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Coleman O, Baldwin JR, Dalgleish T, Rose-Clarke K, Widom CS, Danese A. Research Review: Why do prospective and retrospective measures of maltreatment differ? A narrative review. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2024. [PMID: 39150090 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.14048] [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] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Childhood maltreatment contributes to a large mental health burden worldwide. Different measures of childhood maltreatment are not equivalent and may capture meaningful differences. In particular, prospective and retrospective measures of maltreatment identify different groups of individuals and are differentially associated with psychopathology. However, the reasons behind these discrepancies have not yet been comprehensively mapped. METHODS In this review, we draw on multi-disciplinary research and present an integrated framework to explain maltreatment measurement disagreement. RESULTS We identified three interrelated domains. First, methodological issues related to measurement and data collection methods. Second, the role of memory in influencing retrospective reports of maltreatment. Finally, the motivations individuals may have to disclose, withhold, or fabricate information about maltreatment. CONCLUSIONS A greater understanding of maltreatment measurement disagreement may point to new ways to conceptualise and assess maltreatment. Furthermore, it may help uncover mechanisms underlying maltreatment-related psychopathology and targets for novel interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oonagh Coleman
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Jessie R Baldwin
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Tim Dalgleish
- Medical Research Council Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, Fulbourn, UK
| | | | - Cathy Spatz Widom
- Psychology Department, John Jay College, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
- Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Andrea Danese
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- National and Specialist CAMHS Clinic for Trauma, Anxiety, and Depression, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
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Miller QC, Widom CS. Factors influencing adult cognitive appraisals of childhood sexual abuse. CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT 2024; 154:106909. [PMID: 38925010 PMCID: PMC11316646 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2024.106909] [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: 03/14/2024] [Revised: 06/05/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adult appraisals of their childhood sexual experiences as abusive are associated with increased risk for long-term psychological problems. Factors that underlie whether adults appraise their childhood sexual experiences as abusive remain unknown. OBJECTIVE To determine factors associated with adult cognitive appraisals of childhood sexual abuse. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING Participants were 1196 adults ages 19-41 (M = 29.23, SD = 3.84) with documented cases of childhood maltreatment (sexual abuse, physical abuse, and neglect) during the years 1967-1971 and demographically matched controls who were followed-up and interviewed in adulthood. METHODS Using a prospective cohort design, participants were asked to recall whether they had any sexual experiences in childhood, and if so, the frequency of abuse, age at the onset of abuse, relationship to perpetrator, and whether they appraised the experiences as sexually abusive. RESULTS Over half of the sample (52%) reported childhood sexual experiences, yet only 44% considered those experiences sexually abusive. Participants with documented cases of child sexual abuse and neglect were more likely to appraise their childhood sexual experiences as abusive compared to controls. Participants who reported more severe abuse, more frequent abuse, younger age at the onset of abuse, and intrafamilial and both intra- and extrafamilial abuse (vs. extrafamilial abuse) were more likely to consider their experiences abusive. Compared to males and Black participants, females and White participants were more likely to appraise their experiences as abusive. CONCLUSIONS Understanding factors that determine adult cognitive appraisals of childhood sexual experiences as abusive can inform clinical interventions for maltreated populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quincy C Miller
- John Jay College of Criminal Justice, 524 West 59(th) Street, New York, NY 10019, United States of America.
| | - Cathy Spatz Widom
- John Jay College of Criminal Justice, 524 West 59(th) Street, New York, NY 10019, United States of America; Graduate Center, City University of New York, 365 5th Ave, New York, NY 10016, United States of America.
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Chesin MS, Cascardi M, Gilleran K. Associations Between PTSD and Depressive Symptoms and Victimization Among Female College Students: A Latent Class Analysis. JOURNAL OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE 2024:8862605241260602. [PMID: 39066566 DOI: 10.1177/08862605241260602] [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
Research on subgroups of female college students who share similar experiences of childhood maltreatment (CM) and intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization is sparse. The primary aims of the current study are: (a) to identify subgroups of victims related to experience of psychological, physical, and sexual CM and IPV and (b) to test the association between subgroups and depressive and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity. Survey data was collected from 327 female students at a public university in the Northeast. Three distinct subgroups, that is, victimization classes, were found using Latent Class Analysis: A lifetime victimization class, comprised of females reporting high rates of CM and IPV across types (19.0% of the sample), a childhood victimization class (26.9%); and a low victimization class (54.1%). Depressive symptom severity was positively associated with lifetime and childhood, relative to low, victimization class membership. PTSD symptom severity was associated with the childhood victimization class relative to both lifetime and low victimization class. Subgroups of institutions of higher education (IHE) females who share CM and IPV victimization experiences are discernable. The co-occurrence of IPV and CM in female college students is not uncommon. PTSD symptom severity may be more related to CM than IPV in IHE female students.
