Clarifying Associations between Childhood Adversity, Social Support, Behavioral Factors, and Mental Health, Health, and Well-Being in Adulthood: A Population-Based Study

The association between physical activity, self-efficacy, stress self-management and mental health among adolescents

This study aimed to explore the interplay between physical activity, self-efficacy, stress self-management and mental health among adolescents. The study gathered data from an online survey conducted among 400 Chinese middle school students (mean age = 13.74 years). The collected data were analyzed using SPSS 27.0 and PROCESS 4.1. The findings indicated a positive and significant relationship between physical activity, self-efficacy, stress self-management, and mental health. Notably, the association between physical activity and mental health was entirely mediated by self-efficacy and stress self-management. Moreover, self-efficacy and stress self-management exhibited a chain mediation effect on the relationship between physical activity and mental health. It is suggested that interventions focusing on physical activity should prioritize strategies for enhancing students' self-efficacy and stress self-management skills as integral components of promoting adolescents' mental health. Future research should delve into identifying specific types of physical activities that have a greater potential to enhance self-efficacy and stress self-management abilities.

Does adult socioeconomic status mediate the relationship between adolescent socioeconomic status and adult quality of life?

Objective

This study aimed to determine the association between adolescent socioeconomic status (father's education and adolescent subjective socioeconomic status) and adult quality of life and the mediation roles of adult socioeconomic status, social capital and lifestyle (physical activity and exposure to smoke) among the "Tehran University of Medical Sciences Employees Cohort (TEC) Study" participants.

Method

Data of 4455 participants were derived from the Tehran University of Medical Sciences Employees Cohort (TEC) Study. In this study, the World Health Organization quality of life-BREF, the World Bank's Integrated and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire were used. Data were analyzed with structural equation modeling using SPSS Amos 24.0 program.

Results

The mean age of the participants was 42.31 years (SD: 8.37) and most of the subjects were female (60.7%). Correlation analysis results revealed that, quality of life had a significant and positive association with adolescent subjective socioeconomic status (r = 0.169, p < 0.01) and father's education (r = 0.091, p < 0.01). A mediation model testing the direct relationship between adolescent socioeconomic status and adult socioeconomic status and quality of life, showed a positive relationship between adolescent subjective socioeconomic status (β = 0.229, p < 0.001) and father's education (β = 0.443, p < 0.001) with adult socioeconomic status. Adult socioeconomic status was positively related to quality of life (β = 0.205, p < 0.001). Adult socioeconomic status mediated the relationship between adolescent subjective socioeconomic status (β = 0.047, p < 0.01) and father's education (β = 0.091, p < 0.01) with quality of life. While adult socioeconomic status fully mediated the relationship between the father's education and quality of life, it partially mediated the adolescent subjective socioeconomic status-quality of life association. Other variables such as social capital and lifestyle did not have mediator role in a mediation model.

Conclusion

This study provides the evidence for the role of adult socioeconomic status as a partial mediator between adolescent subjective socioeconomic status and quality of life. Therefore, there are several unknown mediators other than adult socioeconomic status that need to be explored in future studies.

The relationship between childhood socioeconomic status and depression level in older adults: the mediating role of adult socioeconomic status and subjective well-being

BACKGROUND

There is a causal link between childhood socioeconomic status and health status in adulthood and beyond. It's vital to comprehend the relationship between childhood socioeconomic status and mental health among older Chinese individuals from the current generation who have undergone significant social changes in China. This understanding is critical to foster healthy demographic and social development in China.

METHODS

Using data from the 2020 China Family Panel Studies, we investigate the relationship between childhood socioeconomic status and depression in older adults. Additionally, we examine the mediating role of adult socioeconomic status and subjective well-being.

RESULTS

1) Childhood socioeconomic status of Chinese older adults differences by region of residence, while depression levels differences by gender, region of residence, and marital status. 2) Adult socioeconomic status mediated the relationship between childhood socioeconomic status and depression in older adults. 3) Adult socioeconomic status and subjective well-being had a chain-mediated role in the relationship between childhood socioeconomic status and depression in older adults.

CONCLUSIONS

In terms of childhood socioeconomic status, older adults in urban regions were significantly higher than those in rural regions. As for depression level, female older adults were more depressed than males; married older people have the lowest depression levels, while unmarried and widowed older people have higher depression levels; older adults in rural regions had higher depression levels than those in urban regions. Evidence from our study further suggests that childhood socioeconomic status can suppress the depression level in older adults through adult socioeconomic status; it can also further reduce the depression level in older adults through the chain mediation of adult economic status affecting subjective well-being. As depression is more prevalent among older individuals with a lower childhood socioeconomic status, it is vital to prioritize the extensive impact of childhood socioeconomic status as a distal factor and investigate "upstream" solutions to enhance childhood socioeconomic status and reduce the gap during the early years of life.

The stress-buffering role of friendships in young people with childhood threat experiences: a preliminary report

Background: High-quality friendships have a positive impact on the mental health of young people with childhood adversity (CA). Social stress buffering, the phenomenon of a social partner attenuating acute stress responses, is a potential yet unexplored mechanism that may underlie this relationship.Objective: This study examined whether perceived friendship quality was related to better mental health and lower neural stress response in young people with CA.Method: A total of N = 102 young people (aged 16-26) with low to moderate CA were included in the study. We first investigated associations between friendship quality, mental health, and CA. In a representative subset (n = 62), we assessed neural stress responses using the Montreal Imaging Stress Task. In our sample, CA was best described along two dimensions resembling threat or deprivation like experiences. Hence, we investigated both cumulative and dimensional effects of CA.Results: We found no support for social thinning after CA, meaning that the severity of CA (cumulative or dimensional) did not differentially impact friendship quality. High-quality friendships, on the other hand, were strongly associated with better mental health. Furthermore, acute stress increased state anxiety and enhanced neural activity in five frontolimbic brain regions, including the left hippocampus. We found weak support that threat experiences interacted with friendship quality to predict left hippocampal reactivity to stress. However, this effect did not survive multiple comparison correction.Conclusion: The absence of social thinning in our sample may suggest that the risk of developing impoverished social networks is low for rather well-functioning young people with low to moderate CA. Regardless, our findings align with prior research, consistently showing a strong association between high-quality friendships and better mental health in young people with CA. Future research is needed to examine whether friendships aid neural stress responses in young people with childhood threat experiences.

Association between childhood adversities and premature and potentially avoidable mortality in adulthood: a population-based study

BACKGROUND

The association of childhood adversities with mortality has rarely been explored, and even less studied is the question of whether any excess mortality may be potentially preventable. This study examined the association between specific childhood adversities and premature and potentially avoidable mortality (PPAM) in adulthood in a representative sample of the general population. Also, we examined whether the associations were potentially mediated by various adult socioeconomic, psychosocial, and behavioral factors.

METHODS

The study used data from the National Population Health Survey (NPHS-1994) linked to the Canadian Vital Statistics Database (CVSD 1994-2014) available from Statistics Canada. The NPHS interview retrospectively assessed childhood exposure to prolonged hospitalization, parental divorce, prolonged parental unemployment, prolonged trauma, parental problematic substance use, physical abuse, and being sent away from home for doing something wrong. An existing definition of PPAM, consisting of causes of death considered preventable or treatable before age 75, was used. Competing cause survival models were used to examine the associations of specific childhood adversities with PPAM in adulthood among respondents aged 18 to 74 years (rounded n = 11,035).

