Trait anger expression mediates childhood trauma predicting for adulthood anxiety, depressive, and alcohol use disorders

Daily stress reactivity and risk appraisal mediates childhood parental abuse predicting adulthood psychopathology severity: An 18-year longitudinal mediation analysis

Identifying mechanisms of childhood abuse-adulthood psychopathology relations could facilitate preventive efforts, but most prior studies used cross-sectional or two-wave designs and did not test the effects of childhood maternal and paternal abuse separately. Our 18-year three-wave study thus determined if Wave 2 daily stress reactivity and risk appraisal severity mediated Wave 1 retrospectively-reported childhood maternal and paternal abuse on Wave 3 generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), major depressive disorder (MDD), panic disorder (PD), alcohol (AUD), and substance use disorder (SUD) self-rated symptom severity. Longitudinal structural equation modeling was employed, adjusting for Wave 1 psychopathology severity. Higher childhood maternal and paternal abuse consistently predicted greater future daily stress reactivity and risk appraisal, and these mediators subsequently predicted increased GAD, MDD, and PD, but not AUD and SUD severity. Daily stress reactivity and risk appraisal consistently mediated the pathways between childhood maternal and paternal abuse predicting heightened adulthood GAD, MDD, and PD (Cohen's d = 0.333-0.888) but not AUD and SUD severity. Mediation effect sizes were stronger for childhood maternal (24.5-83.0%) than paternal (19.5-56.0%) abuse as the predictor. The latent interaction between Wave 1 childhood maternal and paternal abuse did not moderate the effect of Wave 1 maternal or paternal abuse on any Wave 3 adulthood psychopathology severity through Wave 2 daily stress reactivity and risk appraisal. Our research emphasizes the urgent requirement for continuous evaluation and intervention initiatives in trauma-informed care, both in inpatient and outpatient treatment settings.

From childhood trauma to alcohol use disorder severity - significance of depressive symptoms and expectations towards analgesic effects of alcohol

AIMS

The objective of the current study was to describe and analyse associations between childhood emotional abuse, severity of depressive symptoms, and analgesic expectations of drinking in individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD).

METHODS

A total of 240 individuals aged 43.85 ± 11.0 with severe AUD entering an inpatient, abstinence-based, and drug-free treatment program were assessed. The data on AUD severity, depressive symptoms, expectations towards the analgesic effects of alcohol and childhood emotional trauma was collected using questionnaire measures. The PROCESS SPSS macro for serial mediation with bootstrapping was used to test whether current severity of depressive symptoms and expectations towards analgesic effects of alcohol use serially mediated the association between childhood emotional abuse on AUD symptom severity.

RESULTS

There was evidence for two simple mediated effects, whereby the severity of depressive symptoms mediated the association between childhood emotional abuse on AUD symptom severity, and expectations towards analgesic effects of alcohol mediated the association between childhood emotional abuse on AUD symptom severity. There was also evidence to support serial mediation whereby both severity of depressive symptoms and expectations towards analgesic effects of alcohol mediated the association between childhood emotional abuse on AUD symptom severity.

CONCLUSIONS

It might be clinically relevant to address experiences of childhood emotional trauma, as well as individual expectations of analgesic effects of alcohol, in AUD treatment programs.

Positive reappraisal coping mediates the relationship between parental abuse and lack of affection on adulthood generalized anxiety severity

Exposure to parental abuse and lack of parental affection during childhood are risk factors for adulthood psychopathology. Tendency to engage in positive reappraisal may be a plausible mechanism underlying this relationship. The current study examined if positive reappraisal coping mediated the relationship between maternal/paternal abuse/affection and adulthood generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) symptoms. Participant data (N = 3294) from the Midlife Development in the United States study was collected in three waves, spaced nine years apart. Longitudinal structural equation mediation modeling examined whether positive reappraisal coping at Time 2 mediated the relationship between maternal/paternal abuse/affection at Time 1 and GAD symptoms at Time 3, controlling for GAD symptoms at Time 1. Positive reappraisal coping mediated maternal/paternal childhood abuse - GAD symptom severity and maternal/paternal childhood affection - GAD severity relations. Maternal and paternal abuse was associated with lower positive reappraisal tendencies, predicting increased GAD symptom severity. Conversely, higher maternal/paternal affection was associated with increased positive reappraisal, predicting lower GAD severity. Incremental prediction revealed that childhood abuse to GAD severity via positive reappraisal path was significant for maternal but not paternal abuse, whereas affection from both parents remained significant. Positive reappraisal coping may be a possible mechanism linking childhood experiences to adulthood GAD severity.

The mediating role of attachment and anger: exploring the impact of maternal early-life maltreatment on child abuse potential

Background

Maternal early-life maltreatment (ELM) increases the risk of subsequent child maltreatment, but the underlying mechanisms of these intergenerational effects remain largely unknown. Identifying these mechanisms is crucial for developing preventive interventions that can break the cycle of abuse. Notably, previous research has shown that ELM often results in attachment insecurity and altered anger characteristics. Therefore, this study determines whether these characteristics mediate the relationship between maternal history of ELM and child abuse potential.

Methods

The study sample included 254 mothers, of whom 149 had experienced ELM to at least a moderate degree. Maternal ELM was assessed using the Childhood Experience of Care and Abuse (CECA) interview. Attachment insecurity, trait anger and anger expression, and maternal abuse potential were assessed using the Vulnerable Attachment Questionnaire (VASQ), State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI), and Child Abuse Potential Inventory (CAPI), respectively.

