Translational Psychiatry (Aug 2024)
Childhood maltreatment is linked to larger preferred interpersonal distances towards friends and strangers across the globe
- Shilat Haim-Nachum,
- Marie R. Sopp,
- Antonia M. Lüönd,
- Nimrah Afzal,
- Fredrik Åhs,
- Antje-Kathrin Allgaier,
- Adrián Arévalo,
- Christian Asongwe,
- Rahel Bachem,
- Stefanie R. Balle,
- Habte Belete,
- Tilahun Belete Mossie,
- Azi Berzengi,
- Necip Capraz,
- Deniz Ceylan,
- Daniel Dukes,
- Aziz Essadek,
- Natalia E. Fares-Otero,
- Sarah L. Halligan,
- Alla Hemi,
- Naved Iqbal,
- Laura Jobson,
- Einat Levy-Gigi,
- Chantal Martin-Soelch,
- Tanja Michael,
- Misari Oe,
- Miranda Olff,
- Helena Örnkloo,
- Krithika Prakash,
- Sarah M. Quaatz,
- Vijaya Raghavan,
- Muniarajan Ramakrishnan,
- Dorota Reis,
- Vedat Şar,
- Ulrich Schnyder,
- Soraya Seedat,
- Ibtihal Najm Shihab,
- Susilkumar Vandhana,
- Dany Laure Wadji,
- Rachel Wamser,
- Reut Zabag,
- Georgina Spies,
- Monique C. Pfaltz
Affiliations
- Shilat Haim-Nachum
- Faculty of Education, Bar-Ilan University
- Marie R. Sopp
- Faculty of Education, Bar-Ilan University
- Antonia M. Lüönd
- Department of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital, University of Zurich
- Nimrah Afzal
- Department of Psychology, University of Bath
- Fredrik Åhs
- Department of Psychology and Social Work, Mid Sweden University
- Antje-Kathrin Allgaier
- Department of Psychology, University of the Bundeswehr Munich
- Adrián Arévalo
- Universidad de Piura, Facultad de Medicina
- Christian Asongwe
- Department of History, Faculty of Arts, University of Bamenda
- Rahel Bachem
- Department of Psychology, University of Zurich
- Stefanie R. Balle
- Department of Psychology, University of the Bundeswehr Munich
- Habte Belete
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bahir Dar University
- Tilahun Belete Mossie
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bahir Dar University
- Azi Berzengi
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychological Therapies, University of East Anglia
- Necip Capraz
- Private Practice
- Deniz Ceylan
- Department of Psychiatry, Koç University School of Medicine
- Daniel Dukes
- Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva
- Aziz Essadek
- Interpsy EA4432, University of Lorraine
- Natalia E. Fares-Otero
- Bipolar and Depressive Disorders Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Hospital Clínic, Institute of Neurosciences (UBNeuro), Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona (UB)
- Sarah L. Halligan
- Department of Psychology, University of Bath
- Alla Hemi
- Faculty of Education, Bar-Ilan University
- Naved Iqbal
- Department of Psychology, Jamia Millia Islamia
- Laura Jobson
- School of Psychological Sciences, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University
- Einat Levy-Gigi
- Faculty of Education, Bar-Ilan University
- Chantal Martin-Soelch
- Department of Psychology, University of Fribourg
- Tanja Michael
- Division of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Saarland University
- Misari Oe
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, Kurume University
- Miranda Olff
- Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam Neuroscience & Public Health, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam
- Helena Örnkloo
- Department of Psychology and Social Work, Mid Sweden University
- Krithika Prakash
- Department of Psychology, Eastern Michigan University
- Sarah M. Quaatz
- Department of Psychology, University of the Bundeswehr Munich
- Vijaya Raghavan
- Schizophrenia Research Foundation
- Muniarajan Ramakrishnan
- Department of Psychology and Social Work, Mid Sweden University
- Dorota Reis
- Research Group Applied Statistical Modeling, Department of Psychology, Saarland University
- Vedat Şar
- Department of Psychiatry, Koç University School of Medicine
- Ulrich Schnyder
- Department of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital, University of Zurich
- Soraya Seedat
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University
- Ibtihal Najm Shihab
- Al-Kitab University
- Susilkumar Vandhana
- Kanchi Kamakoti CHILDS Trust Hospital (KKCTH), Nungambakkam
- Dany Laure Wadji
- Department of Psychology, University of Fribourg
- Rachel Wamser
- Psychological Sciences Faculty, University of Missouri – St. Louis
- Reut Zabag
- Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University
- Georgina Spies
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University
- Monique C. Pfaltz
- Department of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital, University of Zurich
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-024-02980-2
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 14,
no. 1
pp. 1 – 10
Abstract
Abstract Childhood maltreatment (CM) is thought to be associated with altered responses to social stimuli and interpersonal signals. However, limited evidence exists that CM is linked to larger comfortable interpersonal distance (CID) – the physical distance humans prefer towards others during social interactions. However, no previous study has investigated this association in a comprehensive sample, yielding sufficient statistical power. Moreover, preliminary findings are limited to the European region. Finally, it is unclear how CM affects CID towards different interaction partners, and whether CID is linked to social functioning and attachment. To address these outstanding issues, adults (N = 2986) from diverse cultures and socio-economic strata completed a reaction time task measuring CID towards an approaching stranger and friend. Higher CM was linked to a larger CID towards both friends and strangers. Moreover, insecure attachment and less social support were associated with larger CID. These findings demonstrate for the first time that CM affects CID across countries and cultures, highlighting the robustness of this association.