RESULTS

During the 20-year follow-up, 5.4% of the sample died prematurely of a cause that was considered potentially avoidable. Childhood adversities had a differential effect on mortality. Physical abuse (age-adjusted sub-hazard ratio; SHR 1.44; 95% CI 1.03, 2.00) and being sent away from home (age-adjusted SHR 2.26; 95% CI 1.43,3.57) were significantly associated with PPAM. The associations were attenuated when adjusted for adulthood factors, namely smoking, poor perceived health, depression, low perceived social support, and low income, consistent with possible mediating effects. Other adversities under study were not associated with PPAM.

CONCLUSION

The findings imply that the psychological sequelae of childhood physical abuse and being sent away from home and subsequent uptake of adverse health behavior may lead to increased risk of potentially avoidable mortality. The potential mediators identified offer directions for future research to perform causal mediation analyses with suitable data and identify interventions aimed at preventing premature mortality due to potentially avoidable causes. Other forms of adversities, mostly related to household dysfunction, may not be determinants of the distal health outcome of mortality.

Validating a measure for eco-anxiety in Portuguese young adults and exploring its associations with environmental action

BACKGROUND

Worsening environmental conditions may amplify people's emotional responses to an environmental crisis (eco-anxiety). In Portugal, young people seem to be especially concerned about climate change. However, this phenomenon needs to be interpreted using accurate instruments. Thus, this study aimed to validate the Portuguese version of the Hogg Eco-Anxiety Scale (HEAS) in young adults and examine the associations among eco-anxiety, sociodemographic characteristics, and pro-environmental behaviours.

METHODS

A survey was administered to 623 Portuguese university students aged between 18 and 25 years. The survey included our Portuguese translation of the HEAS (obtained through a back-translation and pretesting process), a sociodemographic assessment, and questions related to pro-environmental behaviours. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to assess the construct validity of the Portuguese version of the HEAS, and global fit indices were used to assess whether the original four-dimensional structure of the scale was reproduced. The reliability of the Portuguese version of the HEAS was evaluated by Cronbach's alpha and the intraclass correlation coefficient. Measurement invariance examined sex differences in scale interpretation. Linear regressions were used to detect whether sociodemographic variables predict eco-anxiety and whether eco-anxiety predicts pro-environmental behaviours.

RESULTS

The factorial structure of the original scale was replicated in the Portuguese version of the HEAS, showing good internal consistency, reliability over time and strict invariance between men and women. A higher paternal education level predicted greater eco-anxiety in children. Two dimensions of eco-anxiety-namely, rumination and anxiety about personal impacts on the environment-predicted higher engagement in pro-environmental behaviours.

CONCLUSIONS

The translated scale is an appropriate tool to measure eco-anxiety in the Portuguese context and should be used to collect evidence to drive environmental and health policies. An individual's education level should be considered a determinant of their emotional response to environmental conditions. Importantly, eco-anxiety can act as a protective emotional response to preserving the planet.

High prevalence of mental disorders: a population-based cross-sectional study in the city of Ilam, Iran

Aim

To determine the age- and sex-standardized prevalence and risk factors of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms in the city of Ilam.

Method

In this population-based cross-sectional study, 1,350 people were invited using a multi-stage stratified cluster random sampling method. Depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms were measured using the DASS-21 standard questionnaire. For data analysis, multiple ordinal logistic regression was used in Stata version 12 software. A significance level of 5% was considered.

Results

The data of 1,431 people were analyzed. The age- and sex-standardized prevalence (95% CI) of severe depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms was 19.90% (17.64 to 22.16), 25.95% (23.48 to 28.43), and 15.75% (13.69 to 17.81), respectively. There was a positive association among depression symptoms with female sex (OR: 1.52; p < 0.003), Kurdish ethnicity (OR: 2.15; p < 0.004), low educational level (OR: 1.37; p < 0.031), job losing history (OR: 1.64; p < 0.001), mental disorders history (OR: 2.17; p < 0.001), hopelessness for the future (OR: 5.38; p < 0.001), and history of other diseases (OR: 1.67; p < 0.001). There was a positive association among anxiety symptoms with female sex (OR: 1.72; p < 0.001), job losing history (OR: 1.53; p < 0.003), mental disorders history (OR: 2.11; p < 0.001), hopelessness to future (OR: 3.33; p < 0.001) and history of other diseases (OR: 1.97; p < 0.001). Hopelessness for the future and a history of other diseases were the most effective variables for anxiety symptoms and stress symptoms.

Conclusion

A significant proportion of Ilam's urban population suffers from mental disorders. Increasing people's awareness, establishing counseling centers, and improving infrastructure should be considered by mental health policymakers who work in the province.

Violência emocional intrafamiliar contra crianças e adolescentes e suas repercussões

O objetivo deste estudo foi identificar as repercussões na infância, na adolescência e na vida adulta da violência emocional intrafamiliar vivenciada no período infanto-juvenil em artigos publicados entre 2009 e 2019, por meio de uma revisão sistemática de literatura. Para a organização dos dados, utilizou-se o software Zotero; para a sistematização e análises, o software SPSS (versão 2.3). Na infância e na adolescência, as principais repercussões foram sintomas internalizantes (ex.: ansiedade, depressão, problemas psicossomáticos, insegurança), problemas cognitivo-comportamentais e impactos no rendimento escolar. Na idade adulta, as principais repercussões foram sintomas externalizantes (ex.: agressividade, reprodução da violência) e sintomas internalizantes. Conclui-se que a violência emocional vivenciada na infância e na adolescência é transcultural, transgeracional e um fator de risco para o desenvolvimento, podendo ocasionar prejuízos cognitivo-comportamentais e interferir nos relacionamentos interpessoais ao longo do ciclo de vida. Tornar visível este tipo de violência contribui para enfrentamento e minimização dos efeitos negativos da violência.

Social thinning and stress generation after childhood maltreatment: a neurocognitive social transactional model of psychiatric vulnerability

Childhood maltreatment is associated with significant, enduring risk of psychiatric disorder. In this paper, we review how neurocognitive alterations after maltreatment might indirectly increase the risk of psychiatric disorder via their impact on social functioning. We propose a neurocognitive social transactional model, within which the neurocognitive sequelae of maltreatment are postulated to affect how an individual's social architecture is constructed across development, including the quality and quantity of relationships in an individual's social network. We review extant evidence in two areas in relation to maltreatment: stress generation (a process by which individuals are more likely to experience interpersonal stressor events) and social thinning (an attenuation in the number and quality of relationships over time). We consider how neurocognitive alterations could contribute to these interactive and autocatalytic social processes, which gradually impoverish an individual's actual or potential social environment and ultimately increase psychiatric risk. We conclude by considering the implications of this neurocognitive social transactional model for the prevention of psychiatric disorder after childhood maltreatment.

Adverse childhood experiences are associated with a higher risk for increased depressive symptoms during Covid-19 pandemic - a cross-sectional study in Germany

BACKGROUND

Covid-19 pandemic has been profoundly affecting people around the world. While contact restrictions, school closures and economic shutdown were effective to reduce infection rates, these measures go along with high stress for many individuals. Persons who have experienced adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have an increased risk for mental health problems already under normal conditions. As ACEs can be associated with a higher vulnerability to stress we aimed to assess the role of ACEs on depressive symptoms during the Covid-19 pandemic.

METHODS

In a cross-sectional online survey, 1399 participants above the age of 18 years were included during the first lockdown in Germany. Via two-way repeated measures ANOVA, differences in depressive symptoms before (retrospectively assessed) and during the pandemic were analyzed. Linear regression analyses were performed in order to identify predictors for increase of depressive symptoms.

RESULTS

Compared to prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, depressive symptoms increased among all participants. Participants with ACEs and income loss reported about a stronger increase of depressive symptoms. Other predictors for increased depressive symptoms were young age and a lack of social support.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on these results, ACEs are a significant predictor for an increase in depressive symptoms during the pandemic, indicating that personss with ACEs may be a risk group for mental health problems during the current and potential later pandemics. These findings underline the relevance of support for persons who have experienced ACEs and may help to provide more targeted support in possible scenarios due to the current or possible other pandemics. Besides, economic stability seems to be of prior importance for mental health.

