Childhood maltreatment, depression and their link to adult economic burdens

Abstract

BackgroundAdult depression is a common consequence of adverse childhood experiences. There is also a higher likelihood of being affected by economic burdens after having experienced a traumatic event in childhood. As depression has been associated with economic burden, these long-term sequelae of childhood adversity are likely to interact.GoalsWe investigated depression and economic consequences, such as unemployment, lower level of education, lower income as long-term sequelae of adverse childhood experiences in adulthood and their interaction.MethodsChildhood Maltreatment was measured by the German version of the Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) questionnaire. Depression was measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2). Logistic regressions were applied to investigate the risks of suffering economic burdens, with depression as a moderator.ResultsDepressive symptoms increased with the number of ACEs and were highest in those reporting four or more ACEs, especially amongst those who experienced sexual and emotional abuse, as well as neglect. Moderation analysis showed a significant effect of depression increasing almost all economic burdens. Migration background additionally increased the risk of unemployment and working in a blue-collar job. Female gender decreased the risk of unemployment and working in a blue-collar job, but increased the risk of low income and part-time employment.ConclusionThe moderation effect of depression increased the negative impact of exposure to multiple ACEs on economic life in adulthood. Prevention of ACEs and early intervention are needed to prevent the mental health and economic consequences.

The relationship between appearance anxiety and depression among students in a medical university in China: a serial multiple mediation model

“…The right amount of recreational activities and time with their families should be provided to students at this stage to increase SS and reduce their depression. When depression occurs during adolescence, they have a higher rate of recurrence of depression in the future and their quality of life will be seriously affected, which will increase the economic and health burden of society ( Petersen et al, 2022 ; Clayborne, Varin & Colman, 2019 ). In this regard, the corresponding relevant departments (especially schools) should attach high importance to the occurrence of depression among college students, conduct early mental health screening in a timely manner, provide additional psychological support to students at risk, and combine early detection with effective intervention in order to reduce the probability of college students suffering from depression and aggravation of the condition ( Mofatteh, 2021 ).…”

“…If suffering from depression, students, especially medical students, are more likely to give up solving complex problems and feel confused during their studies ( Turana et al, 2022 ; Rengasamy et al, 2021 ; Mofatteh, 2021 ). These behaviors may lead to hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and other diseases in the future, which seriously reduce the quality of life and increase the economic burden ( Petersen et al, 2022 ). More importantly, the global suicide rate caused by depression is increasing every year and depression becomes a major risk factor for adolescents’ suicide ( Turana et al, 2022 ).…”

Childhood Maltreatment and Adult Work Absenteeism: Work Meaningfulness as a Double-Edged Sword

“…For example, cardiovascular disease, certain types of cancer, stroke, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, kidney disease, diabetes and obesity have all been found to be related to CM [41]. Second, an ample number of studies have documented the adverse mental health consequences of CM, such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder [6,42]. Scholarly work has offered insight into the mechanisms which explain these adverse psychological and physiological outcomes.…”

“…Several studies which have explored the challenges CM survivors face at work suggest that they may represent a vulnerable subgroup of employees [4,5]. Despite their contribution, many studies conducted among working CM survivors have focused on samples of blue-collar, low-income employees [6]. However, the working conditions and work environments of various types of professionals may have different characteristics.…”