Depression In Adults Research Articles

Promotive and protective effects of community-related positive childhood experiences on adult health outcomes in the context of adverse childhood experiences: a nationwide cross-sectional survey in Japan

ObjectiveAlthough adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with poor health in adulthood, positive childhood experiences (PCEs) can reduce the risk of negative health outcomes. This study aimed to investigate whether...

Exploring the Therapeutic Role of Art in Enhancing Mental Health and Quality of Life in Older Adults

With a growing population of older adults facing age-related health issues, cognitive decline, and prevalent mental health disorders, the study focuses on the potential of art therapy as a holistic solution. Art therapy, beyond cognitive benefits, offers profound purpose, joy, and playfulness. It serves as a coping mechanism for traumatic events, fostering autonomy and positive self-perception. The study investigates the science and psychology of art therapy and highlights the neural basis for the rewarding aspects of creating art and the role of meta-cognitive processes. Other benefits include its impact on the environment, cognitive function, medical conditions, dementia, and cancer. Comparatively, art therapy emerges as a cost-effective and successful treatment option, particularly for individuals who may struggle with exclusively verbal approaches. Case studies, such as the Open Studio Approach, emphasize the flexibility of art therapy and its potential to aid depression and cognitive interventions for older adults. In conclusion, the incorporation of art therapy to comprehensively address the many health challenges faced by older adults showcases a potential to improve cognitive function, mental health, and overall quality of life.

Physical Activity and Depression: Nationwide Evaluation of Depression and Physical Activity in South Korea

PURPOSE: The relationship between depression and physical activity levels in adults in Korea was determined using data from the National Health and Nutrition Survey (K-NAESE).METHODS: Data collected from K-NAESE between 2014 and 2020, comprising 29,716 (male: 13,416, female: 16,300) participants, were analyzed using a complex sample statistical analysis by applying differential weight to the variables to analyze the relationship between depression and physical activity levels in an estimated South Korean population (50,881,242). Demographic factors were used as control variables while constructing an independent variable-by-variable fit model for the zero-inflated Poison Regression analysis of PHQ-9 depression scores, and a meaningfully interpretable fit model was used in the final model.RESULTS: A significant relationship was observed between the total PHQ-9 score and commute physical activity (OR = 1.042; SE, 0.006; p < .001) and moderate-intensity leisure and physical activity time (OR = 1.116; SE, 0.008; p < .001). A significant association was found between the PHQ-9 scores and physical factors (grip strength; OR = 0.985; SE, 0.001; p < .001). Using Binomial Logistic Model for Depression Classification, a significant association was observed for classification as low/high-risk depression in individuals without moderate-intensity physical activity (OR = 1.190; SE, 0.046; p < .001). Furthermore, individuals with a high grip strength were classified as low/high-risk depression compared to a normal grip strength (OR = 0.980; SE, 0.004; p < .001).CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that a negative association exists between depression and the availability of moderate-intensity leisure and structured physical activity. Furthermore, a negative association was also found between depression and grip strength in the general population of South Korea aged in individuals over the age of 18.

Community-oriented primary care to improve health in older adults of rural Uganda: A feasibility study

The developing world is aging rapidly within economies that lack the resources and personnel to deliver adequate health and social services to older adults. This study examines the feasibility of utilizing village health workers (VHWs) to deliver low-cost interventions aimed at improving health and quality of life for older adults living in rural villages. VHWs, initially trained to deliver preventive, clinical, and educational services to younger adults and children, were retrained to conduct screening and interventions addressing issues related to vision, hearing, mobility, pain, depression, and energy poverty in older adults. After a 5-year period, 3,615 adults aged 60 years and above received the following interventions: 2,282 pairs of reading glasses, 690 cerumen removals, 92 listening devices, 671 canes, ongoing paracetamol for 3,450 recipients, depression support for 69 individuals, and 1,746 solar lights. Older adults reported improvements in their ability to read, sew, prepare food, sort crops, and perform personal care; enhanced hearing; improved mobility on rocky terrain without falling; reduced pain during farming and daily activities; improved mood and reduced social isolation; and high levels of satisfaction and a further reduction in social isolation with the use of solar lights. Although the study is limited by the largely qualitative nature of the outcome data, it demonstrates the feasibility of utilizing VHWs to deliver interventions that positively affect the health and quality of life of older adults at a low cost. For developing economies facing rapidly growing populations of older adults, this study provides a model for community-based geriatric support that can be adapted to local needs, economic conditions, and available personnel capabilities.