Results

The severity of maternal ELM predicted higher child abuse potential, with attachment insecurity and anger suppression mediating this effect. Specifically, higher levels of maternal ELM were associated with greater attachment insecurity and increased anger suppression, resulting in a higher child abuse potential. Although higher levels of trait anger were directly associated with higher child abuse potential, this parameter did not mediate the relationship with ELM. In addition, no significant associations were observed between outwardly expressed anger and ELM or child abuse potential. All analyses were adjusted for maternal mental disorders, years of education, and relationship status.

Discussion

Attachment insecurity and anger suppression may serve as pathways linking the maternal history of ELM to the risk of child abuse, even when considering maternal psychopathology. Overall, our findings indicate that interventions aimed at strengthening attachment and improving anger suppression may be beneficial for all mothers with ELM history and high child abuse potential, not just those who suffer from mental illness.

Childhood trauma and anger in adults with and without depressive and anxiety disorders

BACKGROUND

Childhood trauma (CT) is associated with severe sequelae, including stress-related mental health disorders that can perpetuate long into adulthood. A key mechanism in this relationship seems to be emotion regulation. We aimed to investigate (1) whether childhood trauma is associated with anger in adulthood, and, if so, (2) to explore which types of childhood trauma predominate in the prediction of anger in a cohort that included participants with and without current affective disorders.

METHODS

In the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA), childhood trauma was assessed with a semi-structured Childhood Trauma Interview (CTI) at baseline, and analyzed in relation to anger as measured at a 4-year follow-up with the Spielberger Trait Anger Subscale (STAS), the Anger Attacks Questionnaire, and cluster B personality traits (i.e., borderline, antisocial) of the Personality Disorder Questionnaire 4 (PDQ-4), using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and multivariable logistic regression analyses. Post hoc analyses comprised cross-sectional regression analyses, using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form (CTQ-SF) also obtained at a 4-year follow-up.

RESULTS

Participants (n = 2271) were on average 42.1 years (SD = 13.1), and 66.2% were female. Childhood trauma showed a dose-response association with all anger constructs. All types of childhood trauma were significantly associated with borderline personality traits, independently of depression and anxiety. Additionally, all types of childhood trauma except for sexual abuse were associated with higher levels of trait anger, and a higher prevalence of anger attacks and antisocial personality traits in adulthood. Cross-sectionally, the effect sizes were larger compared with the analyses with the childhood trauma measured 4 years prior to the anger measures.

CONCLUSIONS

Childhood trauma is linked with anger in adulthood, which could be of particular interest in the context of psychopathology. Focus on childhood traumatic experiences and adulthood anger may help to enhance the effectiveness of treatment for patients with depressive and anxiety disorders. Trauma-focused interventions should be implemented when appropriate.

Psychosocial factors and chronic spontaneous urticaria: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Psychosocial factors have been informally associated with Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria (CSU); however, the relationship between psychosocial factors and CSU remains relatively unexplored in the scientific literature.

OBJECTIVE

This review aims to provide an evaluation of peer reviewed studies exploring psychosocial factors and CSU.

METHODS

A systematic search was performed over four databases identifying studies exploring psychosocial factors in relation to CSU published between the years 1995 and 2022.

RESULTS

Eighteen studies were included for narrative analysis, and 33 psychosocial factors were identified. These were split into two subgroups: psychosocial factors that were associated with CSU symptoms aggravation/onset (n = 20), and psychosocial factors expected to be impacted by CSU symptoms (n = 13).

CONCLUSION

This review has highlighted a need for more research and interventions to support individuals with psychosocial factors involved in CSU.

Developmental trauma: Conceptual framework, associated risks and comorbidities, and evaluation and treatment

Children exposed to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and pervasive interpersonal traumas may go on to develop PTSD and, in most cases, will further undergo a significant shift in their developmental trajectory. This paper examines contemporary research on Developmental Trauma (DT), which is inextricably linked to disruptions in social cognition, physiological and behavioral regulation, and parent-child attachments. Developmental trauma associated with early experiences of abuse or neglect leads to multi-faceted and longstanding consequences and underscores critical periods of development, complex stress-mediated adaptations, and multilevel, trans-theoretical influences in the diagnostic formulation and treatment of traumatized children, adolescents, and adults. Psychological and medical correlates of Developmental Trauma Disorder are considered, and directions for future research are discussed.

Maladaptive emotion regulation strategies and trait anger as predictors of depression severity

BACKGROUND

According to empirical evidence, trait anger and emotion regulation strategies are associated with depression severity. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of trait anger and maladaptive emotion regulation strategies in explaining the variance of depressive symptoms severity.

METHODS

Two hundred three participants diagnosed with major depressive disorder completed measures of depression, trait anger, depressive rumination, anger rumination and experiential avoidance. Path analysis using Mplus was employed for data analysis.

RESULTS

Trait anger and depressive rumination were significant predictors of the level of depressive symptomatology, while experiential avoidance and anger rumination did not predict the level of depressive symptoms severity.

CONCLUSION

Maladaptive emotion regulation strategies and trait anger seem to be associated with the level of depressive symptoms, and, as such, should also be investigated when working with depressive symptomatology.