The effect of childhood socioeconomic status on depressive symptoms in middle-old age: the mediating role of life satisfaction

BACKGROUND

Some studies have shown that childhood socioeconomic status (SES) can influence the development and progression of depression in adulthood. This study aimed to analyze the effects of childhood SES on depressive symptoms in individuals of middle-old age and examine the potential mediating role of life satisfaction based on national data in China.

METHODS

Data were derived from the 2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) data. A total of 17,129 individuals who were aged 45 years and older were included. The dependent variable was depressive symptoms in middle-old age. Childhood SES was the independent variable, and life satisfaction was the mediator. This study controlled four factors: general demographic characteristics, adult SES, childhood adversity and health and living status. Pearson correlations and hierarchical multiple regression analysis were performed, and the Baron and Kenny method was used to test the mediating role.

RESULTS

The score of depressive symptoms among all participants was 7.88 ± 6.65. Gender, age, adult SES, childhood adversity and health and living status all affected the development of depression symptom in middle-aged and elderly individuals in China. After adjusting for all covariates, the higher the childhood SES, the lower the depressive symptom score (β = - 0.422, P < 0.001). Life satisfaction had a partial mediating effect between childhood SES and depressive symptoms. Low childhood SES may improve life satisfaction (β = 0.051, P < 0.001) and life satisfaction indirectly decreases depressive symptom scores (β = - 0.403, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Life satisfaction was a partial mediator between childhood SES and depressive symptoms in middle and old age. Improving life satisfaction may serve as an intervention to reduce the incidence of depression symptoms in the future.

The positive effects of parents' education level on children's mental health in Indonesia: a result of longitudinal survey

Background

Mental health problems are associated with decreasing the quality of various aspects of life. Cases of mental health problems (e.g., depressive symptoms) have increased continuously. Researchers predicted depression to be the first cause of world burden diseases in 2030. One of the determinant factors of mental health is parents’ education levels, but there have been contradictory research findings. The current research investigates the effect parental education attainment has on children’s mental health.

Methods

We used public data from two waves of the Indonesia Family Life Survey (IFLS) conducted in 2007 and 2014. There were 767 participants aged 15-19 years old (M = 16.80, SD = 1.37) in 2007. All participants were re-interviewed in 2014. We examined the highest level of the parents’ formal education in 2007 and the children’s mental health in 2014 to find the longitudinal effects. We used depressive symptoms and happiness as representative variables of mental health. The structural equation model (SEM) was used to examine the hypothesis, and we prioritized predictive testing over the models’ goodness of fit. We have built 12 models of combinations of children’s and parents’ sexes and different independent variables.

Results

The hypothesis testing showed the longitudinal effects that fathers’ education in 2007 has on daughters’ depressive symptoms in 2014 (β = −.203, p < 0.01), while there were longitudinal effects from mothers’ education in 2007 on their daughters’ depressive symptoms (β = −.163, p < 0.01) and sons’ depressive symptoms (β = .096, p ≤ 0.05) in 2014. Testing the happiness models showed that fathers’ education in 2007 influenced the happiness of all of participants (β = .167, p < 0.01), including both sons (β = .206, p < 0.01) and daughters (β = 149, p < 0.01). On the contrary, no significant correlation was found between mothers’ education and children’s happiness across all three categories of participants.

Conclusions

The general results of this study showed that parents’ education levels were associated with their children’s mental health, but there are different associations found through the different combinations of children’s and parents’ sexes.

Psychological Abuse and Social Support in Chinese Adolescents: The Mediating Effect of Self-Esteem

Although previous studies have explored relationships between psychological abuse and social support, the pathways from psychological abuse to social support are still unclear, particularly in Chinese adolescents. This cross-sectional study attempts to delineate the prevalence of psychological abuse and explore the relationships between psychological abuse, social support, and self-esteem under the Chinese cultural context. Data were obtained from 417 Chinese adolescents aged 15-18 years old. All of them completed the Child Psychological Abuse and Neglect Scale, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (SES), and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). Results indicated that the prevalence of psychological abuse in Chinese adolescents was 25.66%, and psychological abuse was negatively associated with self-esteem and social support, respectively. Self-esteem partially mediated the relationships between psychological abuse and social support. Findings highlight the importance of improving self-esteem in survivors of psychological abuse for decreasing the negative effects on social support. Additionally, the significance and limitations of the results were discussed.

Explaining the Craving for Cigarette Smoking Based on Adverse Childhood Experiences and Subjective Socioeconomic Status among University Students in Isfahan, Iran

Background: Adverse childhood experiences are linked to a wide range of physical, social, sexual, and family dysfunctions. These experiences, such as smoking, may have negative health consequences. Objective: The goal of this study was to explain the desire to smoke in university students in Isfahan, Iran based on adverse childhood events and subjective socioeconomic status. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 450 young adults who were recruited randomly from Isfahan universities in 2020. To collect data, a checklist of adverse childhood events, craving for smoking, and a question about subjective socioeconomic status were used. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the data. Results: According to the findings, 46.5 percent of all university students had at least one Adverse Childhood Experience, and 68.8 percent of all university students had some level of smoking craving. Controlling for demographic variables, respondents with one to five adverse childhood experiences (OR: 1.84; 95 percent of CI: 1.11-3.04) and six or more adverse childhood experiences (OR: 5.37; 95 percent of CI: 2.58-11.71) were more likely to crave smoking than respondents with no adverse childhood experiences. Furthermore, among all students, a higher subjective socioeconomic status reduced the likelihood of smoking by 19%. Conclusions and implications: It can be concluded that university students who have had adversity in their childhood are more likely to engage in high-risk behaviors like smoking. Because smoking is recognized as a coping mechanism for stressful events, it is suggested that personal, local, and national strategies aimed at young adults in Iran be developed.

Multidomain Social Determinants of Depressive Symptoms for the Elderly with Chronic Diseases: Evidence from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study

Elderly individuals with chronic diseases (CDs) have a much higher risk of mental disorders, especially depression. This study aimed to identify the multidomain social determinants of occurrence and degree of depressive symptoms for the Chinese elderly with CDs. Data of 3438 elderly individuals (aged over 60 years) with CDs were drawn from the fourth wave of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study implemented in 2018. Logistic regression was used to describe associations with the occurrence of depressive symptoms within and across multidomain social determinants (demographic, economic, neighborhood, environmental, and social and cultural). The Shapley value decomposition method was used to measure the relative importance of variables of the five domains. A quantile regression model was used to test how the effects of social factors vary across different points of depression score distributions. Approximately 40.1% of Chinese elderly individuals with CDs reported depressive symptoms. Respondents who were female, had a low income, experienced a disability, lived in rural areas, and were not engaged in work had a higher probability of suffering from depressive symptoms. Conversely, increased age, being covered by social security and being well-educated had a protective effect. Data also showed that the effects of these associated factors varied across different points of depression score distributions. The fact that socially disadvantaged people are more vulnerable to severe depressive symptoms implies that psychological health services and intervention strategies should target this population.

Childhood abuse and its association with adults' mental health problems: a cross-sectional study among men and women in the Yangon Region of Myanmar

OBJECTIVES

To estimate the prevalence of emotional, physical and sexual childhood abuse, and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and to examine the association between childhood abuse and adult mental health problems, including mental distress and PTSD symptoms.