Impact of Psychological Characteristics and Digital Literacy on Depression in Young-Old and Old-Old Adults

Impact of Psychological Characteristics and Digital Literacy on Depression in Young-Old and Old-Old Adults

Dietary Magnesium Intake in Relation to Depression in Adults: A GRADE-Assessed Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-analysis of Epidemiologic Studies.

The relation of magnesium (Mg) intake with depression was previously investigated by meta-analyses. However, due to limited data, a dose-response analysis was not performed. Considering the recently published articles, a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis was conducted to summarize the relation of dietary Mg intake with depression in adults. Medline (PubMed), ISI Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar were comprehensively searched up to August 2023. Observational studies that reported the relation of dietary Mg intake and depression in adults were included and their data were extracted. A total of 63 214 participants from 10 cross-sectional and 3 cohort studies were included in the current study. Pooling 15 effect sizes from 12 studies (including 50 275 participants) revealed that individuals with the highest Mg intake had a 34% lower risk of depression, compared with those with the lowest Mg intake (RR: 0.66; 95% CI: 0.57, 0.78). Moreover, the linear dose-response analysis revealed that each 100-mg/d increment in Mg intake was associated with a 7% reduced risk of depression (RR: 0.93; 95% CI: 0.90, 0.96). Additionally, based on nonlinear dose-response analysis, increasing Mg intake from 170 to 370 mg/d was associated with a reduced risk of depression. Analyses were also conducted on 9 studies (49 558 participants) with representative populations, and similar results were found in the meta-analysis (RR: 0.71; 95% CI: 0.61, 0.83) and linear (RR: 0.93; 95% CI: 0.90, 0.96) and nonlinear dose-response analysis. The current study shows an inverse dose-dependent association between dietary Mg intakes and risk of depression in both a general and representative population of adults in a dose-response manner. PROSPERO registration no. CRD42024506570.

Adverse childhood experiences, symptoms of anxiety and depression in adulthood: Mediation role of life history strategy

ABSTRACT Life history theory has considered the effects of childhood experiences. The present study aimed to investigate the mediating role of life history strategy and the moderating role of gender in the relationship between childhood experiences and symptoms of anxiety and depression in adulthood. In this study, 248 Iranians (including 162 females and 86 males) between 18 and 53 voluntarily participated and responded to all online questionnaires regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. The data were analyzed with SPSS and macro PROCESS. The mediation analysis results demonstrated that the life history strategy mediates the relationship between childhood experiences and symptoms of anxiety and depression. The moderated mediation analysis revealed that there were no gender differences in the moderated mediation. The results have highlighted the importance of life history strategies in the association between childhood experiences and depression and anxiety symptoms and can be considered in the design of interventions based on the prevention of people’s vulnerability to mental disorders.

DEPRESSION IN THE GOLDEN YEARS: AN IN-DEPHT LITERATURE REVIEW OF RISK FACTORS AMONG INSTITUTIONALIZED ELDERS

Depression rates are notably higher in older adults residing in long-term care compared to their community-dwelling counterparts. The complexity of care needs for this group is growing, yet the specific risk factors for depression remain poorly defined. The review consolidates current knowledge on the risk factors for depression, aiming to bridge these gaps in idenOficaOon and intervenOon development. Searches were performed using 3 databases: pubmed, scopus and web of science, for research of original arOcles published 2000-2023. 8 studies were selected for final analysis. The results reveal that the most prominent risk factors for the emergence of depression in this populaOon are the presence of depressive symptoms at baseline, cogniOve impairment and pain The findings underscore the imperaOve for early idenOficaOon and comprehensive management of depression in older adults residing in long-term care seSngs. It advocates for an integrated care model that encompasses mental health intervenOons alongside physical health care.