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Phillips AR, Halligan SL, Lavi I, Macleod JAA, Robinson S, Wilkins D, Hiller RM. A Scoping Review of Factors Associated With the Mental Health of Young People Who Have "Aged Out" of the Child Welfare System. TRAUMA, VIOLENCE & ABUSE 2024; 25:1780-1798. [PMID: 37776530 PMCID: PMC11155215 DOI: 10.1177/15248380231196107] [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] [Indexed: 10/02/2023]
Abstract
Young people who grow up in care and then exit care around the age of 18 (care-leavers) are a particularly vulnerable group, at increased risk for mental health problems even relative to other care-experienced groups. Yet, little is understood about the factors underpinning this association. We used scoping review methods to synthesize the quantitative and qualitative literature on factors that are associated with mental health problems for care-leavers. Following rigorous methods, we systematically searched three scientific databases spanning psychology and social care and identified 23 peer-reviewed studies for inclusion. This review highlights the heterogeneity of this research, in terms of methodology and topics investigated. Topics included are as follows: pre-care maltreatment, care-related experiences, psychological factors (emotion regulation), social support, education, and adult functioning (e.g., housing, finances, employment). We found mixed and inconsistent findings across research studies. The strongest evidence-base is around the influence of social support upon the mental health of recent care-leavers, though methodological problems are discussed. The field benefits from several large-scale observational and longitudinal research studies. However, there is an over-reliance upon retrospective reporting, and the use of unvalidated measures is common. It is apparent that there are significant gaps in our current understanding of the mental health of care-leavers, in particular around modifiable factors. We discuss potential directions for future empirical research, both in terms of methodology and factors investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - John A. A. Macleod
- The National Institute for Health Research Applied Research Collaboration West (NIHR ARC West) at University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, UK
- The University of Bristol, UK
| | | | | | - Rachel M. Hiller
- University College London, UK
- Anna Freud Centre for Children and Families, London, UK
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Kızıltepe R, Yılmaz Irmak T. Intergenerational transmission of childhood maltreatment and offspring behavioral adjustment problems and competence. CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT 2024; 153:106851. [PMID: 38761719 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2024.106851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous studies have consistently highlighted that exposure to childhood maltreatment adversely affects the developmental domains of subsequent generations. Little, however, is known about the relationship between maternal childhood maltreatment history and adolescent development, as well as the mediator role of offspring childhood maltreatment. OBJECTIVE The current study attempts to investigate the mediating role of offspring childhood maltreatment in the relationship between maternal childhood maltreatment history and offspring behavioral adjustment problems and competence. METHODS Participants were 1102 adolescents aged 10-15 years (Mage = 12.14, SD = 1.22) and their mothers (Mage = 39.40, SD = 5.31). Participating adolescents filled out self-report instruments assessing their childhood maltreatment by their mothers, self-esteem, academic performance, loneliness, and prosocial and aggressive behaviors between October 2018 and May 2019. In addition, we collected data from mothers on their childhood maltreatment history. RESULTS We analyzed the data through a structural equation model. The findings revealed insignificant direct effects of maternal childhood maltreatment history on offspring behavioral adjustment problems and competence. Yet, indirect effects demonstrated that offspring maltreatment by mothers mediated the relationship between maternal childhood maltreatment history and offspring behavioral adjustment problems and competence. Maternal childhood maltreatment history was significantly associated with offspring maltreatment (β = 0.30; p < .001), which in turn was linked to a higher level of behavioral adjustment problems (β = 0.40; p < .001) and a lower level of competence (β = -0.71; p < .001). CONCLUSION The research findings extend our understanding of the relationship between maternal childhood maltreatment history and offspring behavioral adjustment problems and competence, identifying the mediating role of offspring maltreatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rukiye Kızıltepe
- Department of Psychology, Pamukkale University, 20160, Denizli, Turkey.
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Danese A, Widom CS. The Reliability of Traumatic and Adverse Experiences-Reply. JAMA Psychiatry 2024; 81:527-528. [PMID: 38324279 DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2023.5468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Danese
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre and Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- National and Specialist CAMHS Clinic for Trauma, Anxiety, and Depression, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Cathy Spatz Widom
- Psychology Department, John Jay College, City University of New York, New York
- Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York
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Tamman AJF, Abdallah CG, Dunsmoor JE, Cisler JM. Neural differentiation of emotional faces as a function of interpersonal violence among adolescent girls. J Psychiatr Res 2024; 172:90-101. [PMID: 38368703 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.02.015] [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: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Interpersonal violence (IV) is associated with altered neural threat processing and risk for psychiatric disorder. Representational similarity analysis (RSA) is a multivariate approach examining the extent to which differences between stimuli correspond to differences in multivoxel activation patterns to these stimuli within each ROI. Using RSA, we examine overlap in neural patterns between threat and neutral faces in youth with IV. Participants were female adolescents aged 11-17 who had a history of IV exposure (n = 77) or no history of IV, psychiatric diagnoses, nor psychiatric medications (n = 37). Participants completed a facial emotion processing task during fMRI. Linear mixed models indicated that increasing hippocampal differentiation of fear and neutral faces was associated with increasing IV severity. Increased neural differentiation of these facial stimuli in the left and right hippocampus was associated with increasing physical abuse severity. Increased differentiation by the dACC correlated with increasing physical assault severity. RSA for most ROIs were not significantly associated with univariate activity, except for a positive association between amygdala RSA and activity to fear faces. Differences in statistically significant ROIs for physical assault and physical abuse may highlight distinct effects of trauma type on encoding of threat vs. neutral faces. Null associations between RSA and univariate activation in most ROIs suggest unique contributions of RSA for understanding IV compared to traditional activation. Implications include understanding mechanisms of risk in IV and trauma-specific treatment selection. Future work should replicate these findings in longitudinal studies and identify sensitive periods for neural alterations in RSA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda J F Tamman