DESIGN

A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted. Childhood abuse was assessed with the NorVold Abuse Questionnaire, and mental distress and symptoms of PTSD were measured using the Hopkins Symptom Checklist 10 and the Impact of Event Scale-Revised, respectively. The Wald test and multiple linear regression analysis were applied for testing differences between proportions and the association between childhood abuse and adult mental health outcomes, respectively.

SETTING

Urban and rural areas of the Yangon Region, Myanmar.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 2377 men and women aged 18-49 years were included. Institutionalised people, monks, nuns and individuals deemed too ill physically and/or mentally to participate were excluded.

RESULTS

Overall, 21.1% (95% CI 18.8 to 23.6) reported any form of childhood abuse, 10.4% (95% CI 8.9 to 12.4) physical abuse, 10.4% (95% CI 8.8 to 12.2) emotional abuse and 7.3% (95% CI 5.7 to 9.3) sexual abuse. Childhood abuse was more common in women (29.8%) than in men (12.4%). The prevalence of PTSD symptoms in the total sample was 6.6%. After adjusting for confounding variables, positive associations were found between childhood abuse with adult mental distress and PTSD symptoms among women and older men.

CONCLUSIONS

Childhood abuse is prevalent among both men and women in the Yangon Region of Myanmar and associated with adult mental health problems. Approximately 7% of people report PTSD symptoms. It should prompt local health professionals and policy makers to establish prevention programmes to eliminate violence against children and to organise services for victims of childhood abuse. Care should be taken in generalising findings for less populated areas.

Impact of paternal education on epigenetic ageing in adolescence and mid-adulthood: a multi-cohort study in the USA and Mexico

BACKGROUND

Both parental and neighbourhood socio-economic status (SES) are linked to poorer health independently of personal SES measures, but the biological mechanisms are unclear. Our objective was to examine these influences via epigenetic age acceleration (EAA)-the discrepancy between chronological and epigenetic ages.

METHODS

We examined three USA-based [Coronary Artery Risk Disease in Adults (CARDIA) study, Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS) and Programming Research in Obesity, Growth, Environment and Social Stressors (PROGRESS)] and one Mexico-based (Project Viva) cohort. DNA methylation was measured using Illumina arrays, personal/parental SES by questionnaire and neighbourhood disadvantage from geocoded address. In CARDIA, we examined the most strongly associated personal, parental and neighbourhood SES measures with EAA (Hannum's method) at study years 15 and 20 separately and combined using a generalized estimating equation (GEE) and compared with other EAA measures (Horvath's EAA, PhenoAge and GrimAge calculators, and DunedinPoAm).

RESULTS

EAA was associated with paternal education in CARDIA [GEEs: βsome college = -1.01 years (-1.91, -0.11) and β<high school = 1.05 (0.09, 2.01) vs college graduates] and FFCWS [GEEs: β<high school = 0.62 (0.00, 1.24)]. We found stronger associations for some paternal education categories among White adults (for GEE, βsome college = -1.39 (-2.41, -0.38)], men (βsome college = -1.76 (-3.16, -0.35)] and women [β<high school = 1.77 (0.42, 3.11)].

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that EAA captures epigenetic impacts of paternal education independently of personal SES later in life. Longitudinal studies should explore these associations at different life stages and link them to health outcomes. EAA could be a useful biomarker of SES-associated health and provide important insight into the pathogenesis and prevention of chronic disease.

Childhood Socioeconomic Position, Adult Educational Attainment and Health Behaviors: The Role of Psychological Capital and Health Literacy

Socioeconomic circumstances during childhood and adulthood are known to negatively affect health promoting behaviors. On the other hand, psychological capital (PsyCap) and health literacy are positively associated with these lifestyle behaviors. We, therefore, reasoned that PsyCap and health literacy might “buffer” the negative influences of socioeconomic circumstances on health-promoting behaviors. Method: We measured subjective childhood socioeconomic position (SEP) and adult educational attainment (as a proxy for adult socioeconomic circumstances), health literacy, PsyCap, and health behaviors (fruits and vegetables consumption, exercise, and sweets and cookies consumption) in a sample of N = 150 individuals (mean age 34.98 years, 66.7% female). Results: Bootstrapped mediation analyses including PsyCap and health literacy as parallel mediators revealed that: (I) The relationship between childhood SEP and (a) fruits and vegetables consumption and (b) exercise was mediated by PsyCap, and (II) the relationship between adult educational attainment and (a) fruits and vegetables consumption and (b) exercise was mediated by PsyCap and health literacy. We found no significant effects for consumption of sweets and cookies. Conclusion: These results suggest that larger studies are warranted that confirm the potential of PsyCap and health literacy in mitigating the negative effects of lower SEP on health behaviors and health outcomes.

Trauma exposure and mental health of prisoners and ex-prisoners: A systematic review and meta-analysis

The present meta-analytic review examined the associations between different forms of trauma and mental disorders among prisoners and ex-prisoners. Studies published from 1998 to March 31 2021 were identified by searching PsycINFO, PubMed, Medline and Web of Science. Data were meta-analyzed using a random-effect model. Moderator and mediator analyses were conducted. The protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42020181587). We identified 62 studies (50 non-duplicated samples) with 15,115 (97.86%) prisoners and 330 (2.14%) ex-prisoners in 16 countries. A multi-level meta-analysis found that overall trauma was positively associated with more diagnoses or symptoms of mental disorders (Zr = 0.198, 95% CI = [0.167, 0.229], p < 0.001). Stronger effect sizes were found between childhood trauma (Zr = 0.357, 95% CI = [0.147, 0.568], p < 0.01) and sexual trauma (Zr = 0.326, 95% CI = [0.216, 0.435], p < 0.001) and stress-related disorders. Multilevel moderator analysis showed that effect size was stronger in imprisonment trauma (β = 0.247, 95% CI = [0.177, 0.316], p < 0.01), mixed trauma (β = 0.234, 95% CI = [0.196, 0.272], p < 0.001), and stress-related disorders (β = 0.261, 95% CI = [0.214, 0.307], p < 0.01). Associations between trauma and mental disorders were mediated by social support but not coping. Our findings provide an evidence base for future research on the impact of trauma and inform assessments and interventions in correctional settings.

The experience of life events and body composition in middle childhood: a population-based study

While studies suggest potential influences of childhood adversities on obesity development in adulthood, less is known about the short-term association in children. We examined the association between a wide range of life events experienced in the first ten years of life (including maltreatment and milder adversities) and body composition in 5333 ten-year old Dutch children. In structured interviews, mothers retrospectively reported on their children’s experience of 24 events. BMI was calculated, and fat mass index and fat free mass index were determined by dual-x-ray absorptiometry scanning. Linear regressions showed that, unadjusted, a higher number of life events was associated with higher BMI and body composition. However, associations attenuated to non-significance after adjustment for covariates. Similar findings were observed for maltreatment and milder life events. Thus, the number of experienced life events was not associated with body composition in middle childhood. Rather, other factors, like socioeconomic conditions, accounted for the relationship between life events and weight development in children.

Confounding, Mediation, or Independent Effect? Childhood Psychological Abuse, Mental Health, Mood/Psychological State, COPD, and Migraine

In some settings, it may be difficult to differentiate between a confounder and a mediator. For instance, the observed association of self-reported childhood psychological abuse (CPA) with onset of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and migraine may be confounded by current mood/psychological state (e.g., the subjective evaluation of one's own affective state), as well as mediated by an individual's psychopathological symptoms. In this study, we propose the "independence hypothesis," which could prove meaningful to explore in data that lack prospective or objective indices of CPA. We used cross-sectional data from wave VI (2007-2008) of the Tromsø Study, Norway (N = 12,981). The associations between CPA and COPD and migraine were assessed with Poisson regression models. CPA was associated with a 46% increased risk of COPD (relative risk [RR] = 1.46, 95% confidence interval [CI]: [1.02, 1.90]) and a 28% increased risk of migraine in adulthood (RR = 1.28, 95% CI: [1.04, 1.53]), independent of age, sex, parental history of psychiatric problems/asthma/dementia, smoking, respondent's mood/psychological state, and mental health. These findings suggest that the association between retrospectively reported CPA and COPD and migraine is not driven entirely by respondent's mood/psychological state and mental health. Assessing the independent effect of self-reported CPA on COPD and migraine in retrospective studies may prove more meaningful than exploring the mediating role of mental health. Here, we provide the analytical rationale for assessing the independent effect in settings where it is difficult to differentiate between a confounder and a mediator. Moreover, we provide a theoretical rationale for assessing the independent effect of retrospectively reported childhood adversity on health and well-being.