Associations of neighbourhood attributes with depression in mid-age and older adults: the moderating role of traffic-related air pollution and neighbourhood socioeconomic status

ABSTRACT We aimed to examine whether features of the natural, built and socioeconomic neighbourhood environments were related to depressive symptoms in Australian mid-age and older adults; and whether traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) (NO2) and area-level SES moderated the associations. A total of 4141 of participants (M age = 61 years) were included in this cross-sectional study. Neighbourhood environmental characteristics included percentages of parkland, blue space and commercial land use, population density (persons/hectare), street intersection density (intersections/km2) within 1 km residential buffers. Annual mean concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) were included. In total-effect models, greater street intersection connectivity was associated with fewer depressive symptoms. Population density was positively associated with depressive symptoms in direct-effect models. Residents from disadvantaged areas with low levels of NO2 and with greater commercial land use coverage reported fewer depressive symptoms. In contrast, residents were more likely to report depressive symptoms with greater coverage of commercial land use in high SES neighbourhoods with low levels of NO2. Street connectivity and population density play a role in the maintenance of mental health in older adults. NO2 and area-level SES are moderators of commercial land use-depression associations, and this knowledge can better inform planning of commercial destinations and facilities in urban environments.

Identifying potentially depressed older Chinese adults in the community: Hong Kong's Elderly Health Service cohort

BackgroundDepression is common at older ages, but is under-recognized due to stigma, misperception, and under-diagnosis; its manifestations may vary by setting. Identifying older adults at risk of depression in the community is urgently needed for timely support and early interventions. We assessed the performance of an existing risk prediction model developed in a European setting (i.e., Depression Risk Assessment Tool (DRAT-up)), and developed a new model (i.e., EHS-Depress model) to predict 2-year risk of the onset of later life depressive symptoms in older Chinese adults. MethodsAmong 185,538 participants aged ≥65 years from Hong Kong's Elderly Health Service (EHS) cohort, 174,806 without depressive symptoms at baseline were included. Two-thirds were randomly sampled for recalibration and new model development using Cox proportional-hazards models with backward elimination. Overall predictive performance, discrimination, and calibration were assessed using the remaining. ResultsThe original DRAT-up model underestimated the risk of developing depressive symptoms in older Chinese adults; recalibrating it improved calibration. The new EHS-Depress model had better discrimination (Harrell's C statistic 0.68 and D statistic 2.74) and similarly good calibration (calibration slope 1.18 and intercept −0.002) probably due to the inclusion of more specific health measures, socio-demographics, lifestyle factors, and regular social contact as predictors. LimitationsPredictors of depressive symptoms included in our models depend on the data availability. ConclusionsThe EHS-Depress model predicted 2-year risk of developing depressive symptoms better than the original and recalibrated DRAT-up models. The setting-specific risk prediction model is more applicable to older Chinese adults in primary care settings.

Chronic exercise effects on overall depression severity and distinct depressive symptoms in older adults: A protocol of a systematic and meta-analytic review.

There is high evidence that chronic exercise benefits overall depression severity in older adults. However, late-life depression is characterized by considerable heterogeneity in clinical manifestation emphasizing the need for more individualized exercise intervention programs. Therefore, the objective of the proposed review is to investigate the effects of chronic exercise on overall depression severity and on different symptoms of depression in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) including older adults with a mean age of at least 60 years, and by considering the moderating effects of intervention characteristics and individual characteristics. This protocol is guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P). We will use the Population-Intervention-Comparator-Outcomes-Study design (PICOS) criteria for study inclusion and will search the following database sources for relevant RCTs: Web of Science, Academic Search Complete, CINAHL, APA Psycinfo, SPORTDiscuss, Cochrane. Two independent reviewers will conduct the study selection, data extraction, and quality assessment. Disagreement will be solved by a third reviewer. Primary outcome will be changes in overall depression severity and secondary outcomes will encompass changes in symptoms of depression as defined by the DSM-5, such as sleep quality, fatigue, anxiety, mood, apathy, changes in weight, information processing speed, and executive functions, from baseline until the end of the intervention and to any available intermediary measurement or follow up. Meta-analysis will be undertaken to synthesize the effects of chronic exercise on primary and secondary outcomes. Subgroup analysis will investigate the moderating effects of intervention characteristics (frequency, intensity, duration, type of exercise, cognitive demand, social interactions, exercise supervision, behavioral change techniques, compliance, study design, dropout-rate, type of control group) and individual characteristics (age, sex, education, functional capacity, global cognition, population) on primary and secondary outcomes. Additionally, we plan to assess quality of evidence and publication bias, and to carry out sensitivity analysis. The results of the proposed review are anticipated to have a substantial impact on research and clinical practice. On the one hand, the review's conclusions could form the foundation for developing evidence-based recommendations for individualized exercise programs that alleviate depression in older adults. On the other hand, by revealing research gaps, the review results could encourage the formulation of research questions for further RCTs. This protocol has been published in the Prospero repository (PROSPERO 2022 CRD42022361418, available from: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022361418).

