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Aberizk K, Addington JM, Bearden CE, Cadenhead KS, Cannon TD, Cornblatt BA, Keshavan M, Mathalon DH, Perkins DO, Stone WS, Tsuang MT, Woods SW, Walker EF, Ku BS. Relations of Lifetime Perceived Stress and Basal Cortisol With Hippocampal Volume Among Healthy Adolescents and Those at Clinical High Risk for Psychosis: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach. Biol Psychiatry 2024; 96:401-411. [PMID: 38092185 PMCID: PMC11166888 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2023.11.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hippocampal volume (HV) is sensitive to environmental influences. Under normative conditions in humans, HV increases linearly into childhood and asymptotes in early adulthood. Studies of humans and nonhuman animals have provided evidence of inverse relationships between several measures of stress and HV. METHODS Using structural equation modeling, this study aimed to characterize the relationships of age, basal cortisol, biological sex, and lifetime perceived stress with bilateral HV in a sample of healthy adolescents and adolescents at clinical high risk for psychosis (CHR-P) (N = 571, 43% female; age range = 12-19.9 years). This sample included 469 individuals at CHR-P and 102 healthy comparison participants from the combined baseline cohorts of the second and third NAPLS (North American Prodrome Longitudinal Study). RESULTS A structural model that constrained the individual effects of basal cortisol and perceived stress to single path coefficients, and freely estimated the effects of age and biological sex in group models, optimized model fit and parsimony relative to other candidate models. Significant inverse relationships between basal cortisol and bilateral HV were observed in adolescents at CHR-P and healthy comparison participants. Significant sex differences in bilateral HV were also observed, with females demonstrating smaller HV than males in both groups. CONCLUSIONS Multigroup structural equation modeling revealed heterogeneity in the relationships of age and biological sex with basal cortisol, lifetime perceived stress, and bilateral HV in individuals at CHR-P and healthy comparison participants. Moreover, the findings support previous literature indicating that elevated basal cortisol is a nonspecific risk factor for reduced HV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrina Aberizk
- Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia.
| | - Jean M Addington
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Carrie E Bearden
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Departments of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences and Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, California
| | | | - Tyrone D Cannon
- Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | | | - Matcheri Keshavan
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Daniel H Mathalon
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, California
| | - Diana O Perkins
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - William S Stone
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Ming T Tsuang
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, California
| | - Scott W Woods
- Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Elaine F Walker
- Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Benson S Ku
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
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Breslin FJ, Kerr KL, Ratliff EL, Cohen ZP, Simmons WK, Morris AS, Croff JM. Early Life Adversity Predicts Reduced Hippocampal Volume in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study. J Adolesc Health 2024; 75:275-280. [PMID: 38878049 PMCID: PMC11264191 DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2024.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/19/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Cross-sectional studies in adults have demonstrated associations between early life adversity (ELA) and reduced hippocampal volume, but the timing of these effects is not clear. The present study sought to examine whether ELA predicts changes in hippocampal volume over time in a large sample of early adolescents. METHODS The Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study provides a large dataset of tabulated neuroimaging, youth-reported adverse experiences, and parent-reported financial adversity from a sample of children around the United States. Linear mixed effects modeling was used to determine the relationship between ELA and hippocampal volume change within youth (n = 7036) from ages 9-10 to 11-12 years. RESULTS Results of the models indicated that the number of early adverse events predicted bilateral hippocampal volume change (β = -0.02, t = -2.02, p < .05). Higher adversity was associated with lower hippocampal volume at Baseline (t = 5.55, p < .01) and at Year 2 (t = 6.14, p < .001). DISCUSSION These findings suggest that ELA may affect hippocampal development during early adolescence. Prevention and early intervention are needed to alter the course of this trajectory. Future work should examine associations between ELA, hippocampal development, and educational and socioemotional outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florence J Breslin
- Hardesty Center for Clinical Research and Neuroscience, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, Oklahoma; Department of Rural Health, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, Oklahoma.
| | - Kara L Kerr
- Hardesty Center for Clinical Research and Neuroscience, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, Oklahoma; Department of Psychology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma
| | - Erin L Ratliff
- Department of Psychology, University of Marlyand, College Park, Maryland
| | - Zsofia P Cohen
- Department of Psychology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma
| | - W Kyle Simmons
- Hardesty Center for Clinical Research and Neuroscience, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, Oklahoma; Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, Oklahoma
| | - Amanda S Morris
- Hardesty Center for Clinical Research and Neuroscience, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, Oklahoma; Department of Psychology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma
| | - Julie M Croff
- Hardesty Center for Clinical Research and Neuroscience, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, Oklahoma; Department of Rural Health, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, Oklahoma
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Figueira A, Alleyne E, Wood J. Fear and Masculinity as Motivational Narratives for Knife-Related Crime: A Systematic Review of the Literature. TRAUMA, VIOLENCE & ABUSE 2024:15248380241266206. [PMID: 39066634 DOI: 10.1177/15248380241266206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
Males are routinely identified as both the victims and perpetrators of knife-related crime. Explanations have typically fallen into two categories: fear of further victimization (i.e., need for protection) and masculine gender norms (e.g., a display of "toughness"). However, these two works of literature have not yet been brought together to provide us with a fruitful theoretical understanding of why some young men engage in knife-related crime. The purpose of this systematic review is to consolidate and synthesize the available research on fear and masculinity as explanations for knife-related crime. In all, 23 studies were identified as meeting the inclusion criteria. The findings of the studies reviewed highlight the importance of considering the cognitive analysis of risk and perceptions of risk in young males' decisions to engage in knife-related crime. These perceptions of risk are shaped by previous victimization through a contagion effect and contribute to the development of an aggressive masculinity that justifies the behavior. However, it is not very well understood the role of fear contagion, and victimization in the shaping of masculine ideals within groups of young men involved in knife-related crimes. Additional research is needed to explore these findings and shed light on the complex interplay between these factors to inform viable treatment options for young men engaged in knife-related crime.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jane Wood
- University of Kent, England, United Kingdom
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Lu Z, Tang G, Fortin S. Explaining child maltreatment and aggression among Chinese drug user: The mediating and moderating roles of drug craving and impulsivity. CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT 2024; 154:106954. [PMID: 39059230 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2024.106954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Revised: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The cycle of violence highlights a strong correlation between child maltreatment and aggression. However, there remains a significant gap in the pathway models of the cycle of violence. Given the exceptionally high rates of child maltreatment and violent crime among Chinese drug users, it is essential to examine the mechanisms of the cycle of violence within this group. OBJECTIVE The current study incorporates drug craving and impulsivity into the child maltreatment-aggression mechanism. We explore the potential mediating and moderating roles of these variables and further examine the heterogeneity. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING A total of 894 participants (Meanage = 38.30, SDage = 8.38) were recruited as the final sample. METHODS We employed moderated mediation and serial mediation models to explore the roles of drug craving and impulsivity. The Johnson-Neyman method was utilized to investigate moderating effects. Rich demographic variables and depression were controlled. RESULTS There was no direct relationship between child maltreatment and aggression. The moderated mediation model indicated that drug craving played a mediating role, and there was a substitutive relationship between impulsivity and drug craving. The serial mediation model showed that child maltreatment could only affect drug craving (not impulsivity) and could ultimately influence aggression through a chain relationship. Heterogeneity tests revealed that the mechanisms might differ among various types of maltreatment. CONCLUSION Drug craving holds a significant position in the cycle of violence. Compared to impulsivity, it is a more proximal factor to child mistreatment. Future research should also focus on the heterogeneity of child maltreatment for targeted interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zekai Lu
- Department of Sociology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada; Center for Brain and Cognitive Sciences, School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Ge Tang
- Teachers College, Columbia university, New York, USA
| | - Samuelle Fortin
- Department of Sociology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
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Whittle S, Zhang L, Rakesh D. Environmental and neurodevelopmental contributors to youth mental illness. Neuropsychopharmacology 2024:10.1038/s41386-024-01926-y. [PMID: 39030435 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-024-01926-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Revised: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/21/2024]
Abstract
While a myriad of factors likely contribute to the development of mental illness in young people, the social environment (including early adverse experiences) in concert with neurodevelopmental alterations is undeniably important. A number of influential theories make predictions about how and why neurodevelopmental alterations may mediate or moderate the effects of the social environment on the emergence of mental illness. Here, we discuss current evidence supporting each of these theories. Although this area of research is rapidly growing, the body of evidence is still relatively limited. However, there exist some consistent findings, including increased striatal reactivity during positive affective processing and larger hippocampal volumes being associated with increased vulnerability or susceptibility to the effects of social environments on internalizing symptoms. Limited longitudinal work has investigated neurodevelopmental mechanisms linking the social environment with mental health. Drawing from human research and insights from animal studies, we propose an integrated mediation-moderation model and outline future research directions to advance the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Whittle
- Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
- Orygen, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
| | - Lu Zhang
- Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Orygen, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Divyangana Rakesh
- Neuroimaging Department, Institute of Psychology, Psychiatry & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
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Wang R, Su Y, O'Donnell K, Caron J, Meaney M, Meng X, Li Y. Differential interactions between gene expressions and stressors across the lifespan in major depressive disorder. J Affect Disord 2024; 362:688-697. [PMID: 39029669 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.07.069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Revised: 07/05/2024] [Accepted: 07/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/21/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Both genetic predispositions and exposures to stressors have collectively contributed to the development of major depressive disorder (MDD). To deep dive into their roles in MDD, our study aimed to examine which susceptible gene expression interacts with various dimensions of stressors in the MDD risk among a large population cohort. METHODS Data analyzed were from a longitudinal community-based cohort from Southwest Montreal, Canada (N = 1083). Latent profile models were used to identify distinct patterns of stressors for the study cohort. A transcriptome-wide association study (TWAS) method was performed to examine the interactive effects of three dimensions of stressors (threat, deprivation, and cumulative lifetime stress) and gene expression on the MDD risk in a total of 48 tissues from GTEx. Additional analyses were also conducted to further explore and specify these associations including colocalization, and fine-mapping analyses, in addition to enrichment analysis investigations based on TWAS. RESULTS We identified 3321 genes linked to MDD at the nominal p-value <0.05 and found that different patterns of stressors can amplify the genetic susceptibility to MDD. We also observed specific genes and pathways that interacted with deprivation and cumulative lifetime stressors, particularly in specific brain tissues including basal ganglia, prefrontal cortex, brain amygdala, brain cerebellum, brain cortex, and the whole blood. Colocalization analysis also identified these genes as having a high probability of sharing MDD causal variants. LIMITATIONS The study cohort was composed exclusively of individuals of Caucasians, which restricts the generalizability of the findings to other ethnic population groups. CONCLUSIONS The findings of the study unveiled significant interactions between potential tissue-specific gene expression × stressors in the MDD risk and shed light on the intricate etiological attributes of gene expression and specific stressors across the lifespan in MDD. These genetic and environmental attributes in MDD corroborate the vulnerability-stress theory and direct future stress research to have a closer examination of genetic predisposition and potential involvements of omics studies to specify the intricate relationships between genes and stressful environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruiyang Wang
- Department of Financial and Risk Engineering, New York University, NY, NYC, USA; Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Douglas Research Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Yingying Su
- School of Public Health and Emergency Management, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Kieran O'Donnell
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Douglas Research Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada; Yale Child Study Center, Department of Obstetrics Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Child & Brain Development Program, CIFAR, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jean Caron
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Douglas Research Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Michael Meaney
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Douglas Research Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Xiangfei Meng
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Douglas Research Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada.
