Environmental adversities and psychotic symptoms: The impact of timing of trauma, abuse, and neglect

Trajectories of childhood adversity and the risk of depression in young adulthood: Results from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children

“…These F I G U R E 3 Trajectories of adversity from birth through age 11.5 years (n = 9,665) findings highlight the importance of considering adverse exposures at multiple time points throughout childhood to capture the potential for health risks as a result of childhood circumstances. Adversity during early childhood may disrupt the development of critical brain structures and stress response systems or may initiate a chain of other stressors and adjustment difficulties that in turn influence mental health risk (Culpin et al, 2015;English, Graham, Litrownik, Everson, & Bangdiwala, 2005;McLaughlin et al, 2010;Rutter, Kim-Cohen, & Maughan, 2006;Schalinski et al, 2017). This finding is consistent with several studies that have found increased depressive symptoms in adolescence and adulthood among those with maltreatment, higher cumulative adversity, or poverty in early childhood (Atkinson et al, 2015;Dunn et al, 2017;Dunn, McLaughlin, Slopen, Rosand, & Smoller, 2013;Kaplow & Widom, 2007;Manly et al, 2001;Shanahan, Copeland, Costello, & Angold, 2011;Teicher, Samson, Polcari, & Andersen, 2009;Thornberry et al, 2010), although some of these studies failed to distinguish between childhood-limited and persistent adversity that began in early childhood.…”

“…Future studies should aim to investigate the differential impact of specific types of adversities (Dunn et al, 2017(Dunn et al, , 2018 occurring during specific developmental periods (Schalinski et al, 2016(Schalinski et al, , 2017 and to assess the effects of adversity trajectories on other mental health and behavioral outcomes (English et al, 2005;Kaplow & Widom, 2007) and on depression at later ages. Future studies should aim to investigate the differential impact of specific types of adversities (Dunn et al, 2017(Dunn et al, , 2018 occurring during specific developmental periods (Schalinski et al, 2016(Schalinski et al, , 2017 and to assess the effects of adversity trajectories on other mental health and behavioral outcomes (English et al, 2005;Kaplow & Widom, 2007) and on depression at later ages.…”

“…This finding is consistent with several studies that have found increased depressive symptoms in adolescence and adulthood among those with maltreatment, higher cumulative adversity, or poverty in early childhood (Atkinson et al, 2015;Dunn et al, 2017;Dunn, McLaughlin, Slopen, Rosand, & Smoller, 2013;Kaplow & Widom, 2007;Manly et al, 2001;Shanahan, Copeland, Costello, & Angold, 2011;Teicher, Samson, Polcari, & Andersen, 2009;Thornberry et al, 2010), although some of these studies failed to distinguish between childhood-limited and persistent adversity that began in early childhood. Adversity during early childhood may disrupt the development of critical brain structures and stress response systems or may initiate a chain of other stressors and adjustment difficulties that in turn influence mental health risk (Culpin et al, 2015;English, Graham, Litrownik, Everson, & Bangdiwala, 2005;McLaughlin et al, 2010;Rutter, Kim-Cohen, & Maughan, 2006;Schalinski et al, 2017).…”

“…These results highlight the need for regular, periodic screening of adversity throughout childhood to identify children at greatest risk of depression. Future studies should aim to investigate the differential impact of specific types of adversities (Dunn et al, 2017(Dunn et al, , 2018 occurring during specific developmental periods (Schalinski et al, 2016(Schalinski et al, , 2017 and to assess the effects of adversity trajectories on other mental health and behavioral outcomes (English et al, 2005;Kaplow & Widom, 2007) and on depression at later ages. Further work is also needed to better understand the biological, behavioral, and social mechanisms that may link these trajectories of childhood adversity to depression in young adulthood and beyond (Costello et al, 2008;Culpin et al, 2015;McLaughlin & Sheridan, 2016;McLaughlin et al, 2010;Shuey & Willson, 2014;Teicher et al, 2009;Wickrama, Conger, Lorenz, & Jung, 2008;Wickrama, Noh, & Elder, 2009), as well as protective factors that may promote resilience among children exposed to moderate or high levels of adversity at different stages of childhood (Hatch, 2005), to develop and target interventions to reduce the detrimental effects of childhood adversity.…”

“…The timing and persistence of childhood adversity may be particularly important for the development of mental health problems (Dunn et al, 2018;Dunn, Nishimi, Powers, & Bradley, 2017;Schalinski et al, 2016Schalinski et al, , 2017. Some prospective studies have found adverse experiences in early childhood (e.g., before age five) to have long-term effects on depression (Kaplow & Widom, 2007;Manly, Kim, Rogosch, & Cicchetti, 2001;Thornberry, Henry, Ireland, & Smith, 2010), whereas others have found stronger effects of adverse events occurring at later times (e.g., middle childhood or adolescence; Harpur, Polek, & van Harmelen, 2015;Najman et al, 2010;Thornberry, Ireland, & Smith, 2001).…”