Number of childhood abuse perpetrators and the occurrence of depressive episodes in adulthood

Abstract

Objective Although past research has documented a link between adverse childhood experiences – particularly childhood emotional (CEA), physical (CPA), and sexual abuse (CSA) – and depression, relatively few studies have examined the unique impact of each of these highly co-occurring abuse types. Moreover, relatively little is known about the specific aspects of abuse experiences that increase risk for depression (e.g., number of perpetrators). The current study provides a conservative test of the association between the number of CEA, CPA, and CSA perpetrators, and depressive episodes in adulthood. Method Two hundred and ninety-nine participants were followed longitudinally for 2.5 years. CEA, CPA, and CSA were measured using the Lifetime Experiences Questionnaire, and depressive episodes were assessed with diagnostic interviews administered every six weeks. Results After statistically controlling for the influence of cognitive risk for depression, baseline depressive symptoms, past history of clinical depression, and total number of different types of CEA, CSA, and CPA events, the number of CEA and CSA, but not CPA, perpetrators were uniquely associated with the number of depressive episodes experienced over the prospective follow-up. Conclusions These results indicate that experiencing CEA and CSA from multiple perpetrators increased risk for clinical depression beyond what is accounted for by the total number of types of abuse experiences. This study highlights the need for future research to assess the specific qualities of childhood abuse experiences that uniquely confer risk for clinical depression, as well as possible mechanisms through which they exert their deleterious effect.

In my end is my beginning: developmental trajectories of adverse childhood experiences to late-life suicide

“…Afifi et al (2008) found that the estimated attributable fractions for psychiatric disorders related to having experienced any ACE (childhood sexual or physical abuse, domestic violence) ranged from 22% to 32% among women and 20% to 24% among men. A particularly strong link has been identified between childhood physical, sexual abuse and neglect and the mood and anxiety disorders (Heim et al, 2008(Heim et al, , 2010Liu et al, 2012;Sachs-Ericsson et al, 2010). For example, researchers found that people who were verbally abused had 1.6 times as many symptoms of depression and anxiety as those who had not been verbally abused and were twice as likely to have suffered a mood or anxiety disorder over their lifetime (Sachs-Ericsson, Verona, Joiner, & Preacher, 2006).…”

“…Aspects of the sexual abuse À such as age when sexual abuse first started, frequency, severity and characteristics of the perpetrator, and number of perpetrators À may have differential impact on its effects (Charles, 2010;Liu et al, 2012;Steel, Sanna, Hammond, Whipple, & Cross, 2004). Additionally, the clustering of co-occurring ACE may differentially influence the type of negative life outcomes (Barel, Van, Sagi-Schwartz, & Bakermans-Kranenburg, 2010;Harford, Yi, & Grant, 2014;P.…”

“…While few studies have examined the differential effects of specific types of ACE on negative outcomes (Liu, Jager-Hyman, Wagner, Alloy, & Gibb, 2012), there is limited evidence of unique effects (see Gershon et al, 2013). However, some research has pointed to both childhood sexual and physical abuse as having the strongest association to suicidal behaviors (Bruffaerts et al, 2010;Hardt et al, 2008).…”

“…Negative cognitive style (Abramson, Metalsky, & Alloy, 1989) has been defined as a characteristic way of attributing the causes of negative life events to stable and global factors (e.g., I failed my spelling test because I am stupid), inferring negative consequences (e.g., I will always be a failure), and making self-critical judgments of one's character (e.g., I am worthless) (Alloy et al, 2004;Seligman, Abramson, Semmel, & von Baeyer, 1979), as well has having dysfunctional attitudes and maladaptive self-schemas (e.g., no one will ever love me) (Beck, 1987). There is a growing body of evidence that child abuse, and particularly verbal and emotional abuse, confers risk for development of a negative cognitive style (Gibb, 2002;Liu et al, 2012), which is a risk factor for depression (Alloy et al, 1999;Sachs-Ericsson et al, 2006). Verbal or emotional abuse may play a powerful role in the development of a negative attributional style because the abuser supplies the young child with the internalized, selfblaming statements associated with suicidal behavior (e.g., 'you are worthless, you are stupid, you are a burden, I wish you were never born').…”

Childhood Depression As Emerging Public Health Problem: A Systematic Review

“…Sexual abuse experiences in childhood confer high risk for developing clinical depression and possible mechanisms by which they play their deleterious effect [81]. Studies point out that a history of childhood sexual abuse is associated with increased risk of major depressive disorder associated with suicidal thoughts and behavior, including suicidal thoughts, persistent suicidal thoughts, suicide plan and at-tempt.…”