Associations Between Childhood Neglect and Depressive Symptoms: The Mediating Effect of Avoidant Coping

IF 4.7 2区医学 Q1 PSYCHIATRY

Depression and Anxiety Pub Date : 2024-11-30 DOI:10.1155/da/9959689

Laura Eggert, Laura Kenntemich, Leonie von Hülsen, Jürgen Gallinat, Ingo Schäfer, Annett Lotzin

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background: Individuals with a history of childhood neglect may be vulnerable to develop depression, as they may more often use avoidant strategies to cope with the stressors. This study examined (1) whether a history of childhood neglect was associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms and (2) whether avoidant coping behaviors mediated this association.

Methods: In total, N = 2245 German adults (mean age = 41.1 years, age range = 18–82 years, 70.2% female) were recruited from the general population between June and September 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Childhood neglect (Adverse Childhood Experience Questionnaire [ACE]), depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire [PHQ-9]), and three avoidant coping behaviors (substance use, behavioral disengagement, and self-blame; Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced [COPE]) were assessed. Using structural equation modeling (SEM), we examined the direct pathway from childhood neglect to depressive symptoms in a simultaneous parallel multiple mediation model and the possible mediating paths of avoidant coping behaviors.

Results: Childhood neglect was positively and significantly associated with depressive symptoms (β = 0.24, p < 0.01) while controlling for the presence of childhood abuse. The three avoidant coping behaviors significantly mediated this association (substance use: bias-corrected 95% confidence intervals [BC 95% CI], 0.02, 0.05; behavioral disengagement: BC 95% CI, 0.04, 0.12; and self-blame: BC 95% CI, 0.16, 0.19). Post hoc contrasts between the mediators showed that self-blame had a significantly stronger indirect effect than substance use (BC 95% CI, −0.12, −0.01).

Conclusions: This study provides evidence that avoidant coping behaviors mediate the association between childhood neglect and depressive symptoms in adults. Avoidance coping behaviors may be a promising target for psychological interventions to reduce depressive symptoms.

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儿童期忽视与抑郁症状的关系：回避性应对的中介作用

背景：有童年被忽视史的个体可能更容易患上抑郁症，因为他们可能更经常使用回避策略来应对压力源。本研究考察了(1)童年被忽视史是否与较高程度的抑郁症状相关，以及(2)回避性应对行为是否介导了这种关联。方法：在2020年6月至9月COVID-19大流行期间，共从普通人群中招募N = 2245名德国成年人（平均年龄= 41.1岁，年龄范围= 18-82岁，70.2%为女性）。童年忽视（不良童年经历问卷[ACE]）、抑郁症状（患者健康问卷[PHQ-9]）和三种回避应对行为（物质使用、行为脱离和自责）；对所经历问题的简短应对倾向（COPE）进行评估。本研究采用结构方程模型（SEM），探讨了童年忽视对抑郁症状的直接影响，以及回避应对行为的可能中介途径。结果：儿童期忽视与抑郁症状呈显著正相关(β = 0.24, p <；0.01)，同时控制了儿童虐待的存在。三种回避应对行为显著调节了这种关联(物质使用：偏差校正95%置信区间[BC 95% CI]， 0.02, 0.05；行为脱离：BC 95% CI， 0.04, 0.12；和自责：BC 95% CI， 0.16, 0.19)。事后对比显示，自责比物质使用具有更强的间接效应（BC 95% CI, - 0.12, - 0.01）。结论：本研究提供了回避应对行为在儿童期忽视与成人抑郁症状之间的中介作用。回避应对行为可能是心理干预减轻抑郁症状的一个有希望的目标。

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来源期刊

Depression and Anxiety 医学-精神病学

CiteScore

15.00

自引率

1.40%

发文量

审稿时长

4-8 weeks

期刊介绍： Depression and Anxiety is a scientific journal that focuses on the study of mood and anxiety disorders, as well as related phenomena in humans. The journal is dedicated to publishing high-quality research and review articles that contribute to the understanding and treatment of these conditions. The journal places a particular emphasis on articles that contribute to the clinical evaluation and care of individuals affected by mood and anxiety disorders. It prioritizes the publication of treatment-related research and review papers, as well as those that present novel findings that can directly impact clinical practice. The journal's goal is to advance the field by disseminating knowledge that can lead to better diagnosis, treatment, and management of these disorders, ultimately improving the quality of life for those who suffer from them.