Dialectical Behavior Therapy as an intervention for Treatment Resistant Depression in adults: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

Major Depressive Disorder is a long-term, recurring, and very common illness that is associated with a significant decline in functional ability. The gold-standard method of treating depression is pharmacotherapy, which involves the use of antidepressant medications either alone or in various combinations. However, approximately 30% of Major Depressive Disorder patients suffer from Treatment Resistant Depression, a more severe condition that has a profound impact on patients' lives. Our study aims to conduct the first comprehensive review and meta-analysis to assess the effectiveness and safety of adding Dialectical Behavior Therapy to antidepressant medications compared to groups using pharmacotherapy alone as an intervention for adults with Treatment Resistant Depression. We will search for publications in the following databases: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, Embase, Lilacs, Web of Science, and PsycINFO. We will manually review the reference lists of the included studies to identify potentially relevant studies. There will be no restrictions on the language or publication date. Quality assessment of the included studies will be performed independently according to the Cochrane Risk of Bias instrument. To assess the certainty of the findings' body of evidence, we will use the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology. This study aims to determine the effectiveness and safety of Dialectical Behavior Therapy as an intervention for Treatment Resistant Depression in adults. Ethical approval was not required as individual patient data was not obtained. Our intention is to publish the systematic review in a medical journal that offers open access upon completion of the process. PROSPERO registration number CRD42023406301. Registered on March 24, 2023.

Fish consumption and depression in Korean population: The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2013–2021

BackgroundEpidemiological studies in some populations showed that dietary intake of fish may be inversely associated with depression, but large studies in Korean population are limited. Thus, we investigated the association between fish consumption and depression, considering the serving size of fish, in Korean adults. MethodsThis study was based on the data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2013−2021), which is a large nationally representative study of Korean population. Fish consumption was assessed with a 24-hour dietary recall, and physician-diagnosed depression status was assessed using questionnaires from the health interview survey. Multivariable logistic regression models adjusting for demographic, lifestyle, and dietary factors were used to calculate odds ratios (OR) and 95 % confidence intervals (CI) for depression. ResultsA total of 31,632 adults aged 19–64 years were included in the analysis. After adjusting for covariates, highest fish consumption (≥4 servings/week) was significantly associated with 26 % lower odds of depression compared to the lowest fish consumption (<1 servings/week) (OR 0.74; 95 % CI, 0.60–0.92, P for trend = 0.007). A similar inverse association was found in female adults (OR 0.76; 95 % CI, 0.59–0.97, P for trend = 0.018), but no significant association was found in male adults (OR 0.75; 95 % CI, 0.49–1.15, P for trend = 0.223). LimitationsSince KNHANES is a cross-sectional study, it is difficult to evaluate the causal relationship between fish consumption and depression risk. ConclusionsThis study results suggest that high fish consumption is associated with lower risk of depression in Korean adults, especially in female adults.

Perceived Parental Involvement in Childhood and Its Relationship with Adult Attachment Styles and Depression in Adults

Parental involvement is crucial as it shapes not only childhood development but also influences long-term psychological well-being and relational patterns in adulthood. This cross-sectional study delves into the intricate dynamics between parental involvement during childhood, adult attachment styles, and depression among a diverse sample of 120 adults aged 18 and above. Participants were recruited through various channels and administered the Parental Involvement Scale (PIS), Adult Attachment Scale (AAS), Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI), and a demographic form. Through rigorous data analysis, including correlation techniques, significant associations emerged, shedding light on the complex interrelationships among these variables. The findings underscore the enduring impact of parental involvement on adult attachment styles and mental health outcomes, emphasizing the importance of early familial influences in shaping individual psychological well-being. Nature of human development, informing future research endeavors and intervention strategies aimed at promoting healthy attachment patterns and mitigating depressive symptoms in adulthood are studied.

