Childhood Traumatic Experiences Research Articles

The Mediating Role of Emotion Regulation and Basic Psychological Needs: Association Between Childhood Trauma and Young Adults’ Psychological Functioning from a Self-Determination Theory Perspective

ABSTRACT Numerous studies have shown the detrimental effects of childhood trauma on individuals’ psychological functioning. This study examined the relation from childhood traumatic experiences to dissociation, life satisfaction, and attitude toward seeking psychological help while additionally shedding light on the possible mediating role of emotion regulation and basic psychological needs based on the framework of Self-Determination Theory (SDT). Using a cross-sectional design, data were collected from 489 Italian young adults (Mage = 23.63, SDage = 3.53, 68.7% female) through an online survey. Findings indicated positive associations between childhood trauma and emotion dysregulation, suppression, need frustration, and dissociation. In contrast, negative associations were found with emotion integration, need satisfaction, life satisfaction, and attitude toward seeking psychological help. Structural equation modeling analysis supported the hypothesized indirect associations, suggesting that childhood trauma is indirectly associated with 1) higher levels of dissociation through increased emotion dysregulation, emotion suppression, and need frustration; 2) lower life satisfaction via higher emotion dysregulation and need frustration, as well as diminished need satisfaction and emotion integration; and 3) less positive attitude toward seeking psychological help by elevated emotion suppression and reduced emotion integration. These findings validate SDT as a potent framework for understanding the nuanced pathways from childhood trauma to adult psychological functioning, providing the groundwork for intervention development and a pathway for further exploration with clinical populations.

Structural brain connectivity does not associate with childhood trauma in individuals with schizophrenia

BackgroundSchizophrenia is a brain dysconnectivity disorder. However, it is not well understood whether the experience of childhood trauma (CT) affects dysconnectivity in individuals with schizophrenia (SZ). Using a network-based approach, we examined whether self-reported CT would explain additional variance compared to whole-brain topology and structural connectivity changes in SZ versus healthy controls (HC). Material and methodsCT was assessed in 51 SZ (mean age ± standard deviation 44 ± 11 years) and 140 HC (34.0 ± 12 years). Structural brain networks were constructed from T1-weighted MR and diffusion-MRI scans using non-tensor based tractography. Group differences in whole-brain topology and permutation-based statistics were examined and corrected for age and sex. ResultsSZ showed reductions in efficiency, strength, clustering and density (p <0.01) as well as increases in path length (F(range) = 4.71-18.1, p <0.03) when compared to HC. We also observed hypoconnectivity in a subnetwork of frontotemporal, frontoparietal and occipital regions in SZ relative to HC (T > 4.0, p <0.001). However, we did not find that high CT levels were related to structural network differences or structural connectivity changes in SZ. ConclusionsCT did not impact on topology or subnetwork connectivity changes in SZ. High CT levels were also not associated with any differences in network organisation irrespective of diagnosis. However, our findings confirm that SZ showed both network-level reductions and increases in a subnetwork. These findings suggest that the patterns of neuroanatomical dysconnectivity in established schizophrenia may not be influenced by CT. Future studies are needed to investigate the association between CT and structural dysconnectivity in schizophrenia.

Gender and Intersecting Barriers and Facilitators to Access the HIV Cascade of Care in Manitoba, Canada, Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study

Marginalized groups in Manitoba, Canada, especially females and people who inject drugs, are overrepresented in new HIV diagnoses and disproportionately affected by HIV and structural disadvantages. Informed by syndemic theory, our aim was to understand people living with HIV’s (PLHIV) gendered and intersecting barriers and facilitators across the cascade of HIV care before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study was co-designed and co-led alongside people with lived experience and a research advisory committee. We employed semi-structured interviews with thirty-two participants and three questionnaires. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and coded, and descriptive statistics were performed on the first two questionnaires. Qualitative data analysis used thematic analysis and focused on identifying categories (individual, healthcare, and social/structural) related to the barriers and facilitators to HIV care. A total of 32 PLHIV completed this study and over 70% of females and 50% of males reported severe and moderate sexual abuse among other traumatic childhood experiences. Barriers to accessing or continuing in the cascade of HIV care included navigating the initial shock of receiving an HIV diagnosis, mental health challenges and inaccessible supports, substance use, violence (including intimate partner), internalized and enacted compounded stigma related to houselessness and substance use, discrimination by primary care service providers and social networks, lack of preventative and social supports, lack of accessible housing, and programmatic issues. COVID-19 increased mental health problems and disrupted relationships with HIV service providers and peers living with HIV. Facilitators to HIV care included stopping substance use, caring service providers particularly during HIV diagnosis, welcoming healthcare environments, social opportunities and integrated supports, and supportive social networks. Women, men, and non-binary PLHIV experience interconnected factors complicating their experiences with HIV care. Interventions should consider holistic, person-centered, and trauma-informed care options to address the barriers found in this research and appropriately serve PLHIV.

