Direct and indirect effects of child abuse and environmental stress: A lifecourse perspective on adversity and depressive symptoms.

Abstract

There is a great deal of evidence about the mental health implications of physical child abuse and environmental stressors, or hardships that people experience at the household and neighborhood level (e.g., neighborhood violence; economic hardship, substance abuse, or conflict among family members). Yet, studies often focus on either abuse or environmental stress, not both, or examine abuse and environmental stressors as a combined set of experiences. Less is known, therefore, about how child abuse and environmental stress might work as either distinct or interrelated risks to diminish mental health over time. In this longitudinal study, we used path analyses to examine the cumulative effects of physical child abuse and environmental stressors on adult depressive symptoms among a sample of children followed into adulthood (N = 356). The goal was to assess whether chronic physical child abuse remains an independent predictor of adult outcomes once we accounted for the cumulative effects of household and neighborhood stressors across the lifecourse. Cumulative measures of physical child abuse and environmental stress each independently predicted a higher likelihood of adult depressive symptoms (ß = .122, p < .01 and ß = .283, p < .001, respectively). After accounting for adolescent depressive symptoms, only cumulative environmental stressors independently predicted depressive symptoms (ß = .202, p < .001). Tests of the indirect effect of cumulative environmental stress on the relationship between cumulative physical abuse and adult depressive symptoms were marginally statistically significant. Results add to literature that examines child abuse, adversity, and lifecourse perspectives on health. (PsycINFO Database Record

Systematic Review of Preinjury Mental Health Problems as a Vulnerability Factor for Worse Outcome After Sport-Related Concussion

“…Both genetic 22 and family-environmental 3,10 risk factors for mood and anxiety disorders are present in adolescents and young adults. Depression and anxiety in youth are associated with a personal history of adverse events during childhood, 14,16,40 attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, 27,35 greater life stressors, 24,33 substance misuse or abuse, 18,41 less effective coping skills, 8 less emotional awareness, 39 and lower resilience. 37 In adolescents, changing or decreasing daily activities because of physical illness or injury is associated with depression.…”

“…21 Moreover, a history of depression or anxiety is associated with increased risk for a future problem with depression or anxiety. 40 All of the above factors are potentially relevant in a biopsychosocial vulnerability model that examines how preinjury mental health might relate to postinjury coping strategies, symptom expression, resilience, and clinical outcome.…”

The Impact of Different Types of Abuse on Depression

“…Thus, individuals going through physical suffering also experience emotional suffering, and physical suffering can intensify the negative emotions experienced in the long term [85]. To cope with these negative emotions, the person may internalize the pain or express it in undesirable and maladaptive outbursts [86]. This helps explain, as adults, maltreated children are at an increased risk of behavioral, physical, and mental health problems, including severe and more persistent depression [87][88][89].…”

Does Educational Success Mitigate the Effect of Child Maltreatment on Later Offending Patterns?

“…Transient and more enduring protective factors, which can include those related to education, can help to lessen the effects of risks posed to children by their exposure to violence, and by child maltreatment specifically. Other researchers have described a similar dynamic to explain resilience from chronic stress (Leadbeater, Schellenbach, Maton, & Dodgen, 2004; Sousa et al, 2018).…”