<p>Victimization In Childhood Affects Depression In Adulthood Via Neuroticism: A Path Analysis Study</p>

Abstract

Background: Adverse experiences, such as low care, overprotection, or abuse in childhood increase the likelihood of depression via their effects on personality traits. Similarly, being victimized in childhood may affect the likelihood of depression via personality traits. In this case-control study, we hypothesized that being victimized in childhood is associated with depression in adulthood via its effect on neuroticism, and verified this hypothesis using path analysis. Subjects and methods: Eighty-two major depressive disorder (MDD) patients and 350 age-and-sex matched healthy controls completed self-administered questionnaires of demographic data, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, neuroticism, and victimization. The association between victimization, neuroticism, and depressive symptoms or having major depression was investigated by path analysis. Results: Multiple group path analysis, in which depressive symptoms were considered as dependent variables, showed that the direct effect of victimization in childhood on depressive symptoms was not statistically significant in either healthy controls or MDD patients (standardized path coefficient: 0.079 and 0.084, respectively), but their indirect effects via neuroticism were statistically significant (standardized path coefficient: 0.059 and 0.141, respectively). Path analysis, in which the distinction between healthy controls and MDD patients was a dependent variable, showed that both direct effects and indirect effects of victimization in childhood via neuroticism on the distinction between healthy controls and MDD patients were statistically significant (standardized path coefficient: 0.186 and 0.164, respectively). Limitations: Recall bias and the relatively small number of MDD patients are limitations of this study. Because it was a case-control survey, this study could not make any conclusions regarding causal associations. Conclusion: This study suggests the possibility of causal associations between victimization in childhood and depressive symptoms or MDD in adulthood, and the mediation of this association by neuroticism.

Combined Effects of Parenting in Childhood and Resilience on Work Stress in Nonclinical Adult Workers From the Community

“…As mentioned in Introduction , the subjective nature of job stressors indicates that the intensity of stressors depends on individual personality traits, i.e., an individual’s sensitivity to stressors. Furthermore, neuroticism and resilience may be altered by childhood experiences, life events, and treatment ( 12 , 41 , 54 , 55 ). Therefore, resilience can be not only a moderator of stress but also a mediator of stress, as shown by the results of this study.…”

Victimization in Childhood Mediates the Association Between Parenting Quality, Stressful Life Events, and Depression in Adulthood

“…The revised victimization scale of the National Institute for Educational Policy Research in Japan was used, as described in our previous study. 31 , 37 In our previous study, the score of the victimization scale significantly correlated with neuroticism, having depression, and the severity of depressive symptoms. 31 This scale is a self-report questionnaire that asks the frequency and degree of victimization of an individual in the community and school during childhood, using a 5-point Likert scale (0 to 4 points).…”

“…Tachi et al focused on mediating factors, and found that victimization experiences in childhood affect the onset of depression in adulthood and the severity of depression in depressed and healthy individuals through their effects on neuroticism. 31 In other words, the mediation of depressogenic effects by neuroticism is common in subjects who experienced victimization and maltreatment. 16 , 31 It is also known that parenting quality affects victimization.…”

“… 31 In other words, the mediation of depressogenic effects by neuroticism is common in subjects who experienced victimization and maltreatment. 16 , 31 It is also known that parenting quality affects victimization. 32 , 33 Parenting quality influences personality development, as well as the negative evaluation of life events and adulthood depression.…”

Bi-Directional Relationships Between Psychological Symptoms and Environmental Factors in Early Adolescence

“…Since early adolescence is a critical period to the validity and reliability of the responses, results obtained regarding the psychological symptoms and bully involvement could considerably change according to who responded the information, future studies considering this will be needed. Compared to this study, pervious research on the impact of bullying/bullied involvement to later psychological symptoms was based on a longer observation period through adolescence (5,43) and adulthood (6,7,17,42). To investigate the long-term impact of bullying/bullied involvement, we plan to follow-up and obtain data at age 14 and later in TTC.…”