Research Report
Childhood adversities, adulthood life events and depression

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2010.04.031Get rights and content

Abstract

Background

The role of childhood adversities in predicting adulthood depression has been suggested to be complex and in need of additional comprehensive studies.

Aims

This investigation set out to examine whether increased exposure to life events (LEs) in adulthood mediates the association between childhood adversities and adulthood depression.

Methods

This study is based on a random health survey sample from the Finnish working-aged population (n = 16,877) with a follow-up of up to 7 years. Depression was identified by Beck Depression Inventory, records of antidepressant prescriptions and hospitalization due to depression obtained from national health registers.

Results

Childhood adversities were associated with an increased likelihood of experiencing a high number of LEs in adulthood and their perceived burdensomeness. The mean number of new LEs correlated significantly (P < 0.001) in a dose–response relationship with the number of childhood adversities. Reporting childhood adversities was associated with a 1.28–2.70-fold increase in the odds of depression as indicated by BDI score, a 1.29–1.94-fold increase in the rate of antidepressant prescriptions and a 1.17–4.04-fold increase in the risk of hospitalization due to depression. Adjustment for new LE attenuated these associations by 21–24%, but did not render them insignificant.

Conclusions

Increased exposure to adult negative life events proximal to adult depression may partially explain the association between childhood adversities and adult depression.

Section snippets

Population

Data were obtained from the Health and Social Support study, a longitudinal study of a population sample representative of the Finnish population in the following four age groups: 20–24, 30–34, 40–44 and 50–54 years at baseline (1998) (Phase 1) (Korkeila et al., 2001). The 1998 postal survey was conducted in 1998 and 5 years later (2003) (Phase 2), a follow-up questionnaire was sent to all participants still living in Finland. Of the 25,901 respondents in 1998, 1216 had died during the five-year

Results

The sample comprised a total of 16,877 participants, 62% women and 38% men, with no indication of a previous depression. Of these, 58% reported at least one childhood adversity. Women, older participants, participants with low educational attainment, higher intake of alcohol and participants with a physical illness reported more childhood adversities than other participants (Table 1). The number of LEs was higher among women, in younger age groups and among participants with low educational

Discussion

Using a large population sample representative of the Finnish population in four age groups, the present study shows three key findings. First, we found that childhood adversities were associated with an increased likelihood of experiencing a high number of LEs in adulthood, and of perceiving them as burdensome or extremely burdensome. This finding is in keeping with the results of previous research by Horwitz et al. (2001), who found in a large cohort of children that abuse increased stressful

Role of funding source

Nothing declared.

Conflict of interest

No conflict declared.

Acknowledgements

Funding: This work was supported by the Academy of Finland [grant numbers 110451, 117604, 124271, 128089, and 129262] and the Yrjö Jahnsson's Foundation.

We would like to thank Mrs. Jacqueline Välimäki for checking the language of this manuscript.

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