Depressive rumination and trait anxiety mediate the effects of childhood victimization on adulthood depressive symptoms in adult volunteers

Abstract

Background Prior studies have reported that childhood victimization experiences substantially augment the risk of depression and suicide in adulthood. Several of our previous studies suggested that childhood experiences of victimization interact with the quality of parenting experienced in childhood, childhood experiences of abuse, neuroticism, and other factors to influence depressive symptoms in adulthood. In this study, it was hypothesized that “childhood victimization” worsens “trait anxiety” and “depressive rumination”, and that “trait anxiety” and “depressive rumination” are mediators that worsen “depressive symptoms in adulthood”. Subjects and methods The following self-administered questionnaires were completed by 576 adult volunteers: Patient Health Questionnaire-9, State–Trait Anxiety Inventory form Y, Ruminative Responses Scale, and Childhood Victimization Rating Scale. Statistical analyses were performed by Pearson correlation coefficient analysis, t-test, multiple regression analysis, path analysis, and covariance structure analysis. Results Path analysis demonstrated that the direct effect was statistically significant for the paths from childhood victimization to trait anxiety, depressive rumination, and depressive symptom severity. Moreover, the indirect effect of childhood victimization on depressive rumination mediated by trait anxiety was statistically significant. The indirect effects of childhood victimization on depressive symptom severity mediated by trait anxiety and depressive rumination were statistically significant. Furthermore, the indirect effect of childhood victimization on depressive symptom severity mediated by both trait anxiety and depressive rumination was statistically significant. Conclusions We found that childhood victimization directly and adversely influenced each of the above factors, and indirectly worsened adulthood depressive symptoms with trait anxiety and depressive ruminations as mediating factors. The present study is the first to clarify these mediation effects. Therefore, the results of this study suggest the importance of preventing childhood victimization and the importance of identifying and addressing childhood victimization in patients with clinical depression.

Cognitive factors as mediators of the relationship between childhood trauma and depression symptoms: the mediating roles of cognitive overgeneralisation, rumination, and social problem-solving

“…Our findings that rumination (reflection and brooding) mediated the relationship between childhood trauma and depression symptoms aligns with previous studies (Fang et al, 2023 ; Mansueto et al, 2021 ; Mao et al, 2023 ; Masuya et al, 2023 ). Childhood trauma is often challenging to openly talk about and tends to be repressed, so that it might resulting in the development of a ruminative pattern of thinking (Kim et al, 2017 ).…”

“…Rumination is likely to have a positive predictive effect on the evolution, severity, maintenance, and recurrence of depression and predicts the onset of depressive episodes (Stange et al, 2016 ). The relationship between rumination and childhood trauma and depression has been indicated in some studies (Deguchi et al, 2021 ; Masuya et al, 2023 ; Muñoz & Hanks, 2021 ). These studies have shown greater childhood trauma leads to higher levels of depression by increasing rumination.…”

Effects of Peer Victimization in Childhood and Trait Anxiety on Job Stress in Adulthood

“…We recently reported on the effects of childhood peer victimization on trait anxiety. 30 In that study, as in the present report, a cross-sectional questionnaire survey in adult volunteers demonstrated that childhood experience of peer victimization augmented depressive symptoms by enhancing trait anxiety and further augmenting depressive rumination. In addition, childhood abuse shares similarities with childhood peer victimization in that it is an experience of being harmed by others in childhood.…”

“…The previous finding that childhood peer victimization experiences augment depressive rumination via trait anxiety strongly supports this idea. 30 …”

“…[25][26][27][28][29] Recently, we reported that the experience of peer victimization in childhood increases trait anxiety. 30 However, to our knowledge, there have been no studies to date on whether or not peer victimization in childhood and trait anxiety affect job stress (job stressors and the accompanying psychological and physical stress responses).…”