Childhood Maltreatment Predicts Specific Types of Dysfunctional Attitudes in Participants With and Without Depression.

Raj Jugessur,Ping Wan,Yan Zhang,Liang Zhang,Jin Liu,Xuemei Qin,Bangshan Liu,Lingjiang Li,Xiaowen Lu,Mei Liao,Yumeng Ju,Mi Wang,Hua Guo,Futao Zhao,Qiangli Dong,Jinrong Sun

doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2021.728280

Abstract

Background: Studies have shown a strong association between childhood maltreatment (CM) and major depressive disorder (MDD). Dysfunctional attitudes (DAs) play a crucial role in the development of MDD. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether (1) DAs are associated with CM, (2) specific CM types predict specific types of DAs, and (3) higher childhood trauma counts (CTCs) predict more DAs.Methods: One hundred seventy-one MDD participants and 156 healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled for the study. CM was assessed retrospectively with the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. DAs were evaluated using the Chinese version of the Dysfunctional Attitude Scale–Form A (C-DAS-A). A series of analyses, including multiple analyses of covariance and hierarchical regression analyses, were used in this study to examine the hypotheses.Results: The proportion of CM was 60.2% in the MDD group and 44.2% in the HC group. The 2 × 2 analysis of covariance results showed no interaction effect between CM and MDD on C-DAS-A total score. When the factor scores replaced the C-DAS-A total score, a similar trend was observed. Within the MDD group, emotional abuse (EA) predicted two forms of DAs: self-determination type and overall DAs; physical neglect (PN) was predictive of attraction and repulsion-type DAs. Higher childhood trauma counts significantly predicted more types of DAs in the MDD group.Conclusion: DAs are a trait feature of CM. EA and PN predict specific types of DAs in MDD patients. Higher CTCs predict more DAs in MDD patients.

Highlights

METHODSChildhood maltreatment (CM) is deviant behavior toward an underage that causes harm or entails a risk of causing harm in physical, sexual, and emotional aspect
Both healthy controls (HCs)/childhood maltreatment (CM)+ and HC/CM− had more years of education compared to major depressive disorder (MDD)/CM+ and MDD/CM−
Our group of researchers brought up the novel idea to examine the type of Dysfunctional attitudes (DAs) predicted by CM types, and we are the only to explore the types of DA predicted by higher childhood trauma counts (CTCs)

Summary

Introduction

METHODSChildhood maltreatment (CM) is deviant behavior toward an underage that causes harm or entails a risk of causing harm in physical, sexual, and emotional aspect. One of two children is a victim of any form of CM [2]. They lead to severe long-term consequences not limited to work and relationship difficulties, disappointing academic performance, and impaired mental health, including major depressive disorder (MDD) [3,4,5]. Studies have shown a strong association between childhood maltreatment (CM) and major depressive disorder (MDD). We aimed to investigate whether [1] DAs are associated with CM, [2] specific CM types predict specific types of DAs, and [3] higher childhood trauma counts (CTCs) predict more DAs

Objectives

Results

Discussion

Conclusion