Childhood traumatic experiences and vaping among Australian adolescents: A prospective investigation.

Childhood traumatic experiences (CTE) have been identified as a robust risk factor for a range of substance use behaviours. However, little is known about their association with adolescent vaping. We explored prospective associations between CTEs and vaping among a sample of Australian adolescents. The sample comprised 2234 adolescents (baseline Mage = 12.7 years, SD = 0.5; 49.9% female) enrolled in the Health4Life cluster randomised controlled trial. Using mixed effects logistic regression analyses, data from the baseline and 36-month assessment waves were used to examine whether CTEs (by ~ age 12) were associated with current or lifetime vaping and future intentions to vape (~ age 15). Adjusting for socio-demographic variables, CTE exposure at baseline was associated with higher odds of ever having vaped (odds ratio 1.64, 95% confidence interval 1.34, 2.02), and of being a current regular vape user (odds ratio 1.63, 95% confidence interval 1.11, 2.39). Experiencing CTEs was also associated with higher odds of intending to vape in the future (odds ratio 1.44, 95% confidence interval 1.11, 1.86). This study is the first to identify CTEs as a risk factor for vaping, and intentions to vape in the future, among Australian adolescents. These findings align with global research and highlight another common risk factor across various forms of substance use. CTE exposed adolescents represent a priority group who may require earlier and more targeted vaping intervention.

Study identifies eight traumatic and ACEs to psychiatric risk across development

There are eight TRACEs (traumatic and adverse childhood experiences) which can lead to mental health and cognitive problems during adolescents, according to researchers. Using the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) data from the National Institutes of Health, the researchers drew on reports from youth and their caregivers to look at longitudinal change and how it is moderated by the TRACEs.

Working memory performance is related to childhood trauma but not psychotic-like experiences in a nonpsychiatric sample.

This project seeks to clarify the impact of childhood trauma and psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) on working memory (WM) and explore gender differences in these relationships. The effect of childhood trauma on WM performance has yet to be explored in individuals with PLEs, despite consistent associations between trauma, psychosis spectrum symptoms, and WM performance. In 466 undergraduates, positive PLEs (Prodromal Questionnaire) and trauma (Childhood Trauma Questionnaire) were examined to determine contributions to WM performance on a spatial n-back task. We conducted hierarchical linear regressions on the total sample and stratified by gender to examine the effects of childhood trauma, positive PLEs, and their interaction on WM performance. Supplemental analyses explored attenuated negative and disorganized symptoms. Controlling for age, there were no significant main effects of positive PLEs, childhood trauma, their interaction, or three-way interaction including gender in predicting WM. After stratifying by gender, childhood trauma was significantly associated with poorer WM in females only. Post hoc analyses revealed that in the full sample, physical neglect predicted WM performance and was a trend for females, while sexual abuse trended toward predicting WM in males. Supplemental analyses of attenuated negative and disorganized symptoms revealed childhood trauma significantly predicted WM in the full sample and females only for negative symptoms. Females who have experienced childhood trauma may be at greater risk for WM problems, irrespective of co-occurring PLEs, suggesting that cognitive difficulties may be partially attributable to history of trauma. These findings have potential implications for intervention strategies in trauma-exposed individuals. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Experiences with One-to-One Trauma Center Trauma-Sensitive Yoga Sessions: Consensual Qualitative Research.