Risk prediction models of depression in older adults with chronic diseases

BackgroundDetecting potential depression and identifying the critical predictors of depression among older adults with chronic diseases are essential for timely intervention and management of depression. Therefore, risk prediction models (RPMs) of depression in elderly people should be further explored. MethodsA total of 3959 respondents aged 60 years or over from the wave four survey of the China Health and Retired Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) were included in this study. We used five machine learning (ML) algorithms and three data balancing techniques to construct RPMs of depression and calculated feature importance scores to determine which features are essential to depression. ResultsThe prevalence of depression was 19.2 % among older Chinese adults with chronic diseases in the wave four survey. The random forest (RF) model was more accurate than the other models after balancing the data using the Synthetic Minority Oversampling Technique (SMOTE) algorithm, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) and area under the precision-recall curve (AUPRC) of 0.957 and 0.920, respectively, a balanced accuracy of 0.891 and a sensitivity of 0.875. Furthermore, we further identified several important predictors between male and female patients via constructed sex-stratified models. LimitationsFurther research on the clinical impact studies of our models and external validation are needed. ConclusionsAfter several techniques were used to address class imbalance issues, most RPMs achieved satisfactory accuracy in predicting depression among elderly people with chronic diseases. RPMs may thus become valuable screening tools for both older individuals and healthcare practitioners to assess the risk of depression.

Cognitive Distorions and Depression among Older Adults: Moderating Role of Resilience

Background: Depression is a disabling mental condition that reduces the quality of life regardless of age and circumstances. Late-life depression may be especially impairing due to its relationship with poor physical and mental health. Objective:The aim of the present study is to examine the relationship between cognitive distortions, resilience and depression among older adults. As well, this study also aimed to examine the moderating role of resilience between cognitive distortions and depression. Method: Purposive sampling strategy was used to recruited sample, and data was collected from (n=300) older adults. Cognitive distortions scale, Connor-Davidson resilience scale and Back depression inventory-II were used in this study. Results: Results showed cognitive distortions and resilience has significant positive relationship with depression. Findings also revealed that cognitive distortions and resilience were significant predictors of depression. In addition, resilience plays a significant moderating role between cognitive distortions and depression. Conclusion: This study concluded that the resilience could be an adaptive strategy to cope with stress and reduce depression in community-dwelling older adults.

Depression proteomic profiling in adolescents with transcriptome analyses in independent cohorts.

Depression is a major global burden with unclear pathophysiology and poor treatment outcomes. Diagnosis of depression continues to rely primarily on behavioral rather than biological methods. Investigating tools that might aid in diagnosing and treating early-onset depression is essential for improving the prognosis of the disease course. While there is increasing evidence of possible biomarkers in adult depression, studies investigating this subject in adolescents are lacking. In the current study, we analyzed protein levels in 461 adolescents assessed for depression using the Development and Well-Being Assessment (DAWBA) questionnaire as part of the domestic Psychiatric Health in Adolescent Study conducted in Uppsala, Sweden. We used the Proseek Multiplex Neuro Exploratory panel with Proximity Extension Assay technology provided by Olink Bioscience, followed by transcriptome analyses for the genes corresponding to the significant proteins, using four publicly available cohorts. We identified a total of seven proteins showing different levels between DAWBA risk groups at nominal significance, including RBKS, CRADD, ASGR1, HMOX2, PPP3R1, CD63, and PMVK. Transcriptomic analyses for these genes showed nominally significant replication of PPP3R1 in two of four cohorts including whole blood and prefrontal cortex, while ASGR1 and CD63 were replicated in only one cohort. Our study on adolescent depression revealed protein-level and transcriptomic differences, particularly in PPP3R1, pointing to the involvement of the calcineurin pathway in depression. Our findings regarding PPP3R1 also support the role of the prefrontal cortex in depression and reinforce the significance of investigating prefrontal cortex-related mechanisms in depression.