| | - Yue Li
- School of Computer Science, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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Ruge J, Ehlers MR, Kastrinogiannis A, Klingelhöfer-Jens M, Koppold A, Abend R, Lonsdorf TB. How adverse childhood experiences get under the skin: A systematic review, integration and methodological discussion on threat and reward learning mechanisms. eLife 2024; 13:e92700. [PMID: 39012794 PMCID: PMC11251725 DOI: 10.7554/elife.92700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are a major risk factor for the development of multiple psychopathological conditions, but the mechanisms underlying this link are poorly understood. Associative learning encompasses key mechanisms through which individuals learn to link important environmental inputs to emotional and behavioral responses. ACEs may impact the normative maturation of associative learning processes, resulting in their enduring maladaptive expression manifesting in psychopathology. In this review, we lay out a systematic and methodological overview and integration of the available evidence of the proposed association between ACEs and threat and reward learning processes. We summarize results from a systematic literature search (following PRISMA guidelines) which yielded a total of 81 articles (threat: n=38, reward: n=43). Across the threat and reward learning fields, behaviorally, we observed a converging pattern of aberrant learning in individuals with a history of ACEs, independent of other sample characteristics, specific ACE types, and outcome measures. Specifically, blunted threat learning was reflected in reduced discrimination between threat and safety cues, primarily driven by diminished responding to conditioned threat cues. Furthermore, attenuated reward learning manifested in reduced accuracy and learning rate in tasks involving acquisition of reward contingencies. Importantly, this pattern emerged despite substantial heterogeneity in ACE assessment and operationalization across both fields. We conclude that blunted threat and reward learning may represent a mechanistic route by which ACEs may become physiologically and neurobiologically embedded and ultimately confer greater risk for psychopathology. In closing, we discuss potentially fruitful future directions for the research field, including methodological and ACE assessment considerations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Ruge
- University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Institute for Systems NeuroscienceHamburgGermany
| | | | - Alexandros Kastrinogiannis
- University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Institute for Systems NeuroscienceHamburgGermany
- Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain SciencesLeipzigGermany
| | - Maren Klingelhöfer-Jens
- University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Institute for Systems NeuroscienceHamburgGermany
- University of BielefeldBielefeldGermany
| | - Alina Koppold
- University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Institute for Systems NeuroscienceHamburgGermany
| | | | - Tina B Lonsdorf
- University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Institute for Systems NeuroscienceHamburgGermany
- University of BielefeldBielefeldGermany
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Haim-Nachum S, Lazarov A, Zabag R, Martin A, Bergman M, Neria Y, Amsalem D. Self-stigma mediates the relationships between childhood maltreatment and symptom levels of PTSD, depression, and anxiety. Eur J Psychotraumatol 2024; 15:2370174. [PMID: 38985020 PMCID: PMC11238652 DOI: 10.1080/20008066.2024.2370174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Childhood maltreatment is a risk factor for developing multiple forms of psychopathology, including depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and anxiety. Yet, the mechanisms linking childhood maltreatment and these psychopathologies remain less clear.Objective: Here we examined whether self-stigma, the internalization of negative stereotypes about one's experiences, mediates the relationship between childhood maltreatment and symptom severity of depression, PTSD, and anxiety.Methods: Childhood trauma survivors (N = 685, Mage = 36.8) were assessed for childhood maltreatment, self-stigma, and symptoms of depression, PTSD, and anxiety. We used mediation analyses with childhood maltreatment as the independent variable. We then repeated these mediation models separately for childhood abuse and neglect, as well as the different subtypes of childhood maltreatment.Results: Self-stigma significantly mediated the relationship between childhood maltreatment and depression, PTSD, and anxiety symptoms. For sexual abuse - but not physical or emotional abuse - a significant mediation effect of self-stigma emerged on all symptom types. For childhood neglect, self-stigma significantly mediated the relationship between both emotional and physical neglect and all symptom types.Conclusion: Our cross-sectional study suggests that different types of childhood maltreatment experiences may relate to distinct mental health problems, potentially linked to increased self-stigma. Self-stigma may serve as an important treatment target for survivors of childhood abuse and neglect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shilat Haim-Nachum
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
- School of Social Work, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Amit Lazarov
- School of Psychological Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Reut Zabag
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Andrés Martin
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Maja Bergman
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yuval Neria
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Doron Amsalem
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
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Hogan CM, Merrill SM, Hernandez Valencia E, McHayle AA, Sisitsky MD, McDermott JM, Parent J. The Impact of Early Life Adversity on Peripubertal Accelerated Epigenetic Aging and Psychopathology. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2024:S0890-8567(24)00352-6. [PMID: 38969335 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2024.04.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine longitudinal associations between early life threat and deprivation on epigenetic age acceleration at ages 9 and 15 years, and to examine associations of age acceleration on later internalizing and externalizing symptoms. METHOD The study examines a large (n = 2,039) and racially diverse (Black/African American = 44%, Latino = 18%, White = 5%) sample from a national dataset. Epigenetic age acceleration was estimated using the pediatric buccal epigenetic clock. Early life threat and deprivation were measured using composites from the Parent-Child Conflict Tactics Scale and county-level violent and property crime rate data. Internalizing and externalizing symptoms came from parent-reported Child Behavior Checklist. Path analysis models examined associations of threat and deprivation at age 3 years on epigenetic age acceleration at ages 9 and 15. Experiences of threat were further broken down into threat experienced in the home and in the community. RESULTS Home threat experienced at age 3 years predicted age acceleration at 9 and 15, and community threat experienced at 3 predicted age acceleration at 15, but not at 9. Deprivation was not a significant predictor of accelerated aging. Age acceleration at age 9 predicted externalizing, but not internalizing, symptoms at age 15. Community threat had a direct effect on externalizing. No association emerged with internalizing. CONCLUSION Findings revealed that threat, not deprivation, was predictive of age acceleration, demonstrating support for this pattern longitudinally, using an epigenetic clock that is accurate in children. The findings provide critical nuance to the examination of threat, and highlight associated risks and possible intervention points for externalizing symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sarah M Merrill
- Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| | | | - Allison A McHayle
- Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| | | | | | - Justin Parent
- Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island; University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island; Emma Pendleton Bradley Hospital, East Providence, Rhode Island
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Chan SY, Fitzgerald E, Ngoh ZM, Lee J, Chuah J, Chia JSM, Fortier MV, Tham EH, Zhou JH, Silveira PP, Meaney MJ, Tan AP. Examining the associations between microglia genetic capacity, early life exposures and white matter development at the level of the individual. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 119:781-791. [PMID: 38677627 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.04.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
There are inter-individual differences in susceptibility to the influence of early life experiences for which the underlying neurobiological mechanisms are poorly understood. Microglia play a role in environmental surveillance and may influence individual susceptibility to environmental factors. As an index of neurodevelopment, we estimated individual slopes of mean white matter fractional anisotropy (WM-FA) across three time-points (age 4.5, 6.0, and 7.5 years) for 351 participants. Individual variation in microglia reactivity was derived from an expression-based polygenic score(ePGS) comprised of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) functionally related to the expression of microglia-enriched genes.A higher ePGS denotes an increased genetic capacity for the expression of microglia-related genes, and thus may confer a greater capacity to respond to the early environment and to influence brain development. We hypothesized that this ePGS would associate with the WM-FA index of neurodevelopment and moderate the influence of early environmental factors.Our findings show sex dependency, where a significant association between WM-FA and microglia ePGS was only obtained for females.We then examined associations with perinatal factors known to decrease (optimal birth outcomes and familial conditions) or increase (systemic inflammation) the risk for later mental health problems.In females, individuals with high microglia ePGS showed a negative association between systemic inflammation and WM-FA and a positive association between more advantageous environmental conditions and WM-FA. The microglia ePGS in females thus accounted for variations in the influence of the quality of the early environment on WM-FA.Finally, WM-FA slopes mediated the association of microglia ePGS with interpersonal problems and social hostility in females. Our findings suggest the genetic capacity for microglia function as a potential factor underlying differential susceptibility to early life exposuresthrough influences on neurodevelopment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi Yu Chan
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 30 Medical Dr, Singapore 117609, Singapore
| | - Eamon Fitzgerald
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, McGill University, 1010 Rue Sherbrooke O, QC H3A 2R7, Canada; Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, 6875 Bd LaSalle, QC H4H 1R3, Canada
| | - Zhen Ming Ngoh
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 30 Medical Dr, Singapore 117609, Singapore
| | - Janice Lee
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 30 Medical Dr, Singapore 117609, Singapore
| | - Jasmine Chuah
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 30 Medical Dr, Singapore 117609, Singapore
| | - Joanne S M Chia
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 30 Medical Dr, Singapore 117609, Singapore
| | - Marielle V Fortier
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 30 Medical Dr, Singapore 117609, Singapore; Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Imaging, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, 100 Bukit Timah Rd, Singapore 229899, Singapore; Duke-NUS Medical School, 8 College Rd, Singapore 169857, Singapore
| | - Elizabeth H Tham
- Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS), 10 Medical Dr, Singapore 117597, Singapore; Khoo Teck Puat-National University Children's Medical Institute, National University Health System (NUHS), 5 Lower Kent Ridge Rd, Singapore 119074, Singapore
| | - Juan H Zhou
- Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS), 10 Medical Dr, Singapore 117597, Singapore; Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore 117583, Singapore
| | - Patricia P Silveira
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, McGill University, 1010 Rue Sherbrooke O, QC H3A 2R7, Canada; Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, 6875 Bd LaSalle, QC H4H 1R3, Canada; Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS), 10 Medical Dr, Singapore 117597, Singapore
| | - Michael J Meaney
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 30 Medical Dr, Singapore 117609, Singapore; Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, 6875 Bd LaSalle, QC H4H 1R3, Canada; Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS), 10 Medical Dr, Singapore 117597, Singapore; Brain - Body Initiative Program, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 1 Fusionopolis Way, Connexis North Tower, Singapore 138632, Singapore
| | - Ai Peng Tan
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 30 Medical Dr, Singapore 117609, Singapore; Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS), 10 Medical Dr, Singapore 117597, Singapore; Brain - Body Initiative Program, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 1 Fusionopolis Way, Connexis North Tower, Singapore 138632, Singapore; Department of Diagnostic Imaging, National University Health System, 1E Kent Ridge Rd, Singapore 119228, Singapore.
