across Two Studies
Language: English
Authors: Nur Hani Zainal (ORCID 0000-0002-2023-3173), Benjamin Garthwaite, Sarah Josephine Rajendra, Natalia Van Doren
Source: Developmental Psychology. 2025 61(11):2082-2096.
Availability: American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 15
Publication Date: 2025
Sponsoring Agency: National Institute on Aging (NIA) (DHHS/NIH)
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) (DHHS/PHS)
Contract Number: P01AG020166
U19AG051426
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Child Abuse, Mothers, Fathers, Predictor Variables, Executive Function, Gender Differences, Early Experience, Well Being, Self Efficacy, Adults, Family Violence, Measures (Individuals), Locus of Control
Assessment and Survey Identifiers: Conflict Tactics Scale
DOI: 10.1037/dev0001993
ISSN: 0012-1649
1939-0599
Abstract: Although it is well-established that child abuse precedes and predicts poorer executive functioning (EF), the potential mechanisms are not well understood. We thus used counterfactual mediation analysis to test how perceived control (lower personal mastery or higher perceived uncontrollability) mediated maternal or paternal child abuse, predicting lower future EF scores. Community adults from two separate samples (N = 3,291 and 2,550 in Samples 1 and 2) completed a retrospective parental child abuse self-report at Time 1 (T1), a trait-level perceived control self-report at T2, and performance EF tests at T3. Time intervals spanned approximately 6 months and 9 years in Samples 1 and 2. Stronger T1 maternal and paternal child abuse consistently predicted higher T2 uncontrollability (Cohen's d = 0.232-1.175), which then predicted lower T3 EF scores (d = -0.411 to -0.244). Higher uncontrollability consistently mediated the effect of higher maternal and paternal child abuse predicting poorer EF scores (d = -0.229 to -0.164). Although mastery mediated the effect of maternal, but not paternal, abuse on future EF in Sample 1, this mediation effect did not survive in Sample 2. Sensitivity analyses testing for nonlinearities and adjusting for age and the predictor-mediator interaction implied similar findings in both samples. Uncontrollability, instead of mastery, might be a key mechanism accounting for the pathway from early-life parental abuse to EF outcomes. Assessing and targeting perceived uncontrollability and EF and harnessing precision medicine approaches in prevention programs and treatments might optimize psychotherapies for individuals exposed to child abuse.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1503083
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Perceived Uncontrollability as a Potential Mechanism of Parental Child Abuse Predicting Executive Dysfunction in Adulthood 18 Years Later: Replication across Two Studies
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  Data: English
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Nur+Hani+Zainal%22">Nur Hani Zainal</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2023-3173">0000-0002-2023-3173</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Benjamin+Garthwaite%22">Benjamin Garthwaite</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sarah+Josephine+Rajendra%22">Sarah Josephine Rajendra</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Natalia+Van+Doren%22">Natalia Van Doren</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Developmental+Psychology%22"><i>Developmental Psychology</i></searchLink>. 2025 61(11):2082-2096.
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  Data: American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
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  Data: Y
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  Data: 15
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: National Institute on Aging (NIA) (DHHS/NIH)<br />National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) (DHHS/PHS)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Child+Abuse%22">Child Abuse</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mothers%22">Mothers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Fathers%22">Fathers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Predictor+Variables%22">Predictor Variables</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Executive+Function%22">Executive Function</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Gender+Differences%22">Gender Differences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Early+Experience%22">Early Experience</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Well+Being%22">Well Being</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Self+Efficacy%22">Self Efficacy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Adults%22">Adults</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Family+Violence%22">Family Violence</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Measures+%28Individuals%29%22">Measures (Individuals)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Locus+of+Control%22">Locus of Control</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1037/dev0001993
– Name: ISSN
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  Data: 0012-1649<br />1939-0599
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: Although it is well-established that child abuse precedes and predicts poorer executive functioning (EF), the potential mechanisms are not well understood. We thus used counterfactual mediation analysis to test how perceived control (lower personal mastery or higher perceived uncontrollability) mediated maternal or paternal child abuse, predicting lower future EF scores. Community adults from two separate samples (N = 3,291 and 2,550 in Samples 1 and 2) completed a retrospective parental child abuse self-report at Time 1 (T1), a trait-level perceived control self-report at T2, and performance EF tests at T3. Time intervals spanned approximately 6 months and 9 years in Samples 1 and 2. Stronger T1 maternal and paternal child abuse consistently predicted higher T2 uncontrollability (Cohen's d = 0.232-1.175), which then predicted lower T3 EF scores (d = -0.411 to -0.244). Higher uncontrollability consistently mediated the effect of higher maternal and paternal child abuse predicting poorer EF scores (d = -0.229 to -0.164). Although mastery mediated the effect of maternal, but not paternal, abuse on future EF in Sample 1, this mediation effect did not survive in Sample 2. Sensitivity analyses testing for nonlinearities and adjusting for age and the predictor-mediator interaction implied similar findings in both samples. Uncontrollability, instead of mastery, might be a key mechanism accounting for the pathway from early-life parental abuse to EF outcomes. Assessing and targeting perceived uncontrollability and EF and harnessing precision medicine approaches in prevention programs and treatments might optimize psychotherapies for individuals exposed to child abuse.
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  Data: 2026
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        Value: 10.1037/dev0001993
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      – Text: English
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      Pagination:
        PageCount: 15
        StartPage: 2082
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Child Abuse
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mothers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Fathers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Predictor Variables
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      – SubjectFull: Executive Function
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      – SubjectFull: Gender Differences
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      – SubjectFull: Locus of Control
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      – SubjectFull: Conflict Tactics Scale
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      – TitleFull: Perceived Uncontrollability as a Potential Mechanism of Parental Child Abuse Predicting Executive Dysfunction in Adulthood 18 Years Later: Replication across Two Studies
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