Trauma Center Trauma-Sensitive Yoga (TCTSY) is an evidence-based yoga intervention that has been used as an effective adjunct treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Previous research has focused on TCTSY offered in group settings. The present study examined experiences of individuals practicing TCTSY one-to-one (i.e., one client, one TCTSY facilitator). Study aims were to: (1) learn about participants' experiences with and reasons for attending one-to-one TCTSY; (2) describe and compare participants' experiences between group and one-to-one yoga settings; (3) explore participants' perceptions of the impacts of TCTSY on their trauma healing; and (4) document participants' intentions for continued one-to-one TCTSY use. Semistructured interviews were offered to participants at completion of a longitudinal observational study of one-to-one TCTSY; 4 of the 10 participants agreed to be interviewed. Interviewees were located in the United States and self-reported experiencing childhood trauma and a current PTSD diagnosis. Following the consensual qualitative research method, domains were initially created deductively by the team. Adjustments, as well as categories and core ideas, were created inductively. Results indicated that participants: (1) preferred one-to-one over groups because of perceived safety and comfort; (2) had positive experiences with TCTSY; (3) perceived biopsychosocial benefits from the practice and described using TCTSY principles outside of sessions; and (4) intended to practice indefinitely. This study provided insight to the lived experiences of participants who use TCTSY as complementary care. Yoga facilitators and clinical trauma care providers are recommended to collaborate to offer one-to-one somatic-based approaches to create more access options for trauma healing.

아동기 대인 간 외상경험이 성인의 외상 후 성장에 미치는 영향

Objectives This study was to determine the effect of interpersonal trauma experience in childhood on post-traumatic growth in adults. Methods 266 adult men and women aged 20 to 59 in Korea were surveyed and analyzed through an Internet questionnaire. The research tool was the Korean version of childhood trauma. It was a questionnaire (Eun-jung Kim, Jin-sook Kim, 2010) and a post-traumatic growth scale (Si-hyung Kim et al., 2020). For the data, skewness and kurtosis were analyzed using the SPSS 22.0 statistical program to confirm whether the assumption of normality was satisfied, and correlation analysis and t-test for differences between major variables, One-way analysis of variance and hierarchical regression analysis were performed. Results First, as a result of verifying the difference in post-traumatic growth according to the background variable, men were significantly higher than women in all post-traumatic growth according to gender. According to marital status, married people were significantly higher than unmarried. Depending on the age, those in their 50s were significantly higher than those in their 40s, 30s, and 20s. In addition, the difference in overall post-traumatic growth was significant according to the type of interpersonal trauma experience in childhood, sexual abuse, physical abuse, neglect, double abuse, and emotional abuse appeared in order. In addition, there was no difference in the factors of trauma perpetrator between trauma period, caregiver, and childhood interpersonal relations. Second, as a result of the correlation analysis of the main variables, it was found that there was no significant correlation between the entire childhood trauma and the entire post-traumatic growth. However, among the sub-factors, emotional neglect and post-traumatic growth were negatively correlated, and sexual abuse and physical abuse were positively correlated with post-traumatic growth. In other words, the higher the emotional neglect, the lower the post-traumatic growth, and the higher the sexual and physical abuse, the higher the post-traumatic growth. Third, it was found that interpersonal trauma experience in childhood had a significant effect on post-traumatic growth. Emotional abuse during childhood trauma was static and emotional neglect was negative. It was found to have an effect. In other words, the higher the emotional abuse among childhood trauma experiences, the more post-traumatic growth. It can be interpreted that the higher the emotional neglect, the lower the likelihood of post-traumatic growth. Conclusions The results suggest that lowering emotional neglect is effective to increase post-traumatic growth.