- Baylor College of Medicine, Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
| | - Chadi G Abdallah
- Baylor College of Medicine, Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; US Department of Veterans Affairs, National Center for PTSD - Clinical Neurosciences Division, VA Connecticut, West Haven, CT 06516, USA; Core for Advanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging (CAMRI), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Joseph E Dunsmoor
- Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Center for Learning and Memory, Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Josh M Cisler
- Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Institute for Early Life Adversity Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Dell Medical School, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Austin, TX 78712, USA
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Cohodes EM, Sisk LM, Keding TJ, Mandell JD, Notti ME, Gee DG. Characterizing experiential elements of early-life stress to inform resilience: Buffering effects of controllability and predictability and the importance of their timing. Dev Psychopathol 2023; 35:2288-2301. [PMID: 37496155 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579423000822] [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] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
Key theoretical frameworks have proposed that examining the impact of exposure to specific dimensions of stress at specific developmental periods is likely to yield important insight into processes of risk and resilience. Utilizing a sample of N = 549 young adults who provided a detailed retrospective history of their lifetime exposure to numerous dimensions of traumatic stress and ratings of their current trauma-related symptomatology via completion of an online survey, here we test whether an individual's perception of their lifetime stress as either controllable or predictable buffered the impact of exposure on trauma-related symptomatology assessed in adulthood. Further, we tested whether this moderation effect differed when evaluated in the context of early childhood, middle childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood stress. Consistent with hypotheses, results highlight both stressor controllability and stressor predictability as buffering the impact of traumatic stress exposure on trauma-related symptomatology and suggest that the potency of this buffering effect varies across unique developmental periods. Leveraging dimensional ratings of lifetime stress exposure to probe heterogeneity in outcomes following stress - and, critically, considering interactions between dimensions of exposure and the developmental period when stress occurred - is likely to yield increased understanding of risk and resilience following traumatic stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily M Cohodes
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Lucinda M Sisk
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Taylor J Keding
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Jeffrey D Mandell
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - Dylan G Gee
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
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Del Re EC, Keshavan MS. Childhood trauma and psychosis-Searching for causes and mechanisms. Schizophr Res 2023; 262:146-148. [PMID: 37979417 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2023.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023]
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Jopling E, Rnic K, Jameson T, Tracy A, LeMoult J. Discordance Indices of Stress Sensitivity and Trajectories of Internalizing Symptoms in Adolescence. Res Child Adolesc Psychopathol 2023; 51:1521-1533. [PMID: 37329401 DOI: 10.1007/s10802-023-01095-4] [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] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Psychiatric illness in adolescence is associated with long-term impairments, making it critical to identify predictors of adolescent psychiatric distress. Individual differences in stress sensitivity could be associated with longitudinal trajectories of internalizing symptoms. Historically, researchers have operationalized stress sensitivity by assessing either objective or subjective responses to stress. However, we posit that the relative discordance between subjective and objective responses to stress is a critical metric of stress sensitivity. We examined whether two discordance-based indices of stress sensitivity were related to one another and to trajectories of internalizing psychopathology among a sample of 101 adolescent youths (Mage = 12.80 at baseline; 55% males) across two successive stressors: the high school transition and the COVID-19 pandemic. Using latent growth curve modeling, we found that greater discordance between subjective (i.e., affective) and objective (i.e., cortisol) responses to a social-evaluative stressor was associated with higher internalizing symptoms at baseline and an accelerated symptom growth trajectory across the first year of the pandemic. In contrast, early life stress sensitivity was not associated with internalizing symptoms. Findings suggest that the discordance between objective and subjective experiences of social-evaluative stress predicts a pernicious growth trajectory of internalizing symptoms during adolescence. This work advances current methodologies, contributes to theoretical models of internalizing psychopathology, and with replication could have implications for policy and practice by identifying a key vulnerability factor that increases adolescents' psychiatric distress over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen Jopling
- University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, 2136 West Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T1Z4, Canada.
