Resilience and cognitive biases mediate the relationship between early exposure to traumatic life events and depressive symptoms in young adults

Abstract

BackgroundEarly trauma is an important risk factor for depression. However, little is known about the mechanisms of how traumatic life events shape the risk of depression. The present study focused on the mediating role of cognitive biases and mental resilience between early trauma and depressive symptoms in young men and women. Methods2218 non-clinical young adults completed an online Computer Assisted Web Interview (CAWI). It comprised selected items from several questionnaires including: a short version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression (CES-D, five items) questionnaire, the Traumatic Experience Checklist (TEC, three items) and the Childhood Experience of Care and Abuse Questionnaire (CECA.Q, three items), a short version (nine items) of Davos Assessment of Cognitive Biases Scale (DACOBS-18), the abridged version of the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10). Parallel mediation analyses were performed. The role of gender was considered. ResultsA significant standardized indirect effect of childhood trauma on depressive symptoms through cognitive biases and resilience was found in the total sample. A standardized direct effect of childhood traumatic life events on depressive symptoms remained also significant, meaning that mediation is complementary. An analysis by gender showed similar results for women and men. LimitationsSample was limited to non-clinical young adults. The questionnaires were shortened, and items were selected arbitrarily due to the nature of the study (online screening). The data may include biases resulting from the use of self-report scales. ConclusionsCognitive biases and resilience are important, but not exclusive, mechanisms of the relationship between early trauma and depressive symptoms.