The relationship between mindfulness and childhood trauma with suicide: The mediating role of cognitive bias

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between mindfulness, childhood trauma, and suicide, specifically focusing on the mediating role of cognitive bias. Suicide is a pressing issue that poses a significant threat to public health in society, and understanding the factors that contribute to it is crucial. The research design employed in this study is a correlation-based structural equation model. A total of 370 students from the second level of secondary school in Iran city were selected as participants using an available sampling method during the academic year of 2023. To gather data, several questionnaires were utilized, including the Kentucky Mindfulness Questionnaire, Bernstein et al.'s Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (1994), Hammachi and Ozturk's Cognitive Bias Questionnaire (2004), and the Multi-attitude Suicidal Tendency Questionnaire (MAST). Data analysis was conducted using SPSS-23 and Amos software, encompassing both descriptive and inferential levels. The findings of this research revealed several significant relationships. Firstly, there is a positive and significant direct path from childhood trauma to cognitive bias. Secondly, mindfulness has a negative and significant direct path to cognitive bias. Thirdly, childhood trauma has a direct and significant path to suicide. Additionally, cognitive bias has a positive and significant path to suicidality, while mindfulness has a negative and significant path to suicide. Moreover, there are positive and significant indirect paths from suicide to childhood trauma and negative and significant indirect paths from suicide to mindfulness. In conclusion, this study highlights the importance of mindfulness and cognitive bias as variables related to adolescent suicide. Adolescents who have experienced childhood trauma are more likely to consider suicide as a solution when faced with life problems. These findings emphasize the need for interventions and support systems that address mindfulness, cognitive bias, and childhood trauma to prevent and mitigate the risk of suicide among adolescents.

The mediation role of gray matter volume in the relationship between childhood maltreatment and psychological resilience in adolescents with first-episode major depressive disorder

Previous studies have revealed morphologic alterations in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) with experiences of childhood trauma. However, the underlying neural mechanisms remain largely unknown. This study aims to explore the brain structural changes and their possible mediation role in the relationship between childhood maltreatment and psychological resilience in drug-naïve adolescents with first-episode MDD. A total of 57 adolescents with first-episode MDD and 36 healthy controls (HCs) completed the T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging scan. The adverse childhood experiences and current psychological resilience were assessed using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form and the Connor Davidson Resilience Scale, respectively. The voxel-based morphometry approach was applied to examine changes in the gray matter volume (GMV). Compared with the HCs, adolescents with MDD had significantly reduced GMV volumes in the left fusiform gyrus, right orbitofrontal gyrus, right superior temporal gyrus, right calcarine cortex, right middle frontal gyrus, left angular gyrus, right precuneus, right posterior cingulate gyrus, and right posterior central gyrus, as well as significantly increased GMV volumes in the left lenticular putamen and right lenticular pallidum. The GMV of the right calcarine cortex was found to be negatively correlated with the severity of emotional abuse and positively correlated with the level of psychological resilience. Moreover, the GMV of the right calcarine cortex might partially mediate the relationship between childhood maltreatment and psychological resilience. The present study provided further evidence for structural impairments in adolescents with MDD. Our findings also confirmed the important role of depression-related GMV changes in childhood growth experiences and psychological resilience characteristics during adolescent brain maturation.

Traumatic and Adverse Childhood Experiences and Developmental Differences in Psychiatric Risk

While adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are known to impart significant risk for negative mental health and cognitive outcomes in youth, translation of ACE scores into clinical intervention is limited by poor specificity in predicting negative outcomes. This work expands on the ACE framework using a data-driven approach to identify 8 different forms of traumatic and adverse childhood experiences (TRACEs) and reveal their differential associations with psychiatric risk and cognition across development. Building upon the traditional ACEs model, this study aimed to characterize unique components of commonly co-occurring TRACEs and to examine moderation of longitudinal change in mental health and cognitive development during adolescence. This work draws from youth and their caregivers who completed up to 4 annual behavioral assessments from 2016 to 2021 as part of the ongoing Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. Data collection was performed at 21 regionally-distributed sites across the United States. Analyses for this work were conducted January 2023 through November 2023. Youth participants in the ABCD study's exposure to 268 different TRACEs, which were distilled into adversity components using nonlinear principal components analysis. Mixed-effects and latent change score models considered TRACEs components as moderators of longitudinal change in internalizing and externalizing mental health problems, as well as longitudinal change in cognitive ability. Data were distilled from 11 876 youth participants, who were grouped into dyads with a caregiver. ABCD study youth participants were 9 to 10 years old at baseline assessment (year 0) and 12 to 13 years old at ABCD year 3. A total of 5679 participants (47.8%) were female. Analyses revealed that TRACEs organized into 8 thematic adversity components (e.g., family conflict, interpersonal violence). At baseline assessment (year 0), exposure to nearly every adversity component was associated with poorer mental health and diminished cognitive ability. Yet across time, it was observed that different forms of adversity were variably linked to both increases and decreases in internalizing and externalizing problems. For example, while peer aggression (t = 5.31) and family conflict (t = 5.67) were associated with increases in both internalizing and externalizing problems over early adolescence, community threat (t = 2.82) and poverty (t = 2.07) were linked to decreased problems, potentially representing adaptive suppression of symptoms. Finally, adversity types related to resource deprivation (eg, poverty, caregiver maladjustment) were associated with declines in cognitive ability over early adolescence. In this cohort study, distinct forms of TRACEs differentially moderated developmental changes in psychiatric risk and cognitive ability in different ways, offering the possibility for precision-based prediction of risk for youth. Such findings could be used in targeted early prevention and intervention strategies for at-risk youth.