Positive psychological well‐being and cardiovascular disease: Exploring mechanistic and developmental pathways

Empirical research regarding the health benefits of positive psychological well‐being (e.g., positive emotions, life satisfaction, purpose in life, and optimism) has flourished in recent years, particularly with regard to cardiovascular disease. This paper reviews the state of evidence for well‐being's association with cardiovascular disease in both healthy individuals and those diagnosed with a disease. Prospective studies consistently indicate well‐being reduces cardiovascular events in healthy and, to a lesser extent, patient populations. Potential pathways that link well‐being with cardiovascular disease are discussed (including health behaviors, physiological processes, and stress buffering), although the existing evidence is mostly cross‐sectional which limits conclusions about directionality. Issues related to development across the lifespan are considered and childhood is identified as a crucial period for establishing healthy cardiovascular trajectories. Outstanding questions for future research are provided with recommendations to focus on well‐powered and prospective study designs with rigorous assessment of both well‐being and cardiovascular‐related outcomes.

Social consequences and contexts of adverse childhood experiences

Adverse childhood experiences' (ACEs) negative consequences on health, education, and life opportunities are often explained through the neurodevelopmental changes in a person's stress reactivity and coping, which contribute to the adoption of health-damaging and antisocial behaviors. However, such focus on the biological dimension eclipses the equally important social dimension of adversity, in particular, how adversities at home can influence association with peers who exhibit and can exacerbate negative behaviors like early and binge drinking, illegal drug use, and gang involvement. More than the consequences for peer formation, this study also investigates the contexts in which ACEs are most predictive. Using a longitudinal study of US youths who were adolescents in 2007 and young adults in 2017, I find that experiencing adversity predicted involvement in peers exhibiting negative behaviors. However, the consequences of ACEs are not similar for everyone and for every outcome: (1) In disadvantaged families where ACEs were most likely, experiencing adversity influenced having peers in gangs but not the other outcomes. (2) In the most advantaged families where ACEs were least likely, having an ACE only predicted adult peers' regular drug use. (3) In families who were in the middle, experiencing adversity predicted early and binge drinking among peers. Taken together, they suggest that complex social processes and environments operate in the negative effects of ACEs, and the present research suggests a method to investigate how ACEs' impact may differ according to one's social context.

Predicting Students' Attitudes Toward Collaboration: Evidence From Structural Equation Model Trees and Forests

Numerous studies have shed some light on the importance of associated factors of collaborative attitudes. However, most previous studies aimed to explore the influence of these factors in isolation. With the strategy of data-driven decision making, the current study applied two data mining methods to elucidate the most significant factors of students' attitudes toward collaboration and group students to draw a concise model, which is beneficial for educators to focus on key factors and make effective interventions at a lower cost. Structural equation model trees (SEM trees) and structural equation model forests (SEM forests) were applied to the Program for International Student Assessment 2015 dataset (a total of 9,769 15-year-old students from China). By establishing the most important predictors and the splitting rules, these methods constructed multigroup common factor models of collaborative attitudes. The SEM trees showed that home educational resources (split by "above-average or not"), home possessions (split by "disadvantaged or not"), mother's education (split by "below high school or not"), and gender (split by "male or female") were the most important predictors among the demographic variables, drawing a 5-group model. Among all the predictors, achievement motivation (split by "above-average or not") and sense of belonging at school (split by "above-average or not" and "disadvantaged or not") were the most important, drawing a 6-group model. The SEM forest findings proved the relative importance of these variables. This paper discusses various interpretations of these results and their implications for educators to formulate corresponding interventions. Methodologically, this research provides a data mining approach to discover important information from large-scale educational data, which might be a complementary approach to enhance data-driven decision making in education.

Traumatic Experiences and PTSD Symptoms in the Chinese Male Intrafamilial Physical Violence Perpetrators: A Comparative and Structural Equation Modeling Study

We aimed to compare traumatic experiences among the groups of perpetrators with or without violent pedigree, and establish a structural model of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms as mediators of traumatic experiences and severe intrafamilial physical violence among Chinese male perpetrators. A cross-sectional survey and a face-to-face interview were conducted to examine intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration and violent pedigree, childhood maltreatment, other traumatic events, PTSD symptoms, and severe intrafamilial physical violence in a community sample of 229 abusive men and 303 controlled men in China. Using structural equation modeling (SEM) techniques, the scores of the questionnaires were entered into the theoretical model and calculated. Findings demonstrated that the numbers of the traumatic events in four groups were significantly different with a declining trend, and the SEM data had an adequate fit. The loadings of pathways from childhood witness domestic violence (DV) to severe physical violence (SPV) were more salience than other pathways, and the indirect effect of every pathway, except for the childhood witness DV to PTSD symptoms, on severe intrafamilial physical violence in the model was significant. The results suggest that PTSD symptoms cluster as mediator of the intergenerational transmission of SPV perpetration in Chinese abusive men. Childhood witness IPV has effects on adulthood perpetration of IPV.

Depresión Infanto-Juvenil y exposición temprana a la violencia

Este artículo de revisión bibliográfica  tiene como objetivo conocer las aproximaciones teóricas de la depresión en el curso de vida infanto juvenil, a partir de la exposición temprana a situaciones de violencia, en tanto los procesos de mielinización se obstruyen, en la medida en que en los primeros años de vida, se es  víctima de violencia, influyendo esto directamente en alteraciones, cognitivas, comportamentales y emocionales. Resulta del interés en conocer los avances de  las disciplinas, las metodologías, las categorías y las preguntas que están motivando a los investigadores sobre el la depresión como síntoma arraigado en la violencia, hoy.  El análisis de la información fue desarrollada a través del estado del arte que constaba de 8 (ocho) ítems y 50 (cincuenta) filas, con el fin de ordenar y categorizar la información a partir de  conceptos relacionales. Las perspectivas disciplinares indagadas en esta revisión son la Psicología, la psiquiatría, la neuropsicología y las ciencias sociales. Las principales categorías indagadas por los autores son: mielinización, violencia infantil, depresión, consecuencias Neuropsicológicas y emocionales de la violencia. Las preguntas que formulan los investigadores se  ubican en cuatro campos: procesos neurobiológicos, violencia y maltrato infantil, pautas de crianza, depresión infanto juvenil, y  trastornos comportamentales, emocionales y cognitivos. Por los resultados obtenidos, se identificó que los problemas cardinales abordados en las investigaciones son, la violencia intrafamiliar, las pautas de crianza como uno de los ejes articuladores, y la depresión infanto juvenil.

Childhood correlates of adult positive mental well-being in three British longitudinal studies

BACKGROUND

Previous evidence has shown how experiences within childhood, such as parenting and socioeconomic conditions, are associated later on in life with adult mental well-being. However, these studies tend to focus on childhood experiences in isolation, and fewer studies have investigated how multiple aspects of the childhood environment, including both socioeconomic and psychosocial aspects, are associated with adult positive mental well-being. Using data from three British birth cohort studies, we investigated how prospective measures of the childhood environment up to the age of 16 years were associated with midlife adult mental well-being and whether similar associations were replicated across different generations.