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Stroud CB, Chen FR, Navarro E, Gim H, Benjamin I, Doane LD. Unique and interactive effects of threat and deprivation on latent trait cortisol among emerging adults. Dev Psychobiol 2024; 66:e22494. [PMID: 38698641 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
Though considerable work supports the Dimensional Model of Adversity and Psychopathology, prior research has not tested whether the dimensions-threat (e.g., abuse) and deprivation (e.g., neglect)-are uniquely related to salivary trait indicators of hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis activity. We examined the unique and interactive effects of threat and deprivation on latent trait cortisol (LTC)-and whether these effects were modified by co-occurring adversities. Emerging adults (n = 90; Mage = 19.36 years; 99.88% cisgender women) provided salivary cortisol samples four times a day (waking, 30 min and 45 min postwaking, bedtime) over three 3-day measurement waves over 13 weeks. Contextual life stress interviews assessed early adversity. Though the effects varied according to the conceptualization of early adversity, overall, threat-but not deprivation, nor other co-occurring adversities-was uniquely associated with the across-wave LTC. Specifically, the incidence and frequency of threat were each negatively related to the across-wave LTC. Threat severity was also associated with the across-wave LTC, but only among those with no deprivation. Finally, the effects of threat were modified by other co-occurring adversities. Findings suggest that threat has unique implications for individual differences in HPA axis activity among emerging adults, and that co-occurring adversities modify such effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine B Stroud
- Department of Psychology, Williams College, Williamstown, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Frances R Chen
- Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Esmeralda Navarro
- Department of Psychology, Williams College, Williamstown, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Haelynn Gim
- Department of Psychology, Williams College, Williamstown, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Isabel Benjamin
- Department of Psychology, Williams College, Williamstown, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Psychology, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Leah D Doane
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
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12
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Sand H, Sticca F, Wehrle FM, Eichelberger DA, Simoni H, Jenni OG, Lannen P. Effects of early institutionalization involving psychosocial deprivation on cognitive functioning 60 years later: Findings of the LifeStories project. CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT 2024; 154:106917. [PMID: 38955051 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2024.106917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 06/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Institutionalization involving psychosocial deprivation affects child development negatively. However, there are few longitudinal studies, and no prospective study has yet examined the consequences of institutionalization in late adulthood. OBJECTIVE Investigating effects of psychosocial deprivation on cognitive functioning 60 years later. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING A population-based survey of institutionalized infants and toddlers was conducted in Switzerland from 1958 to 1961 (n = 387; Mage = 0.93 years, SD = 0.53, 48 % female, 48 % Swiss nationality). In parallel, a comparison group of 399 family-raised children were assessed (Mage = 0.85 years, SD = 0.50, 46 % female, 100 % Swiss nationality). Six decades later, data on cognitive functioning were collected for 88 of the institutionalized group (Mage = 62.63 years, SD = 1.32), and 148 of the comparison group (Mage = 65.06, SD = 1.32). METHODS Standardized tests were used: the Brunet-Lézine Developmental Test in early childhood and a short form of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale in late adulthood. RESULTS Formerly institutionalized individuals scored lower on cognitive functioning (d = - 0.67, p < .001), with the greatest difference in working memory (d = -0.78, p < .001). Longer duration of institutionalization increased the risk of lower cognitive functioning, indicating a dose-response effect. Institutionalization's impact on adult cognitive functioning was mediated by early childhood developmental status but not by later educational attainment. CONCLUSIONS This study confirms the early experience hypothesis, indicating that early life conditions have lasting effects on human development, even into late adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Sand
- Marie Meierhofer Children's Institute, Pfingstweidstrasse 16, 8005 Zurich, Switzerland; University of Zurich, Rämistrasse 71, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Fabio Sticca
- Marie Meierhofer Children's Institute, Pfingstweidstrasse 16, 8005 Zurich, Switzerland; University of Teacher Education in Special Needs, Schaffhauserstrasse 239, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Flavia M Wehrle
- University of Zurich, Rämistrasse 71, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland; Child Development Center, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Steinwiesstrasse 75, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Dominique A Eichelberger
- Child Development Center, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Steinwiesstrasse 75, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Heidi Simoni
- Marie Meierhofer Children's Institute, Pfingstweidstrasse 16, 8005 Zurich, Switzerland; University of Zurich, Rämistrasse 71, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Oskar G Jenni
- University of Zurich, Rämistrasse 71, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland; Child Development Center, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Steinwiesstrasse 75, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Patricia Lannen
- Marie Meierhofer Children's Institute, Pfingstweidstrasse 16, 8005 Zurich, Switzerland; University of Zurich, Rämistrasse 71, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland.
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13
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Cai X, Bai X, Zhou S. Childhood adversities and memory function in later life: the mediating role of activity participation. BMC Geriatr 2024; 24:536. [PMID: 38902657 PMCID: PMC11191259 DOI: 10.1186/s12877-024-05145-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Childhood adversities may lead to decreased activity participation in later life, impacting memory health in ageing adults. Childhood adversities related to deprivation and threat, as conceptualized by the Dimensional Model of Adversity, can exhibit distinct impacts on cognitive and emotional outcomes in children and younger adults. This study examined the potential influence of childhood deprivation and threat on memory function in later life and the mediating role of activity participation in these relationships. METHODS This study used data from the first wave of Panel Study of Active Ageing and Society (PAAS), a representative survey of Hong Kong residents aged 50 or above (N = 1,005). Key variables included late-life memory function measured by delayed recall test, deprivation- and threat-related childhood adversities, and the frequency of participation in informal and formal types of activities. Mediation tests were used for analysis. RESULTS Childhood deprivation was associated with a lower late-life memory function, whereas threat was not. The negative effects of childhood deprivation and its subdomain, economic hardship, on memory function were mediated by activity participation. Total participation scores presented the strongest mediating effect (17.3-20.6%), with formal activities playing a more substantial mediating role than informal activities in mitigating the effect of childhood deprivation. CONCLUSIONS These findings expand the applicability of the Dimensional Model of Adversity to ageing populations, highlighting the influence of deprivation on life-long cognitive development. Furthermore, this study revealed an indirect mechanism by which childhood deprivation affects memory health in old age through diverse activity participation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinxin Cai
- Department of Applied Social Sciences & Research Centre for Gerontology and Family Studies, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
| | - Xue Bai
- Department of Applied Social Sciences & Research Centre for Gerontology and Family Studies, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Shuai Zhou
- Department of Applied Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong
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Sheinbaum T, Gizdic A, Kwapil TR, Barrantes-Vidal N. A longitudinal study of the impact of childhood adversity dimensions on social and psychological factors and symptoms of psychosis, depression, and anxiety. Schizophr Res 2024; 270:102-110. [PMID: 38889654 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2024.05.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 05/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
The present study examined three empirically-derived childhood adversity dimensions as predictors of social, psychological, and symptom outcomes across three prospective assessments of a young adult sample. Participants were assessed five times over eight years with semi-structured interviews and questionnaires. The analyses used the dimensions underlying multiple subscales from well-established childhood adversity measures administered at the first two assessment waves (described in a previous report). Outcome data pertain to the last three assessment waves, with sample sizes ranging from 89 to 169. As hypothesized, the childhood adversity dimensions demonstrated overlapping and differential longitudinal associations with the outcomes. Deprivation predicted the negative (deficit-like) dimension of psychosis, while Threat and Intrafamilial Adversity predicted the positive (psychotic-like) dimension. Depression and anxiety symptoms were predicted by different childhood adversity dimensions over time. Furthermore, Threat predicted a smaller and less diverse social network, Intrafamilial Adversity predicted anxious attachment, and Deprivation predicted a smaller social network, anxious and avoidant attachment, perceived social support, and loneliness. The three adversity dimensions combined accounted for moderate to large proportions of variance in several outcomes. These results extend prior work by identifying associations of three meaningful dimensions of childhood adversity with different risk profiles across psychological, social, and psychopathological domains. The findings enhance our understanding of the impact of childhood adversity across young adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Sheinbaum
- Dirección de Investigaciones Epidemiológicas y Psicosociales. Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Alena Gizdic
- Departament de Psicología Clínica i de la Salut, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Thomas R Kwapil
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA
| | - Neus Barrantes-Vidal
- Departament de Psicología Clínica i de la Salut, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain.
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15
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Fauver M, Clark EM, Schwartz CE. A new framework for understanding stress and disease: the developmental model of stress as applied to multiple sclerosis. Front Integr Neurosci 2024; 18:1365672. [PMID: 38957213 PMCID: PMC11218666 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2024.1365672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024] Open
Abstract
This paper proposes a new model of stress that integrates earlier models and adds insights from developmental psychology. Previous models describe the behavioral and physical effects of stress events, but have not explained the translation of experiences into stress itself. The Developmental Model of Stress shows how psychosocial developmental challenges in childhood create persistent negative beliefs and behaviors that increase threat perception and maladaptive stress responses. These developmental challenges produce early psychological and physiological predispositions for increased stress responses over time. Ongoing stress leads to dysregulation of physical stress-response systems (allostatic load), which is associated with multiple diseases. High allostatic load provides the necessary preconditions for the diathesis-stress model, which says the addition of an acute stressor to a weakened or predisposed system can lead to disease development. The paper also documents the evolving measurement of stress to better understand the stress-disease relationship, helping to resolve conflicting results between studies. The Developmental Model of Stress was combined with clinician insight and patient reports to build an integrative framework for understanding the role of stress in the development and progression of multiple sclerosis (MS). It includes the first mapping of maladaptive beliefs and behaviors arising from developmental challenges that are common to people with MS. An initial comparison shows these may be distinct from those of people with other chronic diseases. These beliefs and behaviors form the predisposing factors and contribute to the triggering factors, which are the acute stressors triggering disease onset. These often took two forms, a prolonged incident experienced as feeling trapped or stuck, and threat of a breach in a relationship. The reinforcing factors add the stress of a chronic disease with a poor prognosis and seemingly random symptom fluctuation, still managed with the same beliefs and behaviors developed in childhood, increasing physiological dysregulation and symptom severity. A pilot study is described in which these three categories of stress factors in MS were explicitly addressed. This study noted clinically important improvements in physical and mental well-being, providing preliminary support for the Developmental Model. Future research might expand on the pilot using a more robust sample and design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Fauver
- Integral Health Program, California Institute for Human Science, Encinitas, CA, United States
| | - Eva M. Clark
- MIND based Healing, Santa Cruz, CA, United States
| | - Carolyn E. Schwartz
- DeltaQuest Foundation, Inc., Concord, MA, United States
- Department of Medicine and Departments of Orthopaedic Surgery, Tufts University Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
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16
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Shen X, Zhou X, Guo Y, Wang JL. Associations of Early-Life Deprivation and Threat with Exploratory Behavior: Moderated Mediation Models of Sensation Seeking and Executive Function. JOURNAL OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE 2024:8862605241257946. [PMID: 38842249 DOI: 10.1177/08862605241257946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Exploratory behavior, as a crucial aspect of decision-making, plays an indispensable role in maximizing long-term benefits and is, therefore, essential in promoting adolescents' psychological well-being and social adaptation. Recent studies have shown that this adaptive behavior is influenced by previous early experiences. However, little was known about the associations between specific types of childhood maltreatment and exploratory behavior and the roles of individual motivational and cognitive factors in these relationships. The present study aimed to examine whether the subtypes of maltreatment, that is, threat and deprivation, would influence adolescents' exploratory behavior, the mediating role of sensation seeking, and the moderating role of executive function. Using a sample of 720 Chinese adolescents (Mage = 13.29, SDage = 0.82, 54.8% female), we found that sensation seeking fully mediated the relationship between threat and exploratory behavior. That is, adolescents who experienced threat were more likely to increase sensation seeking, which further promote exploratory activities. Moreover, executive function was a second-stage moderator of this full mediation pathway, with the mediating effect of sensation seeking between threat and exploratory behavior increasing with the enhancement of executive function. However, we did not observe the mediating effect of sensation seeking and the second-stage moderating effect of executive function on the relationship between deprivation and exploration. Considering the distinct impact mechanisms of threat and deprivation on exploratory behavior, our study provides empirical support for the Dimensional Model of Adversity and Psychopathology, and highlights the critical role of sensation seeking and the necessity of implementing executive function interventions for those experiencing threat experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Shen
- Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xinqi Zhou
- Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China
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17
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Stinson EA, Sullivan RM, Navarro GY, Wallace AL, Larson CL, Lisdahl KM. Childhood adversity is associated with reduced BOLD response in inhibitory control regions amongst preadolescents from the ABCD study. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2024; 67:101378. [PMID: 38626611 PMCID: PMC11035055 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2024.101378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Adolescence is characterized by dynamic neurodevelopment, which poses opportunities for risk and resilience. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) confer additional risk to the developing brain, where ACEs have been associated with alterations in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) BOLD signaling in brain regions underlying inhibitory control. Socioenvironmental factors like the family environment may amplify or buffer against the neurodevelopmental risks associated with ACEs. Using baseline to Year 2 follow-up data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, the current study examined how ACEs relate to fMRI BOLD signaling during successful inhibition on the Stop Signal Task in regions associated with inhibitory control and examined whether family conflict levels moderated that relationship. Results showed that greater ACEs were associated with reduced BOLD response in the right opercular region of the inferior frontal gyrus and bilaterally in the pre-supplementary motor area, which are key regions underlying inhibitory control. Further, greater BOLD response was correlated with less impulsivity behaviorally, suggesting reduced activation may not be behaviorally adaptive at this age. No significant two or three-way interactions with family conflict levels or time were found. Findings highlight the continued utility of examining the relationship between ACEs and neurodevelopmental outcomes and the importance of intervention/prevention of ACES.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A Stinson
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53201, United States
| | - Ryan M Sullivan
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53201, United States
| | - Gabriella Y Navarro
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53201, United States
| | - Alexander L Wallace
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States
| | - Christine L Larson
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53201, United States
| | - Krista M Lisdahl
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53201, United States.
