The psychological factors mediating/moderating the association between childhood adversity and depression: A systematic review

Accumulating evidence suggests that individuals with a history of childhood adversity are at greater risk for developing depression. Potential psychological mechanisms have not been well-established. Our study aims to identify psychological variables consistently mediating/moderating the link between childhood adversity to depression. We systematically searched articles from 1990 to October 2021 on online databases including PubMed, Web of Science and PsycINFO. Studies that examined a mediating/moderating role of psychological variables between childhood adversities and depression were included. Totally, 33 records were included. The review identified maladaptive schema, negative automatic thoughts, and avoidance as mediators of the relationship between childhood adversity and depression. Additionally, resilience was identified as both a mediator and moderator of the association between childhood adversity and depression. In general, cognitive dysfunction, avoidance behaviors and impaired resilience may be a by-product of childhood adversity and may contribute to increased risk for depression. Interventions that target at challenging negative cognition and improving resilience may be effective to prevent or treat depression in individuals with a history of childhood adversity.

Depressive symptoms in low-income, urban adolescents: cognitive and contextual factors

This study examined the relationships among cognitive variables, family immigration history, negative life events, and depressive symptoms in a sample of 306 low-income, urban fifth- and sixth-grade children. Explanatory style and negative automatic thoughts were the cognitive variables examined. There were three key findings. First, children who were immigrants reported significantly more depressive symptoms, more negative life events, and more negative automatic thoughts than children who were not immigrants. Second, both explanatory style and negative automatic thoughts were significantly associated with depressive symptoms above and beyond the effects of child immigration history and negative life events. Finally, negative automatic thoughts mediated the relationship between child immigration history and depressive symptoms. We discuss the clinical and research implications of these findings.

[Vulnerability factors for school stress among junior high school students: over-adaptation and evaluation of emotion]

This study investigated the role of over-adaptation and evaluation of emotion as stress vulnerability factors among Japanese junior high school students. Based upon the diathesis-stress model, 720 students (348 boys and 372 girls) completed questionnaires about stress responses, over-adaptation, and evaluation of emotion. Two weeks later, they completed the questionnaire about stress responses along a questionnaire about school stressors. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicated that boys with high over-adaptation tendencies reported a greater stress responses following the occurrence of negative school stressors than non-over-adaptive students. In addition, evaluation of emotion was found to interact with stressors to predict stress responses in boys. These results were not found in girls.

Adverse life events and depressive symptoms in african american youth: the role of control-related beliefs

The association between experiences of adverse life events and adolescent depressive symptoms has been well documented. However, this association is not consistently observed in urban and low income African American youth. In addition, mechanisms linking life event stress and African American adolescents' depressive symptoms have received little attention. This study examined past year violent and nonviolent life events assessed in 6th grade as predictors of 7th grade depressive symptoms among a community epidemiologically defined sample of 447 (47% girls) urban African American adolescents. Depressive symptoms were assessed twice, at a 1-year interval, and initial depressive symptoms were controlled in the analyses. Control-related beliefs were examined as mediators of the association between life events and depressive symptoms, and gender was examined as a moderator of the association between control-related beliefs and depressive symptoms. Associations among study variables were examined in a series of models, from general to more specific. A model in which nonviolent and violent life events were examined separately and control and contingency beliefs examined as one latent variable was the most informative about the etiology of depressive symptoms in a sample of urban, African American youth. Implications of the findings for preventive interventions and future research are discussed.

The mediating and moderating roles of the cognitive triad on adolescent suicidal ideation

BACKGROUND

Adolescent suicide has been a major concern in Taiwan and continues to be an important research issue for mental health workers. The cognitive triad, which refers to an adolescent's views of the self, the world, and the future, was found previously to be related to both depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation. However, researchers have paid less attention to exploring the roles of mediation and moderation which the cognitive triad plays in the relationship between depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation.

OBJECTIVES

To test the mediating and moderating effects of the cognitive triad on the relationship between depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation in a sample of school-aged adolescents.

METHODS

A cross-sectional and correlational design was used in this study. Instruments were administered anonymously to a sample of 1,245 school-aged adolescents recruited from nine middle and high schools of Taipei City. Instruments used included the Children's Depression Inventory, the Cognitive Triad Inventory for Children, and the Positive and Negative Suicide Ideation.

RESULTS

Regression analysis revealed that the cognitive triad significantly mediated and moderated the relationship between depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings have implications for theoretical development and health policies related to suicide prevention programs in schools.