Sluggish Cognitive Tempo and Exposure to Interpersonal Trauma in Children

Childhood adversity has been suggested, but not yet empirically examined, as a factor in sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) in childhood. This study was an examination of SCT in relation to childhood adversity, and its association with exposure to non-interpersonal and interpersonal trauma. Caregivers ( = 161) and a sub-sample of children, 8-17 years old, were recruited from mental health and pediatric practices/programs and interviewed. SCT was positively associated with interpersonal trauma but not non-interpersonal trauma. Two hierarchical regression analyses revealed that interpersonal trauma exposure was associated with SCT score over and above symptoms of other psychopathologies. Results suggest that SCT is associated with interpersonal trauma exposure in children. Further research is needed to examine the association between SCT and interpersonal trauma exposure, and trauma-related biopsychosocial impairments.