METHODS

Childhood environment comprised socioeconomic circumstances, psychosocial factors (child-rearing and parenting, family instability) and parental health. The Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale, a validated instrument measuring both hedonic and eudaemonic aspects of well-being, was administered in mid-life. We modelled associations between childhood environment domains and well-being.

RESULTS

Despite changes in social context in all three studies, poorer quality parent-child relationships and poor parental mental health were strongly and independently associated with poorer adult mental well-being. Socioeconomic circumstances were also associated with adult mental well-being, but the association was weaker than for the measures of parenting or parental mental health.

CONCLUSION

These findings confirm that parenting and parental mental health, as well as socioeconomic circumstances, are important for adult mental well-being. Interventions in early childhood aimed at reducing socioeconomic adversity and offering support to parents might be warranted, to enhance adult mental well-being later on in the life course.

Future Time Perspective and Perceived Social Support: The Mediating Role of Gratitude

Future time perspective, perceived social support, and dispositional gratitude are topics of interest that positively influence people’s psychological health. Although gratitude has been positively associated with future time perspective and social support, this is the first study to investigate its mediating role in the relationships of future time perspective with perceived social support. A convenience sample of 1256 adults (55.1% women), mean age 34.55 years (SD = 13.92), completed self-reported measures of future time perspective (conceptualized as remaining time and opportunities), dispositional gratitude, and received and given social support. Results indicated that higher dispositional gratitude mediated the relationship between the perception of more remaining time and opportunities and greater perception of received and given social support. These findings highlight the importance of considering dispositional characteristics to better understand the impact of perceived future on the individuals’ subjective experience of social exchanges. Interventions addressing future time perspective and dispositional gratitude might have beneficial effects on individuals’ social well-being.

Predicting Health-Related Quality of Life in Trauma-Exposed Male Veterans in Late Midlife: A 20 Year Longitudinal Study

Trauma-exposed adults with high levels of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) report poorer health-related quality of life (HRQOL), but less is known about the persistence of this relationship over time. Participants from the Vietnam Era Twin Study of Aging reported on PTSS, health, and sociodemographic characteristics at average age 38; 775 participants reported having been exposed to trauma. Later, at average ages 56 and 62, mental and physical HRQOL were assessed with the Short-Form 36. Premorbid risk for anxiety/neuroticism was evaluated with a polygenic risk score derived from a large genome-wide association study meta-analysis. In multivariate mixed models, having higher levels of PTSS, poorer self-rated health, lower income, and less education at age 38 were associated with worse physical and mental HRQOL two decades later. Chronic health problems at age 38 predicted midlife physical but not mental HRQOL. Although genetic risk for neuroticism was correlated with HRQOL and PTSS, it was no longer significant in multivariate models. Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) predicts morbidity and mortality independently of objective health measures; early interventions may help to mitigate the ongoing impact of trauma on quality of life.

Disease burden of adverse childhood experiences across 14 states

OBJECTIVE

To examine whether the relationship between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and health outcomes is similar across states and persists net of ACEs associations with smoking, heavy drinking, and obesity.

METHODS

We use data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System for 14 states. Logistic regressions yield estimates of the direct associations of ACEs exposure with health outcomes net of health risk factors, and indirect ACEs-health associations via health risk factors. Models were estimated for California (N = 22,475) and pooled data from 13 states (N = 110,076), and also separately by state.

RESULTS

Exposure to ACEs is associated with significantly higher odds of smoking, heavy drinking, and obesity. Net of these health risk factors, there was a significant and graded relationship in California and the pooled 13-state data between greater ACEs exposure and odds of depression, asthma, COPD, arthritis, and cardiovascular disease. Four or more ACEs were less consistently associated across states with cancer and diabetes and a dose-response relationship was also not present. There was a wide range across individual states in the percentage change in health outcomes predicted for exposure to 4+ ACEs. ACEs-related smoking, heavy drinking, and obesity explain a large and significant proportion of 4+ ACEs associations with COPD and cardiovascular disease, however some effect, absent of risk behavior, remained.

CONCLUSIONS

ACE's associations with most of the health conditions persist independent of behavioral pathways but only asthma, arthritis, COPD, cardiovascular disease, and depression consistently exhibit a dose-response relationship. Our results suggest that attention to child maltreatment and household dysfunction, mental health treatment, substance abuse prevention and promotion of physical activity and healthy weight outcomes might mitigate some adverse health consequences of ACEs. Differences across states in the pattern of ACEs-health associations may also indicate fruitful areas for prevention.

Adult health burden and costs in California during 2013 associated with prior adverse childhood experiences

OBJECTIVES

To estimate the adult health burden and costs in California during 2013 associated with adults' prior Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).

METHODS

We analyzed five ACEs-linked conditions (asthma, arthritis, COPD, depression, and cardiovascular disease) and three health risk factors (lifetime smoking, heavy drinking, and obesity). We estimated ACEs-associated fractions of disease risk for people aged 18+ for these conditions by ACEs exposure using inputs from a companion study of California Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data for 2008-2009, 2011, and 2013. We combined these estimates with published estimates of personal healthcare spending and Disability-Adjusted-Life-Years (DALYs) in the United States by condition during 2013. DALYs captured both the years of healthy life lost to disability and the years of life lost to deaths during 2013. We applied a published estimate of cost per DALY.

RESULTS

Among adults in California, 61% reported ACEs. Those ACEs were associated with $10.5 billion in excess personal healthcare spending during 2013, and 434,000 DALYs valued at approximately $102 billion dollars. During 2013, the estimated health burden per exposed adult included $589 in personal healthcare expenses and 0.0224 DALYs valued at $5,769.

CONCLUSIONS

Estimates of the costs of childhood adversity are far greater than previously understood and provide a fiscal rationale for prevention efforts.

Childhood maltreatment experiences and problematic sexual outcomes in adult males who have sexually offended: Further evidence of the potency of male caregiver psychological abuse

BACKGROUND

Although research on the developmental antecedents of sexual offending has tended to focus on sexual abuse, recent research in juveniles and adults who have sexually offended suggests that psychological abuse perpetrated by a male caregiver may be a particularly important factor in the development of problematic sexual interests and behaviors.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to extend previous findings by investigating the association between psychological abuse by a male caregiver and problematic sexual outcomes in a sample of adult males who had sexually offended.

PARTICIPANTS

Participants were 529 adult males incarcerated for sexual offenses, 21% of whom were civilly committed.

METHODS

Childhood maltreatment and problematic sexual outcomes were assessed using the Multidimensional Assessment of Sex and Aggression, a contingency-based inventory that assesses domains related to sexual aggression. Hierarchical regressions were calculated examining the association between childhood abuse types and sexual outcomes.

RESULTS

Childhood sexual abuse was associated with child sexual (β = .247, p < .001) and other paraphilic interests (β = .189, p < .001). Male caregiver psychological abuse also emerged as marginally associated with child sexual interest (β = .100, p = .059), even after controlling for other abuse types.

CONCLUSIONS

These results partially replicate recent findings in a juvenile sample and challenge conventional developmental theories of sexual offending, by suggesting that male caregiver psychological abuse may play a role in the etiology of child sexual interest among males who have sexually offended. This study also suggests a possible gender symmetry effect moderating the developmental consequences of abuse.

