The association between adverse childhood experiences and common mental disorders and suicidality: an umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses

Abstract

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are related to increased risk of common mental disorders. This umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses aimed to identify the key ACEs that are consistently associated with increased risk of mental disorders and suicidality. We searched PsycINFO, PubMed, and Google Scholar for systematic reviews and meta-analyses on the association between ACEs and common mental disorders or suicidality published from January 1, 2009 until July 11, 2019. The methodological quality of included reviews was evaluated using the AMSTAR2 checklist. The effect sizes reported in each meta-analysis were combined using a random-effects model. Meta-regressions were conducted to investigate whether associations vary by gender or age of exposure to ACEs. This review is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42019146431). We included 68 reviews with moderate (55%), low (28%) or critically low (17%) methodological quality. The median number of included studies in these reviews was 14 (2-277). Across identified reviews, 24 ACEs were associated with increased risk of common mental disorders or suicidality. ACEs were associated with a two-fold higher odds of anxiety disorders (pooled odds ratios (ORs): 1.94; 95% CI 1.82, 2.22), internalizing disorders (OR 1.76; 1.59, 1.87), depression (OR 2.01; 1.86, 2.32) and suicidality (OR 2.33; 2.11, 2.56). These associations did not significantly (P > 0.05) vary by gender or the age of exposure. ACEs are consistently associated with increased risk of common mental disorders and suicidality. Well-designed cohort studies to track the impact of ACEs, and trials of interventions to prevent them or reduce their impact should be global research priorities.

Prenatal stress and offspring depression in adulthood: The mediating role of childhood trauma

“…Childhood trauma has also been consistently associated with risk of depression in adulthood in previous research (Copeland et al, 2018;Sahle et al, 2021), with recent evidence suggesting a causal link which has also been extended to other mental health disorders including psychosis (Croft et al, 2018;Warrier et al, 2021). With each additional trauma experienced, there was a 73% increased odds of depression at 24 years, and suggest a dose-response effect which has been reported previously (Copeland et al, 2018;Croft et al, 2018).…”

“…Peer bullying has also been associated with increased risk of depression, even after controlling for childhood psychiatric disorders (Copeland et al, 2013) and genetic liability (Singham et al, 2017), consistent with a causal effect (Moore et al, 2017). As well as being one of the most consistent predictors of depression and other psychopathologies (Sahle et al, 2021;Moore et al, 2017), there is also evidence that childhood trauma may mediate the association between indicators of biological risk and emotional and psychiatric problems such as psychosis (Liu et al, 2020(Liu et al, , 2019Wolke et al, 2015), suggesting that childhood trauma may not just be a risk factor for psychopathologies, but can also be a consequence of earlier experiences.…”

Using Microbiome-Based Approaches to Deprogram Chronic Disorders and Extend the Healthspan Following Adverse Childhood Experiences

“…[ 50,51] HPA axis dysregulation This recent review describes a neuroimmune regulation model for the resulting HPA hyperactivity. [52,53] Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD).…”

The Role of Parent Engagement in a Web-Based Preventive Parenting Intervention for Child Mental Health in Predicting Parenting, Parent and Child Outcomes

“…At least half of all cases of mental disorders develop by the age of 14 years [ 1 , 2 ] and many of them are preventable [ 3 , 4 ]. Parents can play an integral role in minimising their children’s risk of developing common mental disorders, such as depression and anxiety disorders.…”