The influence of residential Environment and residential experience on psychological depression in older adults: Evidence from China and Europe

This cross-national study examined the influence of residential environment and experience on depression in older adults in China and Europe to address existing research gaps. Using data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) and Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) and employing ridge regression, it was found that residential environment and experience have a significant influence on older adults' depression. The influence of residential experience aligns with the sensitivity period hypothesis. The environment in which older adults live during specific age periods leaves an imprint on their psyche. This imprint is activated when specific environments are encountered in old age, thereby influencing the level of depression. This study examined how their influence on depression contributes to understanding older adults’ housing preferences and can guide housing-related policies.

Longitudinal changes in anxiety and depression and their ameliorating lifestyle factors among community-dwelling older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has affected the lifestyle and mental health of community-dwelling older adults. Physical activity and social interaction are healthy lifestyle factors that can reduce psychological distress among community-dwelling older adults, although their effect may vary by sex. However, it is unclear how the anxiety and depression of older adults living in the community changed when measures were implemented to limit social interactions to control infection, as in the early stages of COVID-19, and what lifestyle factors helped ameliorate psychological distress in each sex. MethodsThis study included 550 participants aged 65 and older, who visited a drug store in Daito, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. Baseline questionnaire surveys were conducted from January to April 2021. Follow-up surveys were conducted three months after the baseline survey. We collected data on participants’ anxiety and depression symptoms using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale-6 (K6), as well as on their lifestyle factors that may have affected anxiety and depression symptoms. ResultsA total of 520 participants completed the baseline and follow-up surveys. K6 scores did not show a significant difference, while the frequency of social interactions with neighbors, family, and friends increased significantly between the two surveys. Among women participants, more frequent moderate-intensity exercise and family interactions were associated with improved K6 scores. ConclusionsWhen social interactions are restricted for infection control in community-dwelling older adults who are independent in activities of daily living including the ability to go out, social interactions recover over time, but anxiety and depressive symptoms persist. In women, lifestyle factors such as frequent moderate-intensity exercise may help reduce persisted anxiety and depression.

Effect of childhood emotional abuse on depression and anxiety in adulthood is partially mediated by neuroticism: Evidence from a large online sample

Childhood trauma is widely recognized as a potential risk factor for psychiatric illness in adulthood, yet the precise mechanisms underlying this relationship remain incompletely understood. One proposed mechanism involves the impact of childhood trauma on personality development, particularly in relation to neuroticism, which may subsequently heighten susceptibility to psychiatric disorders.In this study, we aimed to investigate this hypothesis through an online survey involving 1116 participants (232 male, 21 %). Participants completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), assessing emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional neglect, and physical neglect, along with the Trait Self-Description Inventory (TSDI) for personality assessment and the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 clinical questionnaires for depression and anxiety symptoms evaluation, respectively.Our analyses revealed significant positive correlations between all facets of childhood trauma and neuroticism (all p < .01). Linear regression analysis demonstrated that emotional abuse significantly contributed to neuroticism (β = 0.267, p < .05), openness (β = 0.142, p < .05), and agreeableness (β = 0.089, p < .05), while sexual abuse was associated with agreeableness (β = 0.137, p < .01) Emotional neglect was negatively correlated with conscientiousness (β = −0.090, p < .01), extroversion (β = −0.109, p < .01) and agreeableness (β = −0.154, p < .01).Furthermore, linear regression analysis revealed that emotional abuse was positively and significantly correlated with PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores (r = 0.330, p < .01 and r = 0.327, p < .01, respectively). Mediation analysis supported a significant mediating role of neuroticism in the association between childhood emotional abuse and both depression (PHQ-9) (z = 8.681, p < .01) and anxiety (GAD-7) (z = 9.206, p < .01). Notably, the correlation between childhood emotional abuse and psychiatric symptoms was attenuated but not eliminated after controlling for neuroticism, suggesting partial mediation.While our cross-sectional design precludes causal inference, our findings support the notion that childhood emotional abuse may contribute to increased neuroticism, thereby elevating vulnerability to affective disorders in adulthood. These results underscore the importance of considering personality factors in understanding the long-term consequences of childhood trauma on mental health outcomes.