The association between emotional and instrumental social support and risk of suicide death: A population-based cohort study

Suicide is an important public health issue and previous studies have suggested that social support can one preventive factor. However, the association between emotional and instrumental social support and suicide death has not been investigated in detail. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between each type of social support and suicide death based on a population-based cohort study. We analyzed follow-up data for 47,223 subjects (aged ≥40 y) participating in a community-based, prospective cohort study. At the baseline, the subjects were asked five questions about social support. The end point of the study was suicide mortality, based on data from the National Vital Statistics. The Cox model was used to estimate the multivariate-adjusted hazard ratios of suicide death. In addition, stratified analysis was conducted to test the interaction of each type of social support with gender (male/female) and age (<65/≥65 y) separately. Among 320,880 person-years of follow-up, 90 cases of suicide death were documented. There were significant association between instrumental social support and lower risk of suicide death, and the hazard ratio was 0.60 (95% CI: 0.38-0.94). Emotional social support was also associated with a lower risk of suicide death, but not to a significant degree, and the hazard ratio was 0.70 (95% CI: 0.42-1.17). It is suggested that instrumental social support was significantly associated with a lower risk of suicide death, and emotional social support tended to be associated with a lower risk of suicide death.

Early life socioeconomic position and mortality from cardiovascular diseases: an application of causal mediation analysis in the Stockholm Public Health Cohort

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to quantify the mediating impact of adult social and behavioural mechanisms in the association between childhood socioeconomic position (SEP) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality by employing a weighting approach to mediation analysis.

DESIGN

Prospective cohort study.

SETTING

Stockholm County, Sweden.

PARTICIPANTS

19 720 individuals who participated in the Stockholm Public Health Cohort survey in 2002 and were older than 40 years.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary outcome was CVD mortality. Non-CVD mortality was additionally analysed for comparison.

METHODS

Study subjects were followed in routine registers from 2002 to 2011 for mortality. Data on father's SEP and adult social and behavioural factors came from questionnaire survey. The inverse odds weighting method was used to estimate the total effect, the natural direct effect and the natural indirect effect (NIE) in Poisson regression models. All results were adjusted for gender, age, country of birth and marital status. Multiple imputation was used to handle missing data.

RESULTS

The total effect of manual versus non-manual father's SEP on CVD mortality was estimated as an incidence rate ratio (IRR) of 1.24 (95% CI 1.09 to 1.41). When the social and behavioural factors were accounted for, the IRR for the NIE was 1.09 (95% CI 1.04 to 1.14), suggesting a mediation of 44% of the total effect. As for non-CVD mortality, father's manual SEP was associated with 1.15 fold excess risk (IRR: 1.15; 95% CI 1.04 to 1.27) of which the effect represented by the whole set of mediators was 1.06 (95% CI 1.01 to 1.10).

CONCLUSION

Adult social and behavioural factors had a considerable mediating effect on the early life social origin of mortality from CVDs and other causes. Future research employing causal mediation analysis may nevertheless have to consider additional factors for a fuller understanding of the mechanisms.

Maternal and Child Sexual Abuse History: An Intergenerational Exploration of Children's Adjustment and Maternal Trauma-Reflective Functioning

Objective: The aim of the current study was to investigate associations, unique and interactive, between mothers’ and children’s histories of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and children’s psychiatric outcomes using an intergenerational perspective. Further, we were particularly interested in examining whether maternal reflective functioning about their own trauma (T-RF) was associated with a lower likelihood of children’s abuse exposure (among children of CSA-exposed mothers).

Methods: One hundred and eleven children (M_age = 9.53 years; 43 sexual abuse victims) and their mothers (M_age = 37.99; 63 sexual abuse victims) participated in this study. Mothers completed the Parent Development Interview (PDI), which yielded assessments of RF regarding their own experiences of abuse, and also reported on their children’s internalizing and externalizing symptoms.

Results: Children of CSA-exposed mothers were more likely to have experienced CSA. A key result was that among CSA-exposed mothers, higher maternal T-RF regarding their own abuse was associated with lower likelihood of child CSA-exposure. Mothers’ and children’s CSA histories predicted children’s internalizing and externalizing symptoms, such that CSA exposure for mother or child was associated with greater symptomatology in children.

Conclusion: The findings show that the presence of either maternal or child CSA is associated with more child psychological difficulties. Importantly in terms of identifying potential protective factors, maternal T-RF is associated with lower likelihood of CSA exposure in children of CSA-exposed mothers. We discuss these findings in the context of the need for treatments focusing on increasing T-RF in mothers and children in the context of abuse to facilitate adaptation and reduce the intergenerational risk.

Gender differences in suicidal behavior in adolescents and young adults: systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies

OBJECTIVES

To assess the association between gender and suicide attempt/death and identify gender-specific risk/protective factors in adolescents/young adults.

METHODS

Systematic review (5 databases until January 2017). Population-based longitudinal studies considering non-clinical populations, aged 12-26 years, assessing associations between gender and suicide attempts/death, or evaluating their gender risk/protective factors, were included. Random effect meta-analyses were performed.

RESULTS

Sixty-seven studies were included. Females presented higher risk of suicide attempt (OR 1.96, 95% CI 1.54-2.50), and males for suicide death (HR 2.50, 95% CI 1.8-3.6). Common risk factors of suicidal behaviors for both genders are previous mental or substance abuse disorder and exposure to interpersonal violence. Female-specific risk factors for suicide attempts are eating disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder, being victim of dating violence, depressive symptoms, interpersonal problems and previous abortion. Male-specific risk factors for suicide attempt are disruptive behavior/conduct problems, hopelessness, parental separation/divorce, friend's suicidal behavior, and access to means. Male-specific risk factors for suicide death are drug abuse, externalizing disorders, and access to means. For females, no risk factors for suicide death were studied.

CONCLUSIONS

More evidence about female-specific risk/protective factors of suicide death, for adolescent/young adults, is needed.

Childhood Maltreatment Influences Mental Symptoms: The Mediating Roles of Emotional Intelligence and Social Support

Childhood maltreatment and its influence on mental health are key concerns around the world. Previous studies have found that childhood maltreatment is a positive predictor of mental symptoms, but few studies have been done to explore the specific mediating mechanisms between these two variables. Previous studies have found that there is a negative correlation between childhood maltreatment and emotional intelligence and between childhood maltreatment and social support, both of which are strong indicators of mental symptoms. Therefore, in this study, we took emotional intelligence and social support as mediating variables, exploring their mediating effects between childhood maltreatment and mental symptoms via the structural equation modeling method. We recruited 811 Chinese college students to complete the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), the Symptom Checklist 90 Scale (SCL-90), the Wong Law Emotional Intelligence Scale (WLEIS), and the Perceived Social Support Scale (PSSS). The results showed a significant and positive correlation between childhood maltreatment and mental symptoms (β = 0.26, P < 0.001); meanwhile, social support played a significant mediating role in the influence of childhood maltreatment on emotional intelligence [95% confidence intervals, (-0.594 to -0.327)]; and emotional intelligence likewise played a significant mediating role in the effect of social support on mental symptoms [95% confidence intervals, (-0.224 to -0.105)]. These results indicated that childhood maltreatment not only directly increases the likelihood of developing mental symptoms, but also affects emotional intelligence through influencing social support and then indirectly increasing the likelihood of developing mental symptoms. This study provided a theoretical basis for ameliorating adverse effects of childhood maltreatment on mental symptoms by enhancing emotional intelligence and social support.

