CHILDHOOD MALTREATMENT, PERCEIVED SOCIAL SUPPORT, AND NEUROCOGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS

Abstract

This correlational study investigated the interrelations between childhood maltreatment, perceived social support, and neurocognitive impairment in young adults in Pakistan. Childhood maltreatment is an important public health issue associated with persistent cognitive impairment. Yet, some empirical evidence for the moderating effect of social support has been discovered in non-Western societies, but in collectivist societies, it is limited. A total of 800 college students (400 males and 400 females), aged 18-25, from Faisalabad, were included in the study, and the Adverse Childhood Experiences Scale (ACE-10), the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MPSS), and the Cognitive Failure Questionnaire (CFQ-25) were employed.

Childhood maltreatment showed significant postive correlation with cognitive failure (r = .285, p < .01), and significant negative correlation with perceived social support (r = -1.30, p<.01). Likewise, a significant negative correlation also seen between perceived social support and cognitive failure (r = -.140, p <.01). Regression analysis revealed that childhood maltreatment was a significant predictor of cognitive failures (β = .29, p < .001), explaining 8% of the variance. Moderation analysis indicated that perceived social support moderated the relationship between childhood maltreatment and cognitive impairment (β = -0.04, p = .027). The t-test findings indicated that there were no significant differences in cognitive failure between genders and family structure. The ANOVA findings showed that cognitive failures were highest in the lower SES group, whereas the individuals from middle and upper socioeconomic classes reported lower levels of cognitive failures. Similarly, urban residents experienced less cognitive failure than rural residents. This study demonstrated the long-term effects of childhood maltreatment on cognitive function and highlighted the protective role of perceived social support in the Pakistani cultural context. These results illustrate the importance of integrating trauma-informed screening and interventions that strengthen social support in educational and community settings to foster cognitive resilience among at-risk youth.