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18
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Burns C, Hejl C, Z. Szabo Y. Childhood Adversity and Adult Inflammation: Exploring the Mediating Role of Emotion Regulation in the MIDUS II Study. JOURNAL OF CHILD & ADOLESCENT TRAUMA 2024; 17:319-334. [PMID: 38938945 PMCID: PMC11199436 DOI: 10.1007/s40653-023-00594-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
The present study furthers understanding of how childhood adversity connects to inflammation and, in turn, poor health. Using the publicly available Midlife in the United States II (MIDUS II) dataset, we test a recent theoretical model that suggests emotion regulation is a potential mechanism of associations between adversity and inflammation. We examined the indirect effects of various types of adversity (e.g., stressful events, maltreatment, threat, and deprivation) on inflammation via two emotion regulation strategies (i.e., expressive suppression and reappraisal). Participants included 1096 adults without a history of cancer or HIV/AIDS who had completed the initial MIDUS II follow up and a sub-study examining biomarkers. Participants completed self-report measures inquiring about psychosocial factors including stressful life events, childhood trauma, and emotion regulation as well as provided blood samples. Bivariate correlation indicated that multiple forms of childhood adversity were associated with both C-reactive protein and fibrinogen. Deprivation, as measured by a stressful life events scale, was positively associated with both reappraisal and suppression. Tests of indirect effects indicated that deprivation was positively associated with fibrinogen through both emotion regulation strategies, particularly for female participants. Our findings partially support recent theory positing emotion regulation as a pathway through which childhood adversity may impact inflammation in adulthood. Further, deprivation may be particularly critical in understanding how adversity is connected to maladaptive emotion regulation and inflammation. Emotion regulation may be an important treatment target to mitigate the negative impact of childhood adversity on health and well-being. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40653-023-00594-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Burns
- Department of Veterans Affairs, VISN 17 Center of Excellence for Research on Returning War Veterans, Waco, TX USA
- Department of Education, Health, & Behavior, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND USA
| | - Christina Hejl
- Department of Veterans Affairs, VISN 17 Center of Excellence for Research on Returning War Veterans, Waco, TX USA
| | - Yvette Z. Szabo
- Department of Veterans Affairs, VISN 17 Center of Excellence for Research on Returning War Veterans, Waco, TX USA
- Department of Psychology, California State University, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA USA
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19
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Davis MM, Navarro E, Carpenter KLH, Copeland WE, Small B, Egger HL, Sheridan MA. Early life adversity and psychopathology in preschoolers: mechanisms and moderators. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2024; 33:1945-1954. [PMID: 37725168 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-023-02295-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
Developmental theories suggest that exposure to early life adversity (ELA) alters developing emotional response systems, predicting risk for psychopathology across the life span. The present study examines whether negative emotionality (NE), a trait-like measure of emotionality that develops during early childhood, mediates the association between ELA and psychopathology in a representative sample of 917 preschoolers (Mage = 3.84). Additionally, we explored whether cognitive control, which supports attentional focusing and inhibition and has been identified as a transdiagnostic protective factor, moderates the impact of heightened emotionality following adversity on psychopathology risk. We utilized parent report of adversity, psychopathology, and NE and parent report and task-based measures of cognitive control. Structural equation modeling of cross-sectional data revealed that NE partially mediated the link between ELA and psychopathology symptoms. Moreover, parent-reported cognitive control buffered this link such that the effect of ELA on psychopathology through NE was stronger in children with low versus high cognitive control. These results identify elevated NE as one mechanism linking ELA and psychopathology, specifically among children with poorer top-down control, informing our understanding of key risk and protective factors among adversity-exposed children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan M Davis
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 235 E. Cameron St., Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
| | - Esmeralda Navarro
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 235 E. Cameron St., Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Margaret A Sheridan
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 235 E. Cameron St., Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
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20
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Murray-Perdue SA, Conway A, Feinberg ME. Couple relationship functioning and social adjustment during the transition to parenthood among fathers with a history of maltreatment. FAMILY PROCESS 2024. [PMID: 38813791 DOI: 10.1111/famp.13019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Study of fathers has gained significant traction over recent decades. However, the experience for men over the transition to parenthood remains focused on high-socioeconomic and socially advantaged fathers. Researchers have yet to thoroughly investigate how fathers may uniquely experience this transition period with a history of childhood maltreatment, given that childhood abuse is known to impact several components of development and relationship functioning into adulthood. The current study endeavored to fill this gap by evaluating the associations between fathers' childhood experiences of physical and emotional abuse and their relationship functioning over the transition to parenthood in terms of both the couple relationship and social adjustment in relationships with others. Using data from 399 fathers who participated in a randomized control trial during pregnancy, the results from stepwise regressions indicate fathers with a history of emotional abuse experience particular declines in their external relationships (reductions in social support and increases in social stress) from prenatal (Wave 1) to postpartum (Wave 2) reports. However, no significant association emerged between fathers' history of maltreatment and their relationship functioning with their partners. These results underscore the importance of investigating the impact of different types of abuse on men in fatherhood. Moreover, we emphasize the need to study further fathers' social adjustment over the transition to parenthood beyond the couple relationship and broad social support to address the needs of men with a history of maltreatment in their new role as fathers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha A Murray-Perdue
- Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Andrew Conway
- Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Mark E Feinberg
- Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
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Sætren SS, Bjørnestad JR, Ottesen AA, Fisher HL, Olsen DAS, Hølland K, Hegelstad WTV. Unraveling the Concept of Childhood Adversity in Psychosis Research: A Systematic Review. Schizophr Bull 2024:sbae085. [PMID: 38811352 DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbae085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND During the last decades, an abundance of studies has investigated childhood adversity in relation to psychosis. This systematic review critically examines the methodologies employed to investigate childhood adversity in psychosis over the past decade, including operational definitions, measurement tools and characteristics, and psychometric properties of instruments used in these studies. STUDY DESIGN This systematic review followed the PRISMA guidelines (registration number CRD42022307096), and the search used the following electronic databases: PsychINFO, SCOPUS, Web of Science, African Index Medicus (AIM), LILACS, CINAHL, EMBASE, and MEDLINE. The search included variations and combinations of the terms targeting childhood adversity and psychosis. STUDY RESULTS Out of 585 identified studies published between 2010 and 2023, 341 employed a validated instrument to investigate childhood adversity. Our findings show "childhood trauma" being the most frequently examined construct, followed by "child maltreatment" or "child abuse." The short version of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire was the dominant instrument. Physical abuse, emotional abuse, and sexual abuse were most frequently investigated, and indeed the field appears generally to focus on child abuse and neglect over other adversities. Significant psychometric heterogeneity was observed in the selection and summarization of instrument items, with only 59% of studies documenting original psychometric validation and 22% reporting reliability in their datasets. CONCLUSION This review highlights substantial methodological heterogeneity in the field, pointing out biases in the research on childhood adversity and psychosis. These findings underline the need for standardized definitions and high-quality measurement tools to enhance the validity of future research in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sjur S Sætren
- Department for Child and Adolescent Research, Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies, Oslo, Norway
- TIPS Centre for Clinical Research in Psychosis, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway
| | - Jone R Bjørnestad
- TIPS Centre for Clinical Research in Psychosis, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway
- Institute of Social Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway
- Department of Psychiatry, District General Hospital of Førde, Førde, Norway
| | - Akiah A Ottesen
- NORMENT, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital & Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Helen L Fisher
- Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- ESRC Centre for Society and Mental Health, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Daniel A S Olsen
- TIPS Centre for Clinical Research in Psychosis, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway
| | - Kari Hølland
- Institute of Social Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway
| | - Wenche Ten Velden Hegelstad
- TIPS Centre for Clinical Research in Psychosis, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway
- Institute of Social Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway
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Vasupanrajit A, Maes M, Jirakran K, Tunvirachaisakul C. Complex Intersections Between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Negative Life Events Impact the Phenome of Major Depression. Psychol Res Behav Manag 2024; 17:2161-2178. [PMID: 38826678 PMCID: PMC11144407 DOI: 10.2147/prbm.s458257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Background There is evidence that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and negative life events (NLEs) are associated with major depression (MDD). Purpose To determine whether ACEs affect all features of mild MDD, including suicidal tendencies, brooding, neuroticism, insomnia, cognitive deficits, severity of depression and anxiety, and cognitive deficits, and whether NLEs mediate these effects. Sample of the Study and Methods This study examines a cohort of 118 academic students, namely 74 students who satisfied the DSM-5-TR criteria for MDD and 44 normal control students. We assessed brooding, neuroticism, suicidal ideation and attempts, and the severity of depression, anxiety, insomnia, and the Stroop tests. Results One validated factor could be extracted from brooding, neuroticism, current suicidal behaviors, and the severity of depression, anxiety, and insomnia, labeled the phenome of depression. A large part of the variance in the phenome of depression (55.0%) was explained by the combined effects of self-, relationships, and academic-related NLEs in conjunction with ACEs, including family dysfunction and abuse and neglect (both physical and emotional). The latter ACEs significantly interacted (moderating effect) with NLEs to impact the depression phenome. Although sexual abuse did not have direct effects on the phenome, its effects were mediated by NLEs. We discovered that increased sexual abuse, physical and emotional abuse and neglect, and ACEs related to family dysfunction predicted 22.5% of the variance in NLEs. Up to 18.5% of the variance in the Stroop test scores was explained by sexual abuse and the phenome of depression. The latter mediated the effects of NLEs and abuse, neglect, and family dysfunction on the Stroop test scores. Conclusion Complex intersections between ACEs and NLEs impact the phenome of depression, which comprises neuroticism, brooding, suicidal tendencies, and the severity of insomnia, anxiety, and depression, while sexual abuse together with other ACEs and NLEs may impact cognitive interference inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asara Vasupanrajit
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Ph.D.Program in Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Michael Maes
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Ph.D.Program in Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, People’s Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Psychosomatic Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, People’s Republic of China
- Center of Excellence in Cognitive Impairment and Dementia Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Cognitive Fitness and Biopsychological Technology Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of Plovdiv, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
- Research Institute, Medical University of Plovdiv, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
- Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ketsupar Jirakran