| | | | | | - Alison Tracy
- University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
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Danese A, Widom CS. Associations Between Objective and Subjective Experiences of Childhood Maltreatment and the Course of Emotional Disorders in Adulthood. JAMA Psychiatry 2023; 80:1009-1016. [PMID: 37405795 PMCID: PMC10323762 DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2023.2140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023]
Abstract
Importance A history of childhood maltreatment is associated with an unfavorable course of illness for emotional disorders. However, the origins and mechanisms underlying these associations are unknown. Objective To examine the relative associations of objective and subjective measures of childhood maltreatment and continuity in psychopathology with the course of emotional disorders in adulthood. Design, Setting, and Participants This prospective cohort study followed up until age 40 years participants residing in a metropolitan county of the US Midwest with substantiated records of childhood physical and sexual abuse and/or neglect between 1967 and 1971 and a demographically matched group of participants experiencing no abuse or neglect in childhood. The collected data were analyzed between October 2021 and April 2022. Exposures The objective experience of childhood maltreatment before age 12 years was prospectively measured through official court records, whereas the subjective experience was measured through retrospective self-report at a mean (SD) age of 29 (3.8) years. Current and previous lifetime psychopathology was also assessed at a mean age of 29 (3.8) years. Main Outcomes and Measures Symptoms of depression and anxiety were measured at mean (SD) ages of 39.5 (3.5) and 41.2 (3.5) years using Poisson regression models. Results In a cohort of 1196 participants (582 [48.7%] female and 614 [51.3%] male) followed up to age 40 years, those with objective plus subjective measures of childhood maltreatment had a greater number of subsequent follow-up phases with depression or anxiety than controls (depression: incidence rate ratio [IRR], 2.28 [95% CI, 1.65-3.15]; anxiety: IRR, 2.30 [95% CI, 1.54-3.42]), as did those with subjective-only measures (depression: IRR, 1.49 [95% CI, 1.02-2.18]; anxiety: IRR, 1.58 [95% CI, 0.99-2.52]). In contrast, participants with objective-only measures did not have a greater number of follow-up phases with depression or anxiety (depression: IRR, 1.37 [95% CI, 0.89-2.11]; anxiety: IRR, 1.40 [95% CI, 0.84-2.31]). Current and lifetime psychopathology measured at the time the subjective experience was assessed explained its association with a later course of emotional disorders in participants with subjective-only measures but not in those with objective plus subjective measures. Conclusions and Relevance In this cohort study, the associations seen between childhood maltreatment and poor course of emotional disorders over the subsequent decade were largely attributable to the subjective experience of maltreatment, which was partly explained by continuity in psychopathology. Modification of the subjective experience of childhood maltreatment could improve the longitudinal course of emotional disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Danese
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre and Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, United Kingdom
- National and Specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service Clinic for Trauma, Anxiety, and Depression, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Cathy Spatz Widom
- Psychology Department, John Jay College, City University of New York, New York
- Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York
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Francis ER, Tsaligopoulou A, Stock SE, Pingault J, Baldwin JR. Subjective and objective experiences of childhood adversity: a meta-analysis of their agreement and relationships with psychopathology. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2023; 64:1185-1199. [PMID: 37186463 PMCID: PMC10617978 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Researchers use both subjective self-report and objective measures, such as official records, to investigate the impact of childhood adversity on psychopathology. However, it is unclear whether subjective and objective measures of childhood adversity (a) show agreement, and (b) differentially predict psychopathology. METHOD To address this, we conducted a pre-registered meta-analysis to examine the agreement between subjective and objective measures of childhood adversity, and their prediction of psychopathology. We searched in PubMed, PsycINFO and Embase for articles with both subjective measures (self-reports) and objective measures of childhood adversity (comprising official records, or reports from multiple informants unrelated to the target individual), and measures of psychopathology. RESULTS We identified 22 studies (n = 18,163) with data on agreement between subjective and objective measures of childhood adversities, and 17 studies (n = 14,789) with data on the associations between subjective and objective measures with psychopathology. First, we found that subjective and objective measures of childhood adversities were only moderately correlated (e.g. for maltreatment, r = .32, 95% CI = 0.23-0.41). Second, subjective measures of childhood adversities were associated with psychopathology, independent of objective measures (e.g. for maltreatment, r = .16, 95% CI = 0.09-0.22). In contrast, objective measures of childhood adversities had null or minimal associations with psychopathology, independent of subjective measures (e.g. r for maltreatment = .06, 95% CI = -0.02-0.13). CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that the effects of childhood adversity on psychopathology are primarily driven by a person's subjective experience. If this is the case, clinical interventions targeting memories and cognitive processes surrounding childhood adversity may reduce the risk of psychopathology in exposed individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma R. Francis
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, Department of Clinical, Educational and Health PsychologyUniversity College LondonLondonUK
| | - Anna Tsaligopoulou
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, Department of Clinical, Educational and Health PsychologyUniversity College LondonLondonUK
- Child Study CentreYale University School of MedicineNew HavenCTUSA
| | - Sarah E. Stock
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, Department of Clinical, Educational and Health PsychologyUniversity College LondonLondonUK
- Institute of Epidemiology & HealthUniversity College LondonLondonUK
| | - Jean‐Baptiste Pingault
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, Department of Clinical, Educational and Health PsychologyUniversity College LondonLondonUK
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry CentreInstitute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Jessie R. Baldwin
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, Department of Clinical, Educational and Health PsychologyUniversity College LondonLondonUK
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry CentreInstitute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College LondonLondonUK
