Resilience to stress across the lifespan: Childhood maltreatment, heart rate variability, and bereavement.

Chen, Michelle A.; Suchting, Robert; Thayer, Julian F.; Fagundes, Christopher P.

doi:10.1037/pag0000738

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…Previous studies indicate individual differences in how childhood maltreatment may affect an individual's response to bereavement (Chen et al, 2020(Chen et al, , 2023, implying that not all individuals who experience childhood maltreatment experience similar relationship-related thoughts and feelings in adulthood. We found that childhood maltreatment and attachment anxiety can each contribute significantly to predicting depression trajectories beyond the influence of one another.…”

Section: Unique Effects Of Childhood Maltreatment and Attachment Stylementioning

confidence: 99%

Trajectories of depressive symptoms early in the course of bereavement: Patterns, psychosocial factors and risk of prolonged grief

Majd,

Chen,

Chirinos

et al. 2023

Stress and Health

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In the context of bereavement, little is known about the mechanisms that differentiate normative adjustment patterns from those that may indicate potential psychopathology. This study aimed to replicate and extend previous work by (1) characterizing the trajectories of depressive symptoms from 3 to 12 months after the loss of a spouse, (2) examining whether (a) childhood maltreatment and attachment style predicted distinct depression trajectories, and (b) different depression trajectories were associated with the risk of prolonged grief at 12 months post‐loss. Recently bereaved individuals (N = 175) completed self‐report assessments at 3, 4, 6, and 12‐months post‐loss. Trajectories of depressive symptoms were estimated using group‐based trajectory modelling. Four distinct trajectories of depressive symptoms were identified: (1) resilience (minimal/no depression across time points; 45%), (2) moderate depression‐improved (alleviated to ‘mild’ by 12 months; 31%), (3) severe depression‐improved (alleviated to ‘moderate’ by 12 months; 15%), and (4) chronic depression (‘severe’ symptoms across time points; 9%). Higher childhood maltreatment predicted a greater likelihood of belonging to the ‘severe depression‐improved’ and ‘chronic depression’ groups than the ‘resilient’ and ‘moderate depression‐improved’ groups. Widow(er)s with higher attachment anxiety were more likely to belong to the ‘severe depression‐improved’ and ‘chronic depression’ groups than the ‘resilient’ group. The trajectory groups with persistent levels of depressive symptoms up until 6 months were more likely to exhibit prolonged grief at 12 months post‐loss. Changes from pre‐loss functioning cannot be estimated. Our findings provide insight into the early identification of post‐loss prolonged grief.

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Section: Unique Effects Of Childhood Maltreatment and Attachment Stylementioning

confidence: 99%

Trajectories of depressive symptoms early in the course of bereavement: Patterns, psychosocial factors and risk of prolonged grief

Majd,

Chen,

Chirinos

et al. 2023

Stress and Health

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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Resilience to stress across the lifespan: Childhood maltreatment, heart rate variability, and bereavement.

Chen¹,

Suchting²,

Thayer³

et al. 2023

Psychology and Aging

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Following a stressful life event, there is considerable variation in how individuals respond and adapt. Multiple models of risk and resilience show that adverse childhood experiences may be associated with an individual's response to stress later in life. While there is considerable support that early adversity can sensitize the stress response system and lead to adverse outcomes later in life, there is mounting evidence that in adolescence and young adulthood, certain biological predispositions to stress may be associated with resilience in the context of subsequent stressors. In this study, we evaluated how individual differences in vagally mediated heart rate variability moderated the relationship between childhood maltreatment and grief among a sample of individuals experiencing a stressful life event (i.e., spousal bereavement) over time. Data were collected at approximately 3, 4.5, and 6.5 months after the death of a spouse (n = 130). Heart rate variability moderated the relationship between childhood maltreatment and grief symptoms over time (b = −0.03, p < .001), such that among individuals with more severe experiences of childhood maltreatment, those with higher heart rate variability had a faster recovery from grief than those with low heart rate variability. This research highlights an overall pattern of resilience among older adult's following spousal bereavement, as well as the relationships between childhood maltreatment, heart rate variability, and differential responses to grief following the loss of a spouse. Public Significance StatementChildhood maltreatment and heart rate variability may be related to differential responses to grief among bereaved spouses over time. Among bereaved spouses with a history of childhood maltreatment, those with higher heart rate variability experienced faster recovery from grief symptoms than bereaved spouses with lower heart rate variability. These findings suggest a pathway to intervention may include increased heart rate variability to mitigate the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and adjustment to stressors later in life, particularly among older adults.

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Psychological risk factors and cardiovascular disease

Carola,

Vincenzo,

Di Vincenzo

et al. 2024

Front. Psychol.

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ObjectivesCardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a leading cause of death worldwide, emerging from a combination of several factors. The aim of this review is to define the psychological factors that are significant in the development and progression of these disorders.MethodsStudies published through 2023 concerning adults with psychological vulnerability factors and/or cardiovascular disease were selected through searches of PubMed, PsychINFO, Science Direct, and Google Scholar.ResultsPsychological stress may influence CVD, in combination with other risk factors, or it can act independently, as in cases of workplace stress, post-traumatic stress disorder, Takotsubo syndrome and bereavement. Coping strategies, anxiety and depression have also been identified as relevant psychological factors in cardiac patients. Adverse childhood experiences are linked to a reduced quality of life and have been identified as significant risk factors for the development of acquired CVDs.ConclusionThis review demonstrates that several psychological factors affect cardiovascular function. An in-depth study of the psychological correlates of CVDs would allow healthcare professionals to design more effective prevention and intervention programs.

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Resilience to stress across the lifespan: Childhood maltreatment, heart rate variability, and bereavement.

Cited by 3 publications

References 147 publications

Trajectories of depressive symptoms early in the course of bereavement: Patterns, psychosocial factors and risk of prolonged grief

Trajectories of depressive symptoms early in the course of bereavement: Patterns, psychosocial factors and risk of prolonged grief

Resilience to stress across the lifespan: Childhood maltreatment, heart rate variability, and bereavement.

Psychological risk factors and cardiovascular disease

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