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Ph.D.Program in Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Center of Excellence for Maximizing Children’s Developmental Potential, Department of Pediatric, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Chavit Tunvirachaisakul
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Ph.D.Program in Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Center of Excellence in Cognitive Impairment and Dementia Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
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Song W, McLean KJ, Gifford J, Kissner H, Sipe R. Adverse Childhood Experiences and Health Outcomes Among Transition-Age Autistic Youth. J Autism Dev Disord 2024:10.1007/s10803-024-06401-7. [PMID: 38771506 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-024-06401-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been associated with poor health outcomes in the general population. However, their impact on autistic youth remains unclear. OBJECTIVE The primary objective was to understand how childhood adversity is related to the general health, mental health, and physical health of transition-age autistic youth. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING Using data from the 2018-2021 National Survey of Children's Health, this cross-sectional study involved 2056 autistic youth aged 12-17. METHODS Logistic regression was employed to test the association between three measures of ACEs - individual ACEs, cumulative ACEs, and grouped ACEs based on contexts, and health outcomes of autistic youth. RESULTS Our study observed a high prevalence of ACEs among autistic youth, with a substantially higher proportion experiencing multiple ACEs than their neurotypical peers. Individual ACEs were significantly associated with specific health issues. Cumulative ACEs demonstrated a clear dose-response relationship with health outcomes, with higher ACE counts increasing the likelihood of experiencing poor general health, mental health conditions, and physical health issues. Moreover, grouped ACEs associated with health differently, with community-based ACEs being particularly linked to general health status, mental health conditions, and physical health conditions, while family-based ACEs correlated more with more severe mental health conditions and being overweight. CONCLUSION These findings collectively emphasize the importance of addressing ACEs as a public health concern among transition-age autistic youth, highlighting the need for targeted interventions, prevention strategies, and support services to mitigate the negative impact of ACEs on the overall well-being of this growing community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Song
- A.J. Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University, 3020 Market Street, Suite 560, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
| | - Kiley J McLean
- A.J. Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University, 3020 Market Street, Suite 560, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Jordan Gifford
- A.J. Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University, 3020 Market Street, Suite 560, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Hailey Kissner
- A.J. Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University, 3020 Market Street, Suite 560, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Rosalind Sipe
- A.J. Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University, 3020 Market Street, Suite 560, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
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Arévalo SP, Zhao Q. Lifetime Polyvictimization and Mental Health Outcomes in Women With vs Without Incarceration Histories: A Population-Based Latent Class Analysis. Violence Against Women 2024:10778012241252018. [PMID: 38693855 DOI: 10.1177/10778012241252018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
We use latent class analysis, a life course framework, and information on the type, frequency, and timing of trauma exposure to identify distinct polytrauma groups in a national sample of women (AddHealth). We compare the identified polytrauma groups and their associations with mental health in adulthood in women with and without incarceration histories. A unique group with polyvictimization (neglect, physical, sexual) exposure in childhood by a caregiver in women with incarceration histories was not identified in women without incarceration histories. We find evidence of distinct associations between polytrauma groups and mental health and possibly, criminal justice involvement, in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra P Arévalo
- Human Development Department, California State University-Long Beach, Long Beach, CA, USA
| | - Qianwei Zhao
- Diana R. Garland School of Social Work, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA
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25
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Clark HM, Hankin BL, Narayan AJ, Davis EP. Risk and resilience factors for psychopathology during pregnancy: An application of the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP). Dev Psychopathol 2024; 36:545-561. [PMID: 36734236 PMCID: PMC10397364 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579422001390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Pregnancy is a time of increased vulnerability to psychopathology, yet limited work has investigated the extent to which variation in psychopathology during pregnancy is shared and unshared across syndromes and symptoms. Understanding the structure of psychopathology during pregnancy, including associations with childhood experiences, may elucidate risk and resilience factors that are transdiagnostic and/or specific to particular psychopathology phenotypes. Participants were 292 pregnant individuals assessed using multiple measures of psychopathology. Confirmatory factor analyses found evidence for a structure of psychopathology consistent with the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP). A common transdiagnostic factor accounted for most variation in psychopathology, and both adverse and benevolent childhood experiences (ACEs and BCEs) were associated with this transdiagnostic factor. Furthermore, pregnancy-specific anxiety symptoms most closely reflected the dimension of Fear, which may suggest shared variation with manifestations of fear that are not pregnancy-specific. ACEs and BCEs also linked to specific prenatal psychopathology involving thought problems, detachment, and internalizing, externalizing, antagonistic, and antisocial behavior. These findings extend the dimensional and hierarchical HiTOP model to pregnant individuals and show how maternal childhood risk and resilience factors relate to common and specific forms of psychopathology during pregnancy as a period of enhanced vulnerability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah M Clark
- Department of Psychology, Brandeis University, 415 South St., Waltham, MA, 02453, USA
| | - Benjamin L Hankin
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 603 East Daniel St., Champaign, IL, 61820, USA
| | - Angela J Narayan
- Department of Psychology, University of Denver, 2155 South Race St., Denver, CO, 80208, USA
| | - Elysia Poggi Davis
- Department of Psychology, University of Denver, 2155 South Race St., Denver, CO, 80208, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Irvine, 3028 Hewitt Hall, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
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Chang YW, Buerke M, Galfalvy H, Szanto K. Childhood trauma is associated with early-onset but not late-onset suicidal behavior in late-life depression. Int Psychogeriatr 2024; 36:371-384. [PMID: 37642013 PMCID: PMC10902201 DOI: 10.1017/s1041610223000662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To examine the relationship between childhood traumatic experiences and early and late-onset suicidal behavior among depressed older adults. DESIGN Cross-sectional study. SETTING Inpatient and outpatient psychiatric services in Pennsylvania. PARTICIPANTS Our sample included 224 adults aged 50+ (M ± SD = 62.5 ± 7.4) recruited into three depressed groups: (1) 84 suicide attempters, (2) 44 suicide ideators, and (3) 58 non-suicidal comparisons, and a non-psychiatric healthy comparison group (N = 38). MEASUREMENTS The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire measured experiences of childhood trauma such as emotional abuse, physical abuse, emotional neglect, physical neglect, and sexual abuse. RESULTS Attempters were separated into early- and late-onset based on age of first attempt using a statistical algorithm that identified a cutoff age of 30 years old. Overall, we found group differences in emotional and physical abuse and neglect in both genders and sexual abuse in females, but not in males. Early-onset attempters experienced more childhood emotional abuse and neglect than late-onset attempters and were more likely to have experienced multiple forms of abuse. They also experienced more emotional abuse and neglect than all comparison groups. Consistently, early-onset attempters more often met criteria for current or lifetime PTSD relative to late-onset attempters and most comparison groups. Late-onset attempters had similar levels of childhood trauma as other depressed groups. CONCLUSIONS Our study reaffirms that there are distinct pathways to suicidal behavior in older adults based on their age of first suicide attempt and that trauma experienced in childhood has long-lasting emotional and behavioral consequences, even into late life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Wen Chang
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Morgan Buerke
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, USA
| | - Hanga Galfalvy
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Katalin Szanto
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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McCoy DC, Dormal M, Cuartas J, Carreira Dos Santos A, Fink G, Brentani A. The acute effects of community violence on young children's regulatory, behavioral, and developmental outcomes in a low-income urban sample in Brazil. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2024; 65:620-630. [PMID: 37011945 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Existing research on the impacts of adversity on young children's psychological well-being has largely focused on household-level risk factors using observational methods in high-income countries. This study leverages natural variation in the timing and location of community homicides to estimate their acute effects on the regulatory, behavioral, and developmental outcomes of Brazilian 3-year-olds. METHODS We compared the outcomes of children who were assessed soon after a recent neighborhood homicide to those of children from the same residential neighborhoods who had not recently experienced community violence. Our sample included 3,241 3-year-olds (Mage = 41.05 months; 53% female; 45% caregiver education less than middle school; 26% receiving a public assistance program) from seven neighborhoods in São Paulo, Brazil. Child outcome measures included parent reports of effortful control and behavior problems as well as direct assessments of children's developmental (cognitive, language, and motor) skills. Community homicides were measured using police records. RESULTS Recent exposure to community homicides was associated with lower effortful control, higher behavior problems, and lower overall developmental performance for children (d = .05-.20 standard deviations; p = ns - <.001). Effects were consistent across subgroups based on sociodemographic characteristics and environmental supports, but generally largest when community violence exposure was geographically proximal (within 600 m of home) and recent (within 2 weeks prior to assessment). CONCLUSIONS Results highlight the pervasive effects that community violence can have on young children as well as the need to expand support to mitigate these effects and prevent inequities early in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana C McCoy
- Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Marta Dormal
- Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jorge Cuartas
- Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Centro de Estudios sobre Seguridad y Drogas (CESED), Universidad de los Andes, Bogota, Colombia
| | | | - Günther Fink
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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Walsdorf AA, O'Brien Caughy M, Osborne KR, Valdez CR, King VA, Owen MT. Acculturation Stress Magnifies Child Depression Effect of Stressful Life Events for Latinx Youth 3 Years Later. JOURNAL OF LATINX PSYCHOLOGY 2024; 12:186-200. [PMID: 39006970 PMCID: PMC11245282 DOI: 10.1037/lat0000251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
Introduction Experiences of stressful life events (SLEs) during childhood are associated with greater risk for youth psychopathology. Although SLEs are reported in greater frequency by Latinx families, Latinx populations remain largely absent in the SLE literature. Furthermore, Latinx populations face added stressors related to socio-political climate, acculturation, and racism and discrimination. The purpose of this study was to explore the intersection between parent-reported SLEs and acculturation (i.e., socio-political climate-related) stressors for Latinx youth. Greater frequency of caregiver reported SLEs were hypothesized to predict higher depressive symptoms in their children three years later, and acculturation stress was hypothesized to amplify these effects. Method The community-recruited, low-income sample for this study consisted of 198 Latinx caregivers (98.5% mothers, 77.3% foreign-born) and their children (M age = 7.4, 47.5% female). Study hypotheses were tested using MPlus. Results Consistent with prior literature, more SLEs reported at age 7 by parents were associated with more child-reported depressive symptoms at age 10 but only among boys. However, for both boys and girls, there was a significant interaction between acculturation stress and family SLEs. Specifically, as the amount of acculturation stress reported at age 7 increased, the negative impact of family SLEs on child-reported depressive symptoms at age 10 was magnified, regardless of gender. Conclusion Adding to the literature on SLEs within Latinx families, these results indicate that acculturation and socio-political climate stressors need be considered in discussions of the effects of life stress on Latinx youth and their families.
