{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,18]],"date-time":"2026-09-18T00:44:06Z","timestamp":1789692246972,"version":"4.0.1"},"reference-count":72,"publisher":"Cambridge University Press (CUP)","issue":"4pt2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2016,1,12]],"date-time":"2016-01-12T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1452556800000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/www.cambridge.org\/core\/terms"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Dev Psychopathol"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2016,11]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title><jats:p>Child abuse is associated with a number of emotional and behavioral problems. Nevertheless, it has been argued that these adverse consequences may not hold for societies in which many of the specific acts of abuse are culturally normed. Epigenetic modifications in the genes of the hypothalamus\u2013pituitary\u2013adrenal axis may provide a potential mechanism translating abuse into altered gene expression, which subsequently results in behavioral changes. Our investigation took place in Tanzania, a society in which many forms of abuse are commonly employed as disciplinary methods. We included 35 children with high exposure and compared them to 25 children with low exposure. Extreme group comparisons revealed that children with high exposure reported more mental health problems. Child abuse was associated with differential methylation in the proopiomelanocortin gene (<jats:italic>POMC<\/jats:italic>), measured both in saliva and in blood. Hierarchical clustering based on the methylation of the<jats:italic>POMC<\/jats:italic>gene found two distinct clusters. These corresponded with children's self-reported abuse, with two-thirds of the children allocated into their respective group. Our results emphasize the consequences of child abuse based on both molecular and behavioral grounds, providing further evidence that acts of abuse affect children, even when culturally acceptable. Furthermore, on a molecular level, our findings strengthen the credibility of children's self-reports.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1017\/s0954579415001248","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2016,1,12]],"date-time":"2016-01-12T09:21:49Z","timestamp":1452590509000},"page":"1401-1412","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":46,"title":["Associations among child abuse, mental health, and epigenetic modifications in the proopiomelanocortin gene (<i>POMC<\/i>): A study with children in Tanzania"],"prefix":"10.1017","volume":"28","author":[{"given":"Tobias","family":"Hecker","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Karl M.","family":"Radtke","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Katharin","family":"Hermenau","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Andreas","family":"Papassotiropoulos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Thomas","family":"Elbert","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"56","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2016,1,12]]},"reference":[{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1467-8624.2005.00847.x"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref42","volume-title":"The end of stress as we know it","author":"McEwen","year":"2002"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref67","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/17450121003668343"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/nrn1683"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref65","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1176\/ajp.2006.163.6.993"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref59","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s11920-004-0048-2"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref62","unstructured":"Tanzania Daily News. (2013). Tanzania: Public schools to continue using corporal punishment. Retrieved from http:\/\/allafrica.com\/stories\/201304090024.html"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S1054-139X(98)00031-7"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4161\/epi.24008"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1097\/00004583-199301000-00003"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3758\/BF03193146"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref44","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2174\/138945009789735147"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref66","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10519-012-9579-1"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref55","volume-title":"Childhood matters: Social theory, practice and politics","author":"Qvortrup","year":"1994"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.284.5.592"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1542\/peds.111.3.564"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref54","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/1756-8935-6-4"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jpsychires.2010.01.011"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref1","first-page":"29","article-title":"Epidemiology of childhood behavioural disorders in Ilorin, Nigeria\u2014Findings from parental reports","volume":"18","author":"Adelekan","year":"1999","journal-title":"West African Journal of Medicine"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/1471-244X-8-33"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/imhj.21440"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref43","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/nn.2270"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref70","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1353\/hpu.0.0230"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1677\/jme.0.0120365"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1001\/archpediatrics.2011.592"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref57","first-page":"267","volume-title":"The use of psychological testing for treatment planning and outcomes assessment","author":"Sitarenios","year":"1999"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/bioinformatics\/btn224"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref63","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0117423"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref41","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/nar\/gkt997"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref53","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/tp.2011.60"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref46","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1523\/JNEUROSCI.1424-08.2008"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chiabu.2011.10.006"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1176\/ajp.155.7.954"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref58","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/ajmg.b.32278"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref33","volume-title":"Children's Depression Inventory (CDI): Technical manual","author":"Kovacs","year":"2001"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pgen.1002543"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1037\/a0027665"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref50","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1210\/mend.15.2.0599"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref64","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1176\/appi.ajp.2013.12070957"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref39","volume-title":"Child maltreatment surveillance: Uniform definitions for public health and recommended data elements","author":"Leeb","year":"2008"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref69","volume-title":"Violence against children in Tanzania: Results from a National Survey 2009","year":"2011"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref52","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/nature11632"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3402\/ejpt.v6.28617"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref56","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pneurobio.2008.06.003"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S0006-3223(01)01157-X"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref71","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1001\/archpsyc.64.1.49"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1192\/bjp.177.6.534"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref47","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/nn.2436"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chiabu.2008.02.008"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref18","volume-title":"An {R} companion to applied regression","author":"Fox","year":"2011"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref60","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1210\/en.2010-0094"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jpsychires.2013.03.009"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/1753-2000-5-29"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref61","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/jts.21719"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4161\/epi.6.12.18363"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref72","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4161\/epi.28902"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref45","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1159\/000098548"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biopsych.2012.01.034"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s007870050057"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1097\/NMD.0000000000000049"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref49","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1176\/appi.ajp.2011.11020335"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref68","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0030148"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref51","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/hmg\/ddq336"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"289","DOI":"10.1111\/j.2517-6161.1995.tb02031.x","article-title":"Controlling the false discovery rate\u2014A practical and powerful approach to multiple testing","volume":"57","author":"Benjamini","year":"1995","journal-title":"Journal of the Royal Statistical Society: Series B (Methodogical)"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biopsych.2007.05.002"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/tp.2014.3"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref30","unstructured":"Isele D. , Hecker T. , Hermenau K. , Elbert T. , Ruf-Leuschner M. , Moran J. , (2015). Assessing childhood adversities: The Pediatric Maltreatment and Abuse Chronology of Exposure Interview. Manuscript submitted for publication."},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s00787-005-0446-y"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref48","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s00702-010-0378-7"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s11159-010-9169-5"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.1992.03480090092034"},{"key":"S0954579415001248_ref23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chiabu.2013.11.007"}],"container-title":["Development and Psychopathology"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.cambridge.org\/core\/services\/aop-cambridge-core\/content\/view\/S0954579415001248","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,13]],"date-time":"2024-06-13T19:23:03Z","timestamp":1718306583000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.cambridge.org\/core\/product\/identifier\/S0954579415001248\/type\/journal_article"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2016,1,12]]},"references-count":72,"journal-issue":{"issue":"4pt2","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2016,11]]}},"alternative-id":["S0954579415001248"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1017\/s0954579415001248","relation":{},"ISSN":["0954-5794","1469-2198"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0954-5794","type":"print"},{"value":"1469-2198","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2016,1,12]]}}}