The role of gender in the structure of networks of childhood adversity

The objective of present study is to investigate the relationship between different childhood adversities. The potential impact of early adversity on prevention programs is discussed. Data on twelve childhood adversities was collected from a representative sample of 5037 members of the general population living in a large metropolitan area. Data were analyzed through network analysis, to estimate and compare network connectivity and centrality measures by gender. Over half the respondents had been exposed to at least one adversity during their earlier developmental stage. Among adversity-exposed persons, 48.4% presented simultaneous adversities, most of which were related to 'family dysfunction' and 'maltreatment' (mean = 2.9 adversities). Women reported more adversities than men (59.0% vs. 47.6%). Although the 'global' network connectivity across adversities was similar in both genders, 'regional' distinctions in the network structure were found. While 'neglect' and 'parental death' were more important for women than men, 'parental mental disorders' was more important for men. Gender-related childhood adversities were clustered experiences. Adversities related to 'early family dysfunction' and 'maltreatment' were prominent features in the networks of both boys and girls. Differential preventive and intervention programs should take into account gender-related patterns of exposure and reporting patterns of early adversity.

The effects of mother's education on college student's depression level: The role of family function

The aim of this study is to examine the mediating role of family function on the association between mother's education and their offspring's depression in college (M age = 19.19, SD = 1.60). A sample of 1177 student respondents was systematically sampled from 12 universities that include both generalist universities and specialist institutions in Beijing. The Family Assessment Device (FAD) and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) were used to measure family function and students' depression level, respectively. Multiple regression analysis indicated that mother's education was positively associated with college students' depression and negatively associated with general family function. Mediation analysis indicated that mother's education significantly influenced students' depression but the effect was not statistically significant when taking family function into account. General family function mediates the association between mother's education and depression of college students.

The biological embedding of early-life socioeconomic status and family adversity in children's genome-wide DNA methylation

Aim:

To examine variation in child DNA methylation to assess its potential as a pathway for effects of childhood social adversity on health across the life course.

Materials & methods:

In a diverse, prospective community sample of 178 kindergarten children, associations between three types of social experience and DNA methylation within buccal epithelial cells later in childhood were examined.

Results:

Family income, parental education and family psychosocial adversity each associated with increased or decreased DNA methylation (488, 354 and 102 sites, respectively) within a unique set of genomic CpG sites. Gene ontology analyses pointed to genes serving immune and developmental regulation functions.

Conclusion:

Findings provided support for DNA methylation as a biomarker linking early-life social experiences with later life health in humans.

Emotional well-being and social support in social housing neighbourhoods in China

Objective

This study investigated the effect of the number of close friends (within and outside of social housing neighbourhoods) on the emotional well-being of men and women in social housing neighbourhoods in China.

Methods

Data (n = 535) were collected in 13 social housing neighbourhoods in Guangzhou from September to December 2013 using the random sample method. The t-test, chi-square test, and linear regression analysis were used to analyse the factors influencing residents’ emotional well-being.

Results

Having a greater number of close friends living within the social housing neighbourhood had a significantly positive association with the respondents’ emotional well-being (regression coefficient = 0.473). The number of close friends living in nearby neighbourhoods was only positively related to women’s emotional well-being (coefficient = 0.433).

Conclusions

These results highlight the importance of friendship for residents’ emotional well-being. Especially for women, friendship outside the social housing neighbourhood is essential for good mental health. This conclusion is based on analysis of cross-sectional data, and reflects the directionality of social associations. The mental health of the poor warrants greater attention in China.

Childhood physical maltreatment, perceived social isolation, and internalizing symptoms: a longitudinal, three-wave, population-based study

A number of cross-sectional studies have consistently shown a correlation between childhood physical maltreatment, perceived social isolation and internalizing symptoms. Using a longitudinal, three-wave design, this study sought to assess the mediating role of perceived social isolation in adulthood in the association between childhood physical maltreatment and internalizing symptoms in adulthood. The study has a three-wave design. We used data collected from 1994 to 2008 within the framework of the Tromsø Study (N = 4530), a representative prospective cohort study of men and women. Perceived social isolation was measured at a mean age of 54.7 years, and internalizing symptoms were measured at a mean age of 61.7 years. The difference-in-coefficients method was used to assess the indirect effects and the proportion (%) of mediated effects. Childhood physical maltreatment was associated with an up to 68% [relative risk (RR) = 1.68, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.33-2.13] higher risk of perceived social isolation in adulthood. Childhood physical maltreatment and perceived social isolation in adulthood were associated with greater levels of internalizing symptoms in adulthood (p < 0.01). A dose-response association was observed between childhood physical maltreatment and internalizing symptoms in adulthood (p < 0.001). Perceived social isolation in adulthood mediated up to 14.89% (p < 0.05) of the association between childhood physical maltreatment and internalizing symptoms in adulthood. The results of this study indicate the need to take perceived social isolation into account when considering the impact of childhood physical maltreatment on internalizing symptoms.

Post-secondary maternal education buffers against neural risk for psychological vulnerability to future life stress

We have previously reported that threat-related amygdala activity measured during a baseline fMRI scan predicts the experience of depression and anxiety associated with stressful life events years later. Here, we examine whether two broad measures of childhood environmental enrichment, namely parental educational achievement and subjective parental socioeconomic status, buffer against the effects of amygdala activity on future vulnerability to stress. Analyses of data available from 579 young adults revealed that maternal, but not paternal, educational achievement moderates the association between amygdala activity, recent life stress, and changes in mood and anxiety symptoms, even when controlling for participants' current subjective socioeconomic status. Specifically, only participants reporting lower maternal educational achievement exhibited our previously observed interaction between amygdala activity and future life stress predicting increases in depression and anxiety. These results suggest that higher maternal educational achievement may help buffer stress sensitivity associated with heightened threat-related amygdala activity.

Childhood adversities and post-traumatic stress disorder: evidence for stress sensitisation in the World Mental Health Surveys

BackgroundAlthough childhood adversities are known to predict increased risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after traumatic experiences, it is unclear whether this association varies by childhood adversity or traumatic experience types or by age.AimsTo examine variation in associations of childhood adversities with PTSD according to childhood adversity types, traumatic experience types and life-course stage.MethodEpidemiological data were analysed from the World Mental Health Surveys (n = 27 017).ResultsFour childhood adversities (physical and sexual abuse, neglect, parent psychopathology) were associated with similarly increased odds of PTSD following traumatic experiences (odds ratio (OR) = 1.8), whereas the other eight childhood adversities assessed did not predict PTSD. Childhood adversity-PTSD associations did not vary across traumatic experience types, but were stronger in childhood-adolescence and early-middle adulthood than later adulthood.ConclusionsChildhood adversities are differentially associated with PTSD, with the strongest associations in childhood-adolescence and early-middle adulthood. Consistency of associations across traumatic experience types suggests that childhood adversities are associated with generalised vulnerability to PTSD following traumatic experiences.

Elevated cortisol awakening response associated with early life stress and impaired executive function in healthy adult males

Experiencing early life stress (ELS) and subsequent dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis may play a role in the aetiology of mental health disorders. However, the exact mechanisms linking HPA-axis dysregulation with the development of psychopathology have not been fully delineated. Progress in this area is hampered by the complex and often conflicting associations found between markers of HPA-axis function and risk factors for mental health disorders such as impaired executive function (EF) and ELS. This study investigated the association of the cortisol awakening response (CAR) with ELS and EF in a healthy adult male population (n=109, aged 21-63). As previous inconsistencies in CAR and ELS association studies may be the result of not considering ELS-related factors such as cumulative exposure, type of stressor and developmental timing of ELS, these were also investigated. The main findings were that the CAR was significantly elevated in individuals reporting ELS compared to those reporting no ELS (p=0.007) and that an elevated CAR predicted poorer problem solving/planning (p=0.046). Cumulative exposure, type of stressor and developmental timing of ELS were also found to impact significantly on the CAR. These results suggest that ELS is associated with chronic changes in HPA-axis function and that these changes may be associated with impairments in problem solving/planning. Future work should investigate further the neurobiological mechanisms linking ELS, the CAR and EF and their role in conferring risk for the development of mental health disorders.