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Benham G, Charak R, Cano-Gonzalez I, Mena Teran J, Kenemore J. Recent Stressful Life Events and Perceived Stress as Serial Mediators of the Association between Adverse Childhood Events and Insomnia. Behav Med 2024:1-12. [PMID: 38634227 DOI: 10.1080/08964289.2024.2335175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Insomnia is common in college students and linked to poorer mental and physical health. There is growing evidence that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) may contribute to insomnia in adulthood. However, beyond the need for additional replication of these findings, there is a need to identify underlying mechanisms that plausibly connect the two experiences. Based on a serial mediation model, the current study examined the role of two theoretically informed mediators: recent stressful life events and perceived stress. A cross-sectional survey of 2,218 college students at a large university in the southwestern United States was conducted between August 2020 and December 2021. The sample was predominantly Hispanic (96%) and female (73%), with a mean age of 20.7 years. Standardized measures of adverse childhood experiences, recent stressful life events, perceived stress, and insomnia were administered to participants online. Almost 20% of participants reported having experienced four or more adverse childhood experiences and 63% met the threshold for insomnia. Reporting four or more ACEs was associated with significantly greater insomnia severity, and this relationship was serially mediated by both recent stressful life events and perceived stress. However, recent stressful life events appeared to be the most powerful mediator. The results of the current study indicate that recent exposure to stressful life events serves as a plausible mechanism linking early adversity during childhood to adult insomnia and could therefore serve as a potential target for intervention. The findings suggest that students would benefit from university-wide efforts to reduce the number and/or intensity of common stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grant Benham
- Department of Psychological Science, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
| | - Ruby Charak
- Department of Psychological Science, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
| | - Ines Cano-Gonzalez
- Department of Psychological Science, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
| | - Joceline Mena Teran
- Department of Psychological Science, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
| | - Jordan Kenemore
- Department of Psychological Science, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
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Saragosa-Harris NM, Guassi Moreira JF, Waizman Y, Sedykin A, Peris TS, Silvers JA. Early life adversity is associated with greater similarity in neural representations of ambiguous and threatening stimuli. Dev Psychopathol 2024:1-13. [PMID: 38602091 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579424000683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Exposure to early life adversity (ELA) is hypothesized to sensitize threat-responsive neural circuitry. This may lead individuals to overestimate threat in the face of ambiguity, a cognitive-behavioral phenotype linked to poor mental health. The tendency to process ambiguity as threatening may stem from difficulty distinguishing between ambiguous and threatening stimuli. However, it is unknown how exposure to ELA relates to neural representations of ambiguous and threatening stimuli, or how processing of ambiguity following ELA relates to psychosocial functioning. The current fMRI study examined multivariate representations of threatening and ambiguous social cues in 41 emerging adults (aged 18 to 19 years). Using representational similarity analysis, we assessed neural representations of ambiguous and threatening images within affective neural circuitry and tested whether similarity in these representations varied by ELA exposure. Greater exposure to ELA was associated with greater similarity in neural representations of ambiguous and threatening images. Moreover, individual differences in processing ambiguity related to global functioning, an association that varied as a function of ELA. By evidencing reduced neural differentiation between ambiguous and threatening cues in ELA-exposed emerging adults and linking behavioral responses to ambiguity to psychosocial wellbeing, these findings have important implications for future intervention work in at-risk, ELA-exposed populations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - João F Guassi Moreira
- Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Yael Waizman
- Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Anna Sedykin
- Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Tara S Peris
- Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jennifer A Silvers
- Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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31
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Lee AH, Kitagawa Y, Mirhashem R, Rodriguez M, Hilerio R, Bernard K. Do dimensions of childhood adversity differ in their direct associations with youth psychopathology? A meta-analysis. Dev Psychopathol 2024:1-31. [PMID: 38584264 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579424000737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Growing evidence supports the unique pathways by which threat and deprivation, two core dimensions of adversity, confer risk for youth psychopathology. However, the extent to which these dimensions differ in their direct associations with youth psychopathology remains unclear. The primary aim of this preregistered meta-analysis was to synthesize the associations between threat, deprivation, internalizing, externalizing, and trauma-specific psychopathology. Because threat is proposed to be directly linked with socioemotional development, we hypothesized that the magnitude of associations between threat and psychopathology would be larger than those with deprivation. We conducted a search for peer-reviewed articles in English using PubMed and PsycINFO databases through August 2022. Studies that assessed both threat and deprivation and used previously validated measures of youth psychopathology were included. One hundred and twenty-seven articles were included in the synthesis (N = 163,767). Results of our three-level meta-analyses indicated that adversity dimension significantly moderated the associations between adversity and psychopathology, such that the magnitude of effects for threat (r's = .21-26) were consistently larger than those for deprivation (r's = .16-.19). These differences were more pronounced when accounting for the threat-deprivation correlation. Additional significant moderators included emotional abuse and youth self-report of adversity. Findings are consistent with the Dimensional Model of Adversity and Psychopathology, with clinical, research, and policy implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Hyoeun Lee
- Department of Psychology, Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY, USA
| | | | - Rebecca Mirhashem
- Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Micaela Rodriguez
- Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Romola Hilerio
- Department of Psychology, Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY, USA
| | - Kristin Bernard
- Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
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Cao X, Wang Z, Chen Y, Zhu J. Childhood maltreatment and resting-state network connectivity: The risk-buffering role of positive parenting. Dev Psychopathol 2024:1-12. [PMID: 38561986 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579424000725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Unraveling the neurobiological foundations of childhood maltreatment is important due to the persistent associations with adverse mental health outcomes. However, the mechanisms through which abuse and neglect disturb resting-state network connectivity remain elusive. Moreover, it remains unclear if positive parenting can mitigate the negative impact of childhood maltreatment on network connectivity. We analyzed a cohort of 194 adolescents and young adults (aged 14-25, 47.42% female) from the Neuroscience in Psychiatry Network (NSPN) to investigate the impact of childhood abuse and neglect on resting-state network connectivity. Specifically, we examined the SAN, DMN, FPN, DAN, and VAN over time. We also explored the moderating role of positive parenting. The results showed that childhood abuse was linked to stronger connectivity within the SAN and VAN, as well as between the DMN-DAN, DMN-VAN, DMN-SAN, SAN-DAN, FPN-DAN, SAN-VAN, and VAN-DAN networks about 18 months later. Positive parenting during childhood buffered the negative impact of childhood abuse on network connectivity. To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate the protective effect of positive parenting on network connectivity following childhood abuse. These findings not only highlight the importance of positive parenting but also lead to a better understanding of the neurobiology and resilience mechanisms of childhood maltreatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyu Cao
- Center for Early Environment and Brain Development, School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
- Center for Cognition and Brain Disorders of Affiliated Hospital, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhengxinyue Wang
- Center for Early Environment and Brain Development, School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
- Center for Cognition and Brain Disorders of Affiliated Hospital, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yuanyuan Chen
- Center for Early Environment and Brain Development, School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Psychology, Guangzhou University; Guangzhou, China
| | - Jianjun Zhu
- Center for Early Environment and Brain Development, School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Psychology, Guangzhou University; Guangzhou, China
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Vahedi L, Seff I, Meinhart M, Roa AH, Villaveces A, Stark L. The association between youth violence and mental health outcomes in Colombia: A cross sectional analysis. CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT 2024; 150:106336. [PMID: 37442669 PMCID: PMC10896151 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2023.106336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Violence against children and youth poses public health risks regarding mental health symptoms and substance use. Less studied is the relationship between violence and mental health/substance abuse in the Latin American context. This study explored sex-stratified relationships between violence and mental health/substance use among Colombian youth. METHODS We analyzed the 2018 Colombian Violence Against Children and Youth Survey, which collected cross-sectional data from Colombian youth (13-24 years) (n = 2705). Exposure variables were (i) binary sexual, emotional, and physical victimization and (ii) poly-victimization. The outcomes were binary suicidal thoughts, self-harm, past-month psychological distress, binge drinking, smoking, and drug use. Sex-stratified, logistic regressions were adjusted for age, primary school, parental presence, relationship status, and witnessing community violence. RESULTS For females, (i) emotional violence (compared to being unexposed) was associated with greater odds of suicidal thoughts, self-harm, and psychological distress and (ii) sexual violence was associated with suicidal thoughts and self-harm. For males, (i) emotional violence (compared to being unexposed) was associated with greater odds of suicidal thoughts and psychological distress, but not self-harm and (ii) sexual violence exposure was associated with suicidal thoughts and self-harm. Physical violence was generally not associated with internalized mental health outcomes for females/males, when emotional and sexual violence were held constant. Poly-victimization was consistently and positively associated with internalized mental health symptoms among females, and to a lesser degree for males. Substance use outcomes for males or females were not associated with violence. CONCLUSIONS Findings highlight the internalized mental health burden of emotional and sexual violence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luissa Vahedi
- Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Ilana Seff
- Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | | | | | - Andrés Villaveces
- Division of Violence Prevention, NCIPC, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Lindsay Stark
- Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA.
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Viswanathan P, Kishore MT, Seshadri SP, V S B. Individual and environmental factors in internalizing disorders in children and adolescents. Clin Child Psychol Psychiatry 2024; 29:424-438. [PMID: 37233024 DOI: 10.1177/13591045231177367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Literature has emphasized the role of biopsychosocial factors in internalizing disorders; however, the role of developmental competencies of a child have not been explored much in this context. The current study aimed to understand the differences in developmental competencies, temperament, parenting practices and psychosocial adversities between children with and without internalizing disorders. METHOD The sample consisted of 200 children and adolescents aged seven to 18 years, with equal number of those with and without an internalizing disorder; and one of their parents. Psychopathology, temperament, interpersonal competence, emotion regulation, executive function, self-concept, adaptive behaviour, parenting practices, life events, family environment and abnormal psychosocial situations were measured using standardized tools. FINDINGS Discriminant analysis revealed that temperamental domains of sociability and rhythmicity, developmental competencies of adaptive behaviour and self-concept, parenting practices involving father's involvement and overall positive parenting differentiated the clinical and control groups better. Among psychosocial adversities, family environment domains of cohesion and organization, and subjective stress from life events and abnormal psychosocial situations were the most important discriminators. CONCLUSION The current study reveals that specific individual factors involving temperament and developmental competencies and environmental factors involving parenting practices and psychosocial adversities are significantly associated with internalizing disorders. This has implications for the mental health care of children and adolescents with internalizing disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Poornima Viswanathan
- Jindal School of Psychology and Counselling, O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, India
- Department of Clinical Psychology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, India
| | - M Thomas Kishore
- Department of Clinical Psychology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, India
| | - Shekhar P Seshadri
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NIMHANS, Bangalore, India
| | - Binu V S
- Department of Biostatistics, NIMHANS, Bangalore, India
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Jaffee SR. Commentary on the power of predictability: patterns of signals in early life shape neurodevelopment and mental health trajectories. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2024; 65:535-537. [PMID: 38429960 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
As Davis and Glynn observe in the introduction to their review, early life adversity is a significant impediment to healthy child development. Whereas some theoretical accounts emphasize the sheer number of physical and psychosocial risk factors children experience (Evans, Li, & Whipple, Psychological Bulletin, 2013, 139, 1342), Davis and Glynn review a program of research that is aligned with models highlighting the types of adversity children encounter. They expand on accounts that differentiate threat from deprivation (McLaughlin & Sheridan, Current Directions in Psychological Science, 2016, 25, 239) to draw attention to the role of unpredictability in children's development.
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O'Neill RM, Cundiff JM, Wendel CJ, Schmidt AT, Cribbet MR. An Examination of Sleep as a Mediator of the Relationship between Childhood Adversity and Depression in Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Young Adults. Behav Med 2024; 50:106-117. [PMID: 36278905 DOI: 10.1080/08964289.2022.2131707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
The current study integrates previous research on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and long-term health outcomes to examine associations between ACEs, sleep duration, and depression in a diverse, mostly healthy, sample of young adults. We examine whether sleep duration mediates the association between ACEs and depression among young adults, and whether ethnicity may moderate observed relationships between ACEs, sleep duration and depression. Data were collected from 518 young adults (66.8% female, Mage=19.79 years, SDage=3.43 years) enrolled in undergraduate Psychology courses at a large Southwestern university. Participants primarily reported their racial/ethnic background as Non-Hispanic White (60.6%) and Hispanic/Latino (25.1%). Participants self-reported their ACEs exposure, sleep characteristics, and depressive symptoms. In addition to calculating overall exposure to ACEs, scores for the specific dimensions of adversity were also calculated (Abuse, Neglect, Exposure to Violence). Results supported a mediation model whereby higher reports of ACEs were associated with depressive symptoms both directly and through sleep duration. Results were not moderated by ethnicity. Findings provide support for sleep duration as one potential pathway through which ACEs may be associated with depressive symptoms in young adulthood, and suggest that this pathway is similar in Hispanic and non-Hispanic young adults.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Adam T Schmidt
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Texas Tech University