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Del Re EC, Yassin W, Zeng V, Keedy S, Alliey-Rodriguez N, Ivleva E, Hill S, Rychagov N, McDowell JE, Bishop JR, Mesholam-Gately R, Merola G, Lizano P, Gershon E, Pearlson G, Sweeney JA, Clementz B, Tamminga C, Keshavan M. Characterization of childhood trauma, hippocampal mediation and Cannabis use in a large dataset of psychosis and non-psychosis individuals. Schizophr Res 2023; 255:102-109. [PMID: 36989667 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2023.03.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Revised: 03/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cannabis use (CA) and childhood trauma (CT) independently increase the risk of earlier psychosis onset; but their interaction in relation to psychosis risk and association with endocannabinoid-receptor rich brain regions, i.e. the hippocampus (HP), remains unclear. The objective was to determine whether lower age of psychosis onset (AgePsyOnset) is associated with CA and CT through mediation by the HP volumes, and genetic risk, as measured by schizophrenia polygene scores (SZ-PGRS). METHODS Cross-sectional, case-control, multicenter sample from 5 metropolitan US regions. Participants (n = 1185) included 397 controls not affected by psychosis (HC); 209 participants with bipolar disorder type-1; 279 with schizoaffective disorder; and 300 with schizophrenia (DSM IV-TR). CT was assessed using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ); CA was assessed by self-reports and trained clinical interviewers. Assessment included neuroimaging, symptomatology, cognition and calculation of the SZ polygenic risk score (SZ-PGRS). RESULTS In survival analysis, CT and CA exposure interact to be associated with lower AgePsyOnset. At high CT or CA, CT or CA are individually sufficient to affect AgePsyOnset. CT relation with AgePsyOnset is mediated in part by the HP in CA users before AgePsyOnset. CA before AgePsyOnset is associated with higher SZ-PGRS and correlated with younger age at CA usage. DISCUSSION CA and CT interact to increase risk when moderate; while severe CT and/or CA abuse/dependence are each sufficient to affect AgePsyOnset, indicating a ceiling effect. Probands with/out CA before AgePsyOnset differ on biological variables, suggesting divergent pathways to psychosis. FUNDING MH077945; MH096942; MH096913; MH077862; MH103368; MH096900; MH122759.
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Cohodes EM, McCauley S, Pierre JC, Hodges HR, Haberman JT, Santiuste I, Rogers MK, Wang J, Mandell JD, Gee DG. Development and validation of the Dimensional Inventory of Stress and Trauma Across the Lifespan (DISTAL): A novel assessment tool to facilitate the dimensional study of psychobiological sequelae of exposure to adversity. Dev Psychobiol 2023; 65:e22372. [PMID: 37073593 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22372] [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] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 04/20/2023]
Abstract
Decades of research underscore the profound impact of adversity on brain and behavioral development. Recent theoretical models have highlighted the importance of considering specific features of adversity that may have dissociable effects at distinct developmental timepoints. However, existing measures do not query these dimensions in sufficient detail to support the proliferation of this approach. The Dimensional Inventory of Stress and Trauma Across the Lifespan (DISTAL) was developed with the aim to thoroughly and retrospectively assess the timing, severity (of exposure and reaction), type, persons involved, controllability, predictability, threat, deprivation, proximity, betrayal, and discrimination inherent in an individual's exposure to adversity. Here, we introduce this instrument, present descriptive statistics drawn from a sample of N = 187 adults who completed the DISTAL, and provide initial information about its psychometric properties. This novel measure facilitates the expansion of research focused on assessing the relative impact of exposure to key dimensions of adversity on the brain and behavior across development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily M Cohodes
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Sarah McCauley
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Jasmyne C Pierre
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - H R Hodges
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Jason T Haberman
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Isabel Santiuste
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Marisa K Rogers
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Jenny Wang
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Jeffrey D Mandell
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Dylan G Gee
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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Scott JG, Malacova E, Mathews B, Haslam DM, Pacella R, Higgins DJ, Meinck F, Dunne MP, Finkelhor D, Erskine HE, Lawrence DM, Thomas HJ. The association between child maltreatment and mental disorders in the Australian Child Maltreatment Study. Med J Aust 2023; 218 Suppl 6:S26-S33. [PMID: 37004186 PMCID: PMC10952950 DOI: 10.5694/mja2.51870] [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: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To examine the associations between experiences of child maltreatment and mental disorders in the Australian population. DESIGN Population-representative survey conducted by computer-assisted telephone interviewing. SETTING, PARTICIPANTS Australian residents aged 16 years and older. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Mental disorder diagnoses of lifetime major depressive disorder, current alcohol use disorder (mild, moderate and severe), current generalised anxiety disorder and current post-traumatic stress disorder. RESULTS More than one in three Australians (3606/8503 surveyed participants; 38.0%; 95% CI, 36.7-39.3%) met the diagnostic criteria for a mental disorder. The prevalence of mental disorders in non-maltreated participants was 21.6% (95% CI, 19.9-23.3%; n = 851). This increased to 36.2% (95% CI, 33.5-38.9%; n = 764) for those who experienced a single type of maltreatment and 54.8% (95% CI, 52.6-56.9%; n = 1991) for participants who experienced multi-type maltreatment. Compared with non-maltreated Australians, maltreated participants had about three times the odds of any mental disorder (odds ratio [OR], 2.82; 95% CI, 2.47-3.22), generalised anxiety disorder (OR, 3.14; 95% CI, 2.48-3.97), major depressive disorder (OR, 3.19; 95% CI, 2.68-3.80) and severe alcohol use disorder (OR, 2.62; 95% CI, 1.83-3.76), and almost five times the odds of post-traumatic stress disorder (OR, 4.60; 95% CI, 3.00-7.07). Associations between experiences of child maltreatment and mental disorders were strongest for sexual abuse, emotional abuse and multi-type maltreatment. The strength of the associations did not differ by gender. Adjustment for childhood and current financial hardship and for current socio-economic status did not significantly attenuate the associations. CONCLUSIONS Mental disorders are significantly more likely to occur in individuals who experience child maltreatment, particularly multi-type maltreatment. Prevention of child maltreatment provides an opportunity to substantially reduce the prevalence of mental illness and improve the health of the Australian population.
