Journal Article

Associations between childhood maltreatment and adult depression: a mediation analysis

Barenbrügge, Jens, Ehring, Thomas, Klumparendt, Anne, Nelson, Janna

2019

Overview

Background There is ample evidence showing that childhood maltreatment (CM) is a risk factor for the development of depression in adulthood. However, little is known about the psychological processes mediating this relationship. This study used a large community sample to investigate the mediating role of emotional, cognitive and/or interpersonal dysfunctions on the one hand and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms on the other hand. Methods One thousand twenty seven participants of a community sample filled out an online survey. Mediation analyses were computed via linear structural equation modelling. Results Results showed a significant mediation of the association between CM and adult depression via emotional impairments, depressogenic attribution style and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder. Our study design was cross-sectional and therefore did not allow testing temporal precedence of mediators and causality. Data was collected retrospectively, a confounding effect of current depressive symptoms on retrospective recall of CM therefore cannot be ruled out. Conclusions The a priori mediation model showed a good fit with the data. The model suggests promising objectives for further research on CM-related depression and potential treatment targets in the future.

• Publisher: BioMed Central,BioMed Central Ltd,Springer Nature B.V,BMC
• Subject: Adult / Adults / Care and treatment / Child / Child Abuse - psychology / Child Abuse - trends / Child malnutrition / Childhood / Childhood Maltreatment / Children / Cognitive ability / Complications and side effects / Cross-Sectional Studies / Depression / Depression (Mood disorder) / Depression - psychology / Depression - therapy / Development and progression / Emotions / Emotions - physiology / Female / Humans / Male / Mediation / Medical research / Medicine / Medicine & Public Health / Mental depression / Mental disorders / Middle Aged / Negotiating - methods / Negotiating - psychology / Pediatric research / Post traumatic stress disorder / Psychiatry / Psychological Mediators / Psychotherapy / Quantitative psychology / Research Article / Retrospective Studies / Risk Factor / Risk Factors / Social aspects / Stress / Stress and anxiety / Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - psychology / Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - therapy / Surveys and Questionnaires / Therapeutic applications