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Oshri A, Howard CJ, Zhang L, Reck A, Cui Z, Liu S, Duprey E, Evans AI, Azarmehr R, Geier CF. Strengthening through adversity: The hormesis model in developmental psychopathology. Dev Psychopathol 2024:1-17. [PMID: 38532735 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579424000427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Employing a developmental psychopathology framework, we tested the utility of the hormesis model in examining the strengthening of children and youth through limited levels of adversity in relation to internalizing and externalizing outcomes within a brain-by-development context. METHODS Analyzing data from the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development study (N = 11,878), we formed latent factors of threat, deprivation, and unpredictability. We examined linear and nonlinear associations between adversity dimensions and youth psychopathology symptoms and how change of resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) in the default mode network (DMN) from Time 1 to Time 5 moderates these associations. RESULTS A cubic association was found between threat and youth internalizing problems; low-to-moderate family conflict levels reduced these problems. Deprivation also displayed a cubic relation with youth externalizing problems, with moderate deprivation levels associated with fewer problems. Unpredictability linearly increased both problem types. Change in DMN rsFC significantly moderated the cubic link between threat levels and internalizing problems, with declining DMN rsFC levels from Time 1 to Time 5 facilitating hormesis. Hormetic effects peaked earlier, emphasizing the importance of sensitive periods and developmental timing of outcomes related to earlier experiences. CONCLUSIONS Strengthening through limited environmental adversity is crucial for developing human resilience. Understanding this process requires considering both linear and nonlinear adversity-psychopathology associations. Testing individual differences by brain and developmental context will inform preventive intervention programming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Assaf Oshri
- Department of Human Development and Family Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Cullin J Howard
- Department of Human Development and Family Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Linhao Zhang
- Department of Human Development and Family Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Ava Reck
- Department of Human Development and Family Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Zehua Cui
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Sihong Liu
- Graduate School of Education, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Erinn Duprey
- Department of Psychology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Avary I Evans
- Department of Human Development and Family Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Rabeeh Azarmehr
- Department of Human Development and Family Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Charles F Geier
- Department of Human Development and Family Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
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Zarchev M, Grootendorst-van Mil NH, Bouter DC, Hoogendijk WJG, Mulder CL, Kamperman AM. Childhood adversity and psychopathology: the dimensions of timing, type and chronicity in a population-based sample of high-risk adolescents. Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health 2024; 18:37. [PMID: 38500125 PMCID: PMC10949567 DOI: 10.1186/s13034-024-00727-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Research on childhood adversity and psychopathology has begun investigating the dimension of timing, however the results have been contradictory depending on the study population, outcome and how adverse life events (ALEs) were operationalized. Additionally, studies so far typically focus only on a narrow range of psychiatric diagnoses or symptoms. The current cross-sectional study aimed to examine the association between timing, type and chronicity of ALEs and adolescent mental health problems. METHODS Adolescents from a population-based cohort oversampled on emotional and behavioral problems (mean age 14.8; range 12-17, N = 861) were included in the current analysis. Primary caregivers were interviewed on what ALEs adolescents experienced. ALEs were defined in two ways: (1) broad operationalization, including school difficulties, parental divorce, and family sickness; and (2) physically threatening abuse only, including physical and sexual violence. After looking at lifetime ALEs, we turned to chronicity, timing and sex differences. We focused on overall psychiatric symptoms as well as specific domains of emotional and behavioral problems, assessed using the Youth Self Report (YSR) and psychotic experiences assessed using the Prodromal Questionnaire-16 (PQ-16). A series of linear models adjusted for sociodemographic and parental factors were used. RESULTS Lifetime ALEs were associated with all types of psychopathology, with relatively bigger effect sizes for broad than for physical ALEs. The latter associations were found to be more robust to unmeasured confounding. The 9-12 age period of experiencing both broad and physical ALE's was most saliently associated with any psychopathology. Girls were more at risk after experiencing any ALEs, especially if the adversity was chronic or ALEs took place after the age of 12. CONCLUSIONS Broad as well as physical ALEs are associated with psychopathology, especially ALEs experienced during the 9-12 age period. Physical ALEs may be more useful in investigating specific etiological factors than broad ALEs. Sex differences may not emerge in lifetime measures of ALEs, but can be important for chronic and later childhood adversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milan Zarchev
- Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus University Medical Center, P.O. box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Nina H Grootendorst-van Mil
- Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus University Medical Center, P.O. box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
- Epidemiological and Social Psychiatric Research Institute (ESPRi), Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus University Medical Center, P.O. box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Diandra C Bouter
- Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus University Medical Center, P.O. box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Witte J G Hoogendijk
- Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus University Medical Center, P.O. box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Cornelis L Mulder
- Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus University Medical Center, P.O. box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Epidemiological and Social Psychiatric Research Institute (ESPRi), Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus University Medical Center, P.O. box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Antes Mental Health Care, Parnassia Psychiatric Institute, Albrandswaardsedijk 74, 3172 AA, Poortugaal, the Netherlands
| | - Astrid M Kamperman
- Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus University Medical Center, P.O. box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Epidemiological and Social Psychiatric Research Institute (ESPRi), Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus University Medical Center, P.O. box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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Ding W, Xu Y, Kondracki AJ, Sun Y. Childhood adversity and accelerated reproductive events: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2024; 230:315-329.e31. [PMID: 37820985 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2023.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Accelerated female reproductive events represent the early onset of reproductive events involving puberty, menarche, pregnancy loss, first sexual intercourse, first birth, parity, and menopause. This study aimed to explore the association between childhood adversity and accelerated female reproductive events. DATA SOURCES PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase were systematically searched from September 22, 2022 to September 23, 2022. STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA Observational cohort, cross-sectional, and case-control studies in human populations were included if they reported the time of reproductive events for female individuals with experience of childhood adversity and were published in English. METHODS Two reviewers independently screened studies, obtained data, and assessed study quality, and conflicts were resolved by a third reviewer. Dichotomous outcomes were evaluated using meta-analysis, and pooled odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were generated using random-effects models. Moderation analysis and meta-regression were used to investigate heterogeneity. RESULTS In total, 21 cohort studies, 9 cross-sectional studies, and 3 case-control studies were identified. Overall, female individuals with childhood adversity were nearly 2 times more likely to report accelerated reproductive events than those with no adversity exposure (odds ratio, 1.91; 95% confidence interval, 1.33-2.76; I2=99.6%; P<.001). Moderation analysis indicated that effect sizes for the types of childhood adversity ranged from an odds ratio of 1.61 (95% confidence interval, 1.23-2.09) for low socioeconomic status to 2.13 (95% confidence interval, 1.14-3.99) for dysfunctional family dynamics. Among the 7 groups based on different reproductive events, including early onset of puberty, early menarche, early sexual initiation, teenage childbirth, preterm birth, pregnancy loss, and early menopause, early sexual initiation had a nonsignificant correlation with childhood adversity (odds ratio, 2.70; 95% confidence interval, 0.88-8.30; I2=99.9%; P<.001). Considerable heterogeneity (I2>75%) between estimates was observed for over half of the outcomes. Age, study type, and method of data collection could explain 35.9% of the variance. CONCLUSION The literature tentatively corroborates that female individuals who reported adverse events in childhood are more likely to experience accelerated reproductive events. This association is especially strong for exposure to abuse and dysfunctional family dynamics. However, the heterogeneity among studies was high, requiring caution in interpreting the findings and highlighting the need for further evaluation of the types and timing of childhood events that influence accelerated female reproductive events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenqin Ding
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Yuxiang Xu
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Anthony J Kondracki
- Department of Community Medicine, Mercer University School of Medicine, Macon, GA
| | - Ying Sun
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China; Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle, Anhui Medical University, Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Hefei, China; Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health and Aristogenics, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
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40
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Lee S, Kang M, Lee J, Lee HJ. Long-term effects of childhood difficulties on depressive symptoms among older adults: Role of adulthood income and income satisfaction. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2024; 24 Suppl 1:246-252. [PMID: 38351713 DOI: 10.1111/ggi.14833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
AIM This study examines how childhood difficulties are associated with late-life depression. Using the concept of agency within the structure of the life course perspective, this study investigates how subjective income satisfaction in adulthood plays a role in the relationship between adulthood objective income and late-life depressive symptoms among older adults who have experienced childhood difficulties. METHODS Using data from two waves (2006, 2021) of the Korean Welfare Panel Study (N = 1822), we identified respondents with and without childhood difficulties, and performed a series of hierarchical zero-inflated Poisson regression models. RESULTS Childhood difficulties (β, 0.07; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.04-0.11), adulthood low income (β, 0.17; 95% CI, 0.13-0.21), and low income satisfaction (β, 0.16; 95% CI, 0.12-0.21) are associated with an increased level of depressive symptoms in late life. In the context of the association between objective income level and late-life depressive symptoms, the buffering effect of income satisfaction in adulthood was found among the respondents who had experienced childhood difficulties (β, 0.22; 95% CI, 0.09-0.34). CONCLUSIONS Childhood difficulties are a critical risk factor impacting late-life psychological well-being. How an individual subjectively evaluates his or her economic status in adulthood plays a major role in mitigating the negative impact of childhood difficulties on late-life health inequality. Interventions to reduce the risk of childhood difficulties and their negative long-lasting impact may alleviate individuals' exposure to depression in late life. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2024; 24: 246-252.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seolah Lee
- Department of Child and Family Studies, Human Life & Innovation Design, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Miseon Kang
- Department of Child and Family Studies, Human Life & Innovation Design, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jungup Lee
- Department of Social Work, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Hyo Jung Lee
- Department of Child and Family Studies, Human Life & Innovation Design, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Hedrick MJ, Bonnagio T, Sellers EW, Clements AD. The cognitive tasks and event-related potentials associated childhood adversity: A systematic review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 158:105573. [PMID: 38331129 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
In this systematic review, 18 articles met inclusion criteria to be qualitatively analyzed for converging evidence of brain activity, measured using event-related potential (ERP), related to retrospectively reported childhood adversity/trauma. Using the PRISMA guidelines for systematic reviews, 917 articles were assessed for inclusion and were filtered using study parameters. The most common ERP components listed in the literature were P100, N170, N200, P200, P300, ERN, and LPP. We discuss levels of evidence for changed brain activity, each ERP component, and the tasks used to evoke them. The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire was found to be the most commonly cited measure. We note the need to assess the duration and intensity of childhood adversity/trauma measurements in the strengths and limitations of the reported childhood adversity/trauma measurements. No concrete converging evidence was found to support a relationship between ERP-measured brain activity and retrospectively reported childhood adversity/trauma. Thus, a discussion of limitations and future directions for this field of research is presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Jo Hedrick
- Department of Psychology, East Tennessee State University, USA.
| | | | - Eric W Sellers
- Department of Psychology, East Tennessee State University, USA
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Kamis C, Lynch S, Copeland WE. Associations Between Configurations of Childhood Adversity and Adult Mental Health Disorder Outcomes. SOCIETY AND MENTAL HEALTH 2024; 14:23-38. [PMID: 38500789 PMCID: PMC10947149 DOI: 10.1177/21568693231197746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
The life course perspective and cumulative inequality theory suggest that childhood adversity, occurring during a sensitive period of the life course, can have long-term consequences for adult mental health and well-being. Yet, the long-term influence of adversity on adult outcomes may depend on both the features of adverse childhood experiences (e.g., the number, type, and co-occurrence of adversities) as well as the outcome assessed. Using latent class analysis applied to several waves of prospective data from the Great Smoky Mountain Study (GSMS; N=1,420) we identify subpopulations that are similar in their adversity experiences before age 18. We then predict adult internalizing and substance use disorder diagnoses by adversity experience. Results reveal five distinct classes of adversity, with unique risks for specific diagnoses in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Kamis
- Center for Demography of Health and Aging, University of Wisconsin-Madison
| | | | - William E Copeland
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine
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Ho TC, Buthmann J, Chahal R, Miller JG, Gotlib IH. Exploring sex differences in trajectories of pubertal development and mental health following early adversity. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2024; 161:106944. [PMID: 38171040 PMCID: PMC10842731 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Despite evidence that early life adversity (ELA) affects mental health in adolescence, we know little about sex differences in how distinct dimensions of adversity affect development and their corresponding effects on mental health. In this three-wave longitudinal study, 209 participants (118 females; ages 9-13 years at baseline) provided objective (salivary hormones, BMI, age of menarche) and subjective (perceived gonadal and adrenal status) measures of puberty and physical development, and reported on levels of internalizing and externalizing symptoms at all timepoints. Participants also reported lifetime exposure to three distinct types of ELA: deprivation, threat, and unpredictability. Using generalized additive mixed models, we tested within each sex whether dimensions of adversity were associated with longitudinal changes in measures of pubertal and physical development, and whether these indices of development were associated with trajectories of internalizing and externalizing symptoms. In females, experiences of threat and unpredictability were significantly associated with earlier pubertal timing (e.g., age of menarche) whereas experiences of deprivation were associated with steeper increases in BMI; further, faster pubertal tempo (i.e., steeper increases in pubertal stage) was associated with increases in internalizing and externalizing symptoms. In males, however, ELA was not associated with any measures of pubertal or physical development or with symptoms. Together, our results suggest that adverse experiences during early life have sex-selective consequences for pubertal and physical maturation and mental health trajectories in ways that may elucidate why females are at higher risk for mental health difficulties during puberty, particularly following exposure to unpredictable and threatening experiences of adversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiffany C Ho
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Jessica Buthmann
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Rajpreet Chahal
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Jonas G Miller
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
| | - Ian H Gotlib
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States.