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Affiliation(s)
- James G Scott
- Child Health Research Centre, the University of QueenslandBrisbaneQLD
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research InstituteBrisbaneQLD
| | - Eva Malacova
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research InstituteBrisbaneQLD
| | - Ben Mathews
- Queensland University of TechnologyBrisbaneQLD
- Bloomberg School of Public HealthJohns Hopkins UniversityBaltimoreMDUnited States of America
| | - Divna M Haslam
- Queensland University of TechnologyBrisbaneQLD
- The University of QueenslandBrisbaneQLD
| | - Rosana Pacella
- Institute for Lifecourse DevelopmentUniversity of GreenwichLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Daryl J Higgins
- Institute of Child Protection StudiesAustralian Catholic UniversityMelbourneVIC
| | - Franziska Meinck
- University of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
- University of the Witwatersrand JohannesburgJohannesburgSouth Africa
| | - Michael P Dunne
- Queensland University of TechnologyBrisbaneQLD
- Institute for Community Health ResearchHue UniversityHue CityVietnam
| | - David Finkelhor
- Crimes against Children Research CenterUniversity of New HampshireDurhamNHUnited States of America
| | - Holly E Erskine
- The University of QueenslandBrisbaneQLD
- Queensland Centre for Mental Health ResearchBrisbaneQLD
| | | | - Hannah J Thomas
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research InstituteBrisbaneQLD
- Queensland Centre for Mental Health ResearchBrisbaneQLD
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16
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Childhood Trauma and Epigenetics: State of the Science and Future. Curr Environ Health Rep 2022; 9:661-672. [PMID: 36242743 DOI: 10.1007/s40572-022-00381-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW There is a great deal of interest regarding the biological embedding of childhood trauma and social exposures through epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation (DNAm), but a comprehensive understanding has been hindered by issues of limited reproducibility between studies. This review presents a summary of the literature on childhood trauma and DNAm, highlights issues in the field, and proposes some potential solutions. RECENT FINDINGS Investigations of the associations between DNAm and childhood trauma are commonly performed using candidate gene approaches, specifically involving genes related to neurological and stress pathways. Childhood trauma is defined in a wide range of ways in several societal contexts. However, although variations in DNAm are frequently found in stress-related genes, unsupervised epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS) have shown limited reproducibility both between studies and in relating these changes to exposures. The reproducibility of childhood trauma DNAm studies, and the field of social epigenetics in general, may be improved by increasing sample sizes, standardizing variables, making use of effect size thresholds, collecting longitudinal and intervention samples, appropriately accounting for known confounding factors, and applying causal analysis wherever possible, such as "two-step epigenetic Mendelian randomization."
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Lasserre AM, Imtiaz S, Roerecke M, Heilig M, Probst C, Rehm J. Socioeconomic status, alcohol use disorders, and depression: A population-based study. J Affect Disord 2022; 301:331-336. [PMID: 34986374 PMCID: PMC8849577 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2021.12.132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Revised: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Depressive disorders (DD) and alcohol use disorders (AUD) frequently co-occur. They are key to understanding the current increases in "deaths of despair" among individuals with lower socioeconomic status (SES). The aim of this study was to assess the prospective bidirectional associations between AUD and DD, as well as the effect of SES on these two conditions. METHODS The National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions is a cohort study representative of the US adult population, which began in 2001-2002, with follow-up interviews conducted 3 years later. SES was primarily operationalized as educational attainment. AUD, DD, and their levels of severity were defined according to the DSM-5 criteria. RESULTS The risk of developing an incident DD increased gradually with the recency and the severity of AUD at baseline, but the converse was not observed. Lower SES was an independent risk for incident AUD or DD. SES did not modify the prospective association between AUD and DD. LIMITATIONS The absence of interaction between SES and moderate or severe AUD for the incident DD must be considered with caution due to the limited number of DD cases reported in these AUD categories. CONCLUSIONS This result is consistent with a causal relationship between AUD and DD, and suggests that therapeutic interventions for AUD may also have beneficial effects to lower DD rates. The independent effects of a lower SES and AUD on DD may result in a vulnerable population cumulating disorders with heavy consequences on health and social well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurélie M Lasserre
- Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), 33 Ursula Franklin Street, Toronto, ON M5S 2S1, Canada; Addiction Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital, Rue du Bugnon 23, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Sameer Imtiaz
- Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), 33 Ursula Franklin Street, Toronto, ON M5S 2S1, Canada
| | - Michael Roerecke
- Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), 33 Ursula Franklin Street, Toronto, ON M5S 2S1, Canada; Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, 155 College Street, Toronto, ON M5T 1P8, Canada; Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, CAMH, 33 Ursula Franklin Street, Toronto, ON M5S 2S1, Canada
| | - Markus Heilig
- Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Charlotte Probst
- Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), 33 Ursula Franklin Street, Toronto, ON M5S 2S1, Canada; Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 130.3, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, 250 College Street, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
| | - Jürgen Rehm
- Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), 33 Ursula Franklin Street, Toronto, ON M5S 2S1, Canada; Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, 155 College Street, Toronto, ON M5T 1P8, Canada; Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, CAMH, 33 Ursula Franklin Street, Toronto, ON M5S 2S1, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, 250 College Street, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada; Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy & Center of Clinical Epidemiology and Longitudinal Studies, Technische Universität Dresden, Chemnitzer Str. 46, 01187 Dresden, Germany; Department of International Health Projects, Institute for Leadership and Health Management, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Trubetskaya str., 8, b. 2, 119992, Moscow, Russian Federation; Agència de Salut Pública de Catalunya, 81-95 Roc Boronat St., 08005 Barcelona, Spain; Center for Interdisciplinary Addiction Research, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
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18
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Association of childhood maltreatment history with salivary interleukin-6 diurnal patterns and C-reactive protein in healthy adults. Brain Behav Immun 2022; 101:377-382. [PMID: 35093493 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2022.01.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Revised: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Childhood maltreatment has been associated with increased inflammation, as indicated by elevated levels of proinflammatory markers such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP). Studies in humans show that secretion of IL-6 follows a clear circadian rhythm, implying that its disturbed rhythm represents an important aspect of dysregulated inflammatory system. However, possible alterations in diurnal secretion patterns of IL-6 associated with childhood maltreatment have not been studied. Here we investigated this association in 116 healthy adults. Diurnal levels of IL-6 were examined using saliva samples collected at 5 times a day across 2 consecutive days. Salivary CRP levels were also determined by averaging measurements at 2 times a day for 2 days. Different types of childhood maltreatment were assessed with the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). CTQ total and emotional abuse scores were significantly correlated with smaller IL-6 diurnal variation as indexed by lower standard deviation across the measurement times (p = 0.024 and p = 0.008, respectively). Individuals with emotional abuse, as defined by a cut-off score of CTQ, showed flatter IL-6 rhythm than those without (p = 0.031). These results, both correlation and group comparison, remained significant after controlling for age, sex, and body mass index. Childhood maltreatment was not associated with total output of IL-6 or CRP. Our findings indicate that childhood trauma can have a long-term negative effect on the circadian rhythm of inflammatory system. The findings are consistent with those of previous studies on adulthood trauma, suggesting that the disrupted IL-6 rhythmicity may be associated with a broad range of trauma-related conditions.
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Palmos AB, Hübel C, Lim KX, Hunjan AK, Coleman JR, Breen G. Assessing the Evidence for Causal Associations Between Body Mass Index, C-Reactive Protein, Depression, and Reported Trauma Using Mendelian Randomization. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY GLOBAL OPEN SCIENCE 2022; 3:110-118. [PMID: 36712567 PMCID: PMC9874165 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsgos.2022.01.003] [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: 10/04/2021] [Revised: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Traumatic experiences are described as the strongest predictors of major depressive disorder (MDD), with inflammation potentially mediating the association between trauma and symptom onset. However, several studies indicate that body mass index (BMI) exerts a large confounding effect on both inflammation and MDD. Methods First, we sought to replicate previously reported associations between these traits in a large subset of the UK Biobank, using regression models with C-reactive protein (CRP) and MDD and as the outcome variables in 113,481 and 30,137 individuals, respectively. Second, we ran bidirectional Mendelian randomization analyses between these traits to establish a potential causal framework between BMI, MDD, reported childhood trauma, and inflammation. Results Our phenotypic analyses revealed no association between CRP and MDD but did suggest a strong effect of BMI and reported trauma on both CRP (BMI: β = 0.43, 95% CI = 0.43-0.43, p ≤ .001; childhood trauma: β = 0.02, 95% CI = 0.00-0.03, p = .006) and MDD (BMI: odds ratio [OR] = 1.16, 95% CI = 1.14-1.19, p ≤ .001; childhood trauma: OR = 1.99, 95% CI = 1.88-2.11, p ≤ .001). Our Mendelian randomization analyses confirmed a lack of causal relationship between CRP and MDD but showed evidence consistent with a strong causal influence of higher BMI on increased CRP (β = 0.37, 95% CI = 0.36-0.39, p ≤ .001) and a bidirectional influence between reported trauma and MDD (OR trauma-MDD = 1.75, 95% CI = 1.49-2.07, p ≤ .001; OR MDD-trauma = 1.22, 95% CI = 1.18-1.27, p ≤ .001). Conclusions Our findings highlight the importance of controlling for both BMI and trauma when studying MDD in the context of inflammation. They also suggest that the experience of traumatic events can increase the risk for MDD and that MDD can increase the experience of traumatic events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alish B. Palmos
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom,UK National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health, South London and Maudsley Hospital, London, United Kingdom,Address correspondence to Alish B. Palmos, Ph.D.