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Feeney K, Pintos Lobo R, Hare MM, Morris SSJ, Laird AR, Musser ED. Parental Deprivation- and Threat-Based Factors Associated with Youth Emotion-Based Neurocircuitry and Externalizing Behavior: A Systematic Review. Res Child Adolesc Psychopathol 2024; 52:311-323. [PMID: 37831222 DOI: 10.1007/s10802-023-01138-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
Parental factors, including negative parenting practices (e.g., family conflict, low monitoring), parental depression, and parental substance use, are associated with externalizing behaviors among youth. However, the ways in which these parental factors are associated with youth brain function and consequent externalizing behavior has been less studied. Both the dimensional and stress acceleration models provide frameworks for understanding how parental factors may be associated with frontolimbic and frontoparietal networks implicated in emotional attention and regulation processes. The current review builds upon this work by examining how deprivation- and threat-based parental factors are associated with youth neurocircuitry involved in emotional functioning and externalizing behaviors. A systematic review using PRISMA guidelines was completed and included five studies assessing parenting behaviors, six studies assessing parental depressive symptoms and/or diagnosis, and 12 studies assessing parental history of substance use. Synthesis of reviewed studies discusses support for the dimensional and stress acceleration models within the context of deprivation and threat. Further, a limited number of studies tested (i.e., six studies) and supported (i.e., three studies) youth neural structure and function as a mediator of the association between parental factors and youth externalizing behavior. Specific recommendations for future work include more deliberate planning related to sample composition, improved clarity related to parental constructs, consistency in methodology, and longitudinal study design in order to better understand associations between contextual parental influences and youth neural and behavioral functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen Feeney
- Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA.
| | | | - Megan M Hare
- Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | | | - Angela R Laird
- Department of Physics, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Erica D Musser
- Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
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Trompeter N, Testa A, Raney JH, Jackson DB, Al-Shoaibi AAA, Ganson KT, Shao IY, Nagata JM. The Association Between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), Bullying Victimization, and Internalizing and Externalizing Problems Among Early Adolescents: Examining Cumulative and Interactive Associations. J Youth Adolesc 2024; 53:744-752. [PMID: 38066316 PMCID: PMC10838217 DOI: 10.1007/s10964-023-01907-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2024]
Abstract
Both adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and bullying victimization are linked with mental health problems in adolescents. However, little is known about the overlap between the two factors and how this impacts adolescent mental health problems (i.e., internalizing and externalizing problems). The current study analyzed data from 8,085 participants (47.7% female; 44.1% racial/ethnic minority) in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study, baseline (2016-2018, ages 9-10 years) to Year 2. Regression analyses were used to estimate associations between ACEs, bullying victimization and mental health problems, respectively, adjusting for sex, race/ethnicity, country of birth, household income, parental education, and study site. The findings showed that both ACEs and bullying victimization were independently associated with higher internalizing and higher externalizing problems. However, no significant interaction was found between ACEs and bullying victimization. Overall, the results align with the cumulative risk model of adversity, linking cumulative ACEs and bullying victimization to internalizing and externalizing problems in early adolescents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nora Trompeter
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
| | - Alexander Testa
- Department of Management, Policy and Community Health, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Julia H Raney
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Dylan B Jackson
- Department of Population, Family, and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Abubakr A A Al-Shoaibi
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Kyle T Ganson
- Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Iris Yuefan Shao
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jason M Nagata
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
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Granata L, Fanikos M, Brenhouse HC. Early life adversity accelerates hypothalamic drive of pubertal timing in female rats with associated enhanced acoustic startle. Horm Behav 2024; 159:105478. [PMID: 38241961 PMCID: PMC10926229 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/21/2024]
Abstract
Early life adversity in the form of childhood maltreatment in humans or as modeled by maternal separation (MS) in rodents is often associated with an earlier emergence of puberty in females. Earlier pubertal initiation is an example of accelerated biological aging and predicts later risk for anxiety in women, especially in populations exposed to early life trauma. Here we investigated external pubertal markers as well as hypothalamic gene expression of pubertal regulators kisspeptin and gonadotropin-releasing hormone, to determine a biological substrate for MS-induced accelerated puberty. We further investigated a mechanism by which developmental stress might regulate pubertal timing. As kisspeptin and gonadotropin-releasing hormone secretion are typically inhibited by corticotropin releasing hormone at its receptor CRH-R1, we hypothesized that MS induces a downregulation of Crhr1 gene transcription in a cell-specific manner. Finally, we explored the association between pubertal timing and anxiety-like behavior in an acoustic startle paradigm, to drive future preclinical research linking accelerated puberty and anxiety. We replicated previous findings that MS leads to earlier puberty in females but not males, and found expression of kisspeptin and gonadotropin-releasing hormone mRNA to be prematurely increased in MS females. RNAscope confirmed increased expression of these genes, and further revealed that kisspeptin-expressing neurons in females were less likely to express Crhr1 after MS. Early puberty was associated with higher acoustic startle magnitude in females. Taken together, these findings indicate precocial maturation of central pubertal timing mechanisms after MS, as well as a potential role of CRH-R1 in these effects and an association with a translational measure of anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Granata
- Psychology Department, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Michaela Fanikos
- Psychology Department, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Heather C Brenhouse
- Psychology Department, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United States of America.
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Negriff S, Sidell MA, DiGangi MJ. Adverse childhood experiences screening in healthcare settings: A focus on pediatric primary care. CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT 2024:106709. [PMID: 38418328 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2024.106709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) screening in healthcare settings is emerging as one of the tangible responses to address the consistent evidence linking ACEs with health. Kaiser Permanente Southern California (KPSC) began ACEs screening in pediatric primary care in 2018 and has developed screening and referral processes based on continued feedback from stakeholders as well as data driven assessment. OBJECTIVE We give an overview of the state of ACEs screening in pediatric healthcare settings, challenges facing pediatric providers, and suggestions to address them. We then describe the development of our ACEs screening and referral process within KPSC as an example of how a large healthcare system has implemented and adapted ACEs screening from pilot testing, to phased expansion, to complete implementation. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING Children aged 2-18 years old who were members of KPSC 2018-2023. RESULTS We present data on the tailored screening and referral workflows we have developed, rates of positive screens and referrals, and how the initiation of ACEs screening may affect the rates of visit to behavioral health as a treatment option. We also integrate qualitative data to demonstrate the perspective of parents, with the goal of understanding what might help or hinder receipt of behavioral health treatment after ACEs screening. CONCLUSIONS We close with future directions for ACEs screening in healthcare settings and considerations for pediatric healthcare providers who may want to begin ACEs screening or adapt their screening and referral processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonya Negriff
- Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Department of Research & Evaluation, United States of America.
| | - Margo A Sidell
- Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Department of Research & Evaluation, United States of America
| | - Mercie J DiGangi
- Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Department of Pediatrics, United States of America
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Liuzzi MT, Harb F, Petranu K, Huggins AA, Webb EK, Fitzgerald JM, Krukowski JL, Miskovich TA, deRoon-Cassini TA, Larson CL. The Dichotomy of Threat and Deprivation as Subtypes of Childhood Maltreatment: Differential Functional Connectivity Patterns of Threat and Reward Circuits in an Adult Trauma Sample. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY. COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2024; 9:227-234. [PMID: 37871776 PMCID: PMC10922968 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2023.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Childhood maltreatment is associated with reduced activation of the nucleus accumbens, a central region in the reward network, and overactivity in the amygdala, a key region in threat processing. However, the long-lasting impact of these associations in the context of later-life stress is not well understood. The current study explored the association between childhood threat and deprivation and functional connectivity of threat and reward regions in an adult trauma sample. METHODS Trauma survivors (N = 169; mean age [SD] = 32.2 [10.3] years; female = 55.6%) were recruited from a level I trauma center. Two weeks after injury, participants completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (measuring experiences of threat and deprivation) and underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. Seed-to-voxel analyses evaluated the effect of childhood threat and deprivation on amygdala and nucleus accumbens resting-state connectivity. RESULTS Higher levels of threat were associated with increased connectivity between the right nucleus accumbens with temporal fusiform gyrus/parahippocampal gyrus and the left amygdala and the precuneus (false discovery rate-corrected p < .05). After controlling for posttraumatic symptoms 2 weeks posttrauma and lifetime trauma exposure, only the nucleus accumbens findings survived. There were no significant relationships between experiences of childhood deprivation and amygdala or nucleus accumbens connectivity. CONCLUSIONS Experiences of threat are associated with increased nucleus accumbens and amygdala connectivity, which may reflect a preparedness to detect salient and visual stimuli. This may also reflect a propensity toward dysregulated reward processing. Overall, these results suggest that childhood threat may be contributing to aberrant neural baseline reward and threat sensitivity later in life in an adult trauma sample.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael T Liuzzi
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
| | - Farah Harb
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
| | - Kevin Petranu
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
| | - Ashley A Huggins
- Brain Imaging & Analysis Center, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - E Kate Webb
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Division of Depression and Anxiety, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts
| | | | | | | | - Terri A deRoon-Cassini
- Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
| | - Christine L Larson
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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49
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Butler ER, Samia N, White S, Gratton C, Nusslock R. Neuroimmune mechanisms connecting violence with internalizing symptoms: A high-dimensional multimodal mediation analysis. Hum Brain Mapp 2024; 45:e26615. [PMID: 38339956 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Violence exposure is associated with worsening anxiety and depression symptoms among adolescents. Mechanistically, social defeat stress models in mice indicate that violence increases peripherally derived macrophages in threat appraisal regions of the brain, which have been causally linked to anxious behavior. In the present study, we investigate if there is a path connecting violence exposure with internalizing symptom severity through peripheral inflammation and amygdala connectivity. Two hundred and thirty-three adolescents, ages 12-15, from the Chicago area completed clinical assessments, immune assays and neuroimaging. A high-dimensional multimodal mediation model was fit, using violence exposure as the predictor, 12 immune variables as the first set of mediators and 288 amygdala connectivity variables as the second set, and internalizing symptoms as the primary outcome measure. 56.2% of the sample had been exposed to violence in their lifetime. Amygdala-hippocampus connectivity mediated the association between violence exposure and internalizing symptoms (ζ ̂ Hipp π ̂ Hipp = 0.059 $$ {\hat{\zeta}}_{\mathrm{Hipp}}{\hat{\pi}}_{\mathrm{Hipp}}=0.059 $$ ,95 % CI boot = 0.009,0.134 $$ 95\%{\mathrm{CI}}_{\mathrm{boot}}=\left[\mathrm{0.009,0.134}\right] $$ ). There was no evidence that inflammation or inflammation and amygdala connectivity in tandem mediated the association. Considering the amygdala and the hippocampus work together to encode, consolidate, and retrieve contextual fear memories, violence exposure may be associated with greater connectivity between the amygdala and the hippocampus because it could be adaptive for the amygdala and the hippocampus to be in greater communication following violence exposure to facilitate evaluation of contextual threat cues. Therefore, chronic elevations of amygdala-hippocampal connectivity may indicate persistent vigilance that leads to internalizing symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellyn R Butler
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - Noelle Samia
- Department of Statistics and Data Science, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - Stuart White
- Nebraska Children and Families Foundation, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
| | - Caterina Gratton
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
| | - Robin Nusslock
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
- Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
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50
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Lindenmuth M, Hodes GE, Herd T, Casas B, Kim-Spoon J. Longitudinal associations between dimensions of maltreatment and internalizing symptoms in late adolescence: The role of inflammation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Brain Behav Immun Health 2024; 35:100719. [PMID: 38261884 PMCID: PMC10796806 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbih.2023.100719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Childhood adversity and depression have been linked with heightened inflammation. However, few longitudinal studies examine how dimensions of maltreatment (i.e., abuse and neglect) differentially impact pathways to heightened inflammation and internalizing symptoms. The present study examined effects of abuse and neglect on (1) internalizing symptoms through inflammation, and (2) on inflammation through internalizing symptoms across 3 years of adolescence in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. In a sample of 78 adolescents, significant indirect effects revealed that childhood abuse, not neglect, significantly predicted future internalizing symptoms, which predicted future heighted C-reactive protein (CRP). Using prospective longitudinal data, these findings emphasize the importance of examining distinct forms of maltreatment in understanding the developmental pathways connecting early adversity, internalizing symptoms, and inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Toria Herd
- College of Health and Human Development, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Brooks Casas
- Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, Roanoke, VA, USA
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