| | - Christopher Hübel
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom,UK National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health, South London and Maudsley Hospital, London, United Kingdom,National Centre for Register-based Research, Department of Economics and Business Economics, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Kai Xiang Lim
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Avina K. Hunjan
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom,UK National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health, South London and Maudsley Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jonathan R.I. Coleman
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Gerome Breen
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom,UK National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health, South London and Maudsley Hospital, London, United Kingdom
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The relationship of adverse childhood experiences, hair cortisol, C-reactive protein, and polygenic susceptibility with older adults' psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:5038-5048. [PMID: 36198766 PMCID: PMC9533280 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01805-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are linked to poorer mental health outcomes, and growing evidence implicates biological and genetic pathways from early adversity to psychopathology. However, little is known about the relationship of ACEs and their underlying biological and genetic mechanisms with older people's mental health responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. We tested the associations of ACEs, hair cortisol, C-reactive protein (CRP), and polygenic scores (PGS) with depression, anxiety, and loneliness among older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic, accounting for the potential interplay of ACEs with biological and genetic risk markers. Data were drawn from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, a prospective cohort study of older adults living in England. Retrospective information on ACEs were collected in 2006/7, while CRP and hair cortisol were measured at wave 6 (2012/13). Psychological distress was assessed before the pandemic (2018-19) and at two COVID-19 assessments in 2020 (June-July and November-December). Associations were tested on 2050 participants using linear/logistic regression models adjusted for pre-pandemic outcome measures and mixed-effect models to assess changes before and during the pandemic. The results showed that ACEs were associated with higher levels of depression (OR = 2.55[95%CI:1.81,3.59]) anxiety (OR = 1.84[95%CI:1.13,3.01]), and loneliness (b = 0.28[95%CI:0.14,0.42]) during the pandemic. Hair cortisol was related to an increased risk of depression (OR = 1.15[95%CI:1.04,1.26]), and CRP was associated with greater loneliness scores (b = 0.16[95%CI:0.03,0.30]). The relationship between cortisol and psychological distress was larger among participants with ACEs (e.g., ORdepression = 1.07[95%CI:1.00,1.14]). Further, individuals with high CRP experienced greater increases in feelings of loneliness from before to during the pandemic, compared to those with lower CRP levels (interaction effect=0.23; 95%CI:0.1-0.37). Individuals with 2+ ACEs experienced greater increases in depressive symptoms compared to those with none (interaction effect=2.09; 95%CI:1.1-3.98). Higher levels of hair cortisol were also related to worse changes in depressive symptoms across timepoints (interaction effect=1.84;95%CI:1.41-2.41). These results highlight the lasting impact of biosocial vulnerabilities on older adults' mental health responses to new environmental stressors. They also implicate biological mechanisms in the pathophysiology of later-life psychological distress.
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Eriksen JKD, Coello K, Stanislaus S, Kjærstad HL, Sletved KSO, McIntyre RS, Faurholt-Jepsen M, Miskowiak KK, Poulsen HE, Kessing LV, Vinberg M. Associations between childhood maltreatment and oxidative nucleoside damage in affective disorders. Eur Psychiatry 2022; 65:e46. [PMID: 35950327 PMCID: PMC9486829 DOI: 10.1192/j.eurpsy.2022.2300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Childhood maltreatment is an established risk factor for incident unipolar disorder and bipolar disorder. It is separately observed that affective disorders (AD) are also associated with higher nucleoside damage by oxidation. Childhood maltreatment may induce higher levels of nucleoside damage by oxidation and thus contribute to the development of AD; however, this relation is only sparsely investigated. Methods In total, 860 participants (468 patients with AD, 151 unaffected first-degree relatives, and 241 healthy control persons) completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). The association between CTQ scores and markers of systemic DNA and RNA damage by oxidation as measured by urinary excretion of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG) and 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanosine (8-oxoGuo) levels, respectively, was investigated. Results In multiple regression models adjusted for sex- and age, 8-oxodG and 8-oxoGuo levels were found to be higher in individuals who had experienced more childhood maltreatment. These associations persisted in models additionally adjusted for body mass index, alcohol, and current smoking status. Emotional abuse, sexual abuse, and emotional neglect were principally responsible for the foregoing associations. Conclusions Our findings of an association between childhood maltreatment and oxidative stress markers suggest that childhood maltreatment overall, notably emotional abuse and emotional neglect, is associated with enhanced systemic damage to DNA and RNA in adulthood. Further, individuals with AD reported a higher prevalence of childhood maltreatment, which may induce higher levels of nucleoside damage by oxidation in adulthood, possibly leading to increased risk of developing AD. Longitudinal studies are needed to clarify this relationship further.
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