Psychological Impact of Childhood Trauma on Adolescents: A Scoping Review

Violence experienced in childhood will lead to a period of crisis when a person is in adolescence. The crisis period that arises is unique to adolescence. Some adolescents become increasingly experiencing crises or problems when in childhood they experience an unpleasant event or even trauma. Traumatic experiences in childhood will have their own impact on adolescents. Objektive: This study aims to get a clear picture of the psychological impact of childhood trauma on adolescents. Methods: Researchers use the scoping review method. The literature search was conducted using the search keywords "adolescents" AND "psychological" AND "childhood" AND "trauma". The databases used were Sciencedirect, Scopus, and Pubmed. Inclusion criteria were articles reviewed from publications within the last 5 years (2019-2023), articles that were in English, quantitative and/or qualitative research with a study population of former adolescents who experienced childhood trauma, and the full article was accessible. Stepwise screening was conducted and documented according to the PRISMA flowchart. Results: Based on identification, there were 463 articles from search engines from sciencedirect, scopus, and pubmed. The final results obtained were 6 articles that fit the criteria after going through the selection process. Childhood trauma has psychological effects that can arise such as the impact of mental distress at risk of suicide, the impact of suicide, psychosis (mental disorders), psychiatric disorders in offspring, borderline personality disorder and the impact on internet addiction. Researchers used the PEO (population, exposure, outcome) question format to find related research articles. Conclusion: Based on the analysis of the 6 literatures that have been reviewed, it can be concluded that the incidence of childhood trauma in adolescents will have a psychological impact.

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT OF TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCES ON FAMILY PERCEPTIONS AMONG YOUTH

In modern psychology, childhood trauma is recognized as a critical factor influencing personal development and mental health. Traumatic experiences disrupt a young individual's inner world, affecting their life trajectory and relationships. While these experiences can cause distress and reduce quality of life, they also have the potential to build resilience. Among youth, trauma frequently reshapes family perceptions, impacting trust, emotional bonds, and family dynamics. This article aims to explore the complex interplay between trauma and family perceptions, with implications for caregivers, educators, and mental health professionals. The study seeks to examine how traumatic childhood experiences influence youth perceptions of family dynamics, relationships, and values. By understanding these impacts, the study aims to provide insights into the role of family as a support system in fostering resilience and promoting trauma recovery among young people. The study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining theoretical analysis with empirical research involving 47 students from the National University “Zaporizhzhia Polytechnic.” Data collection tools include the Traumatic Events Questionnaire, Eysenck’s Self-Assessment of Mental States, and the Childhood Trauma Presence Questionnaire. Quantitative data are analyzed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data are examined through thematic analysis. A correctional-developmental training program, "The Impact of Childhood Trauma on Future Family Formation," is integrated to provide therapeutic intervention. The findings reveal that childhood trauma significantly impacts youth perceptions of family, often leading to heightened anxiety, frustration, and rigidity. Trauma was observed to affect family attachment and trust, with some youth perceiving their families as less supportive. Conversely, supportive family environments were shown to mitigate these negative effects, highlighting the protective role of positive family relationships in trauma recovery. The intervention program demonstrated potential in improving resilience and family perceptions among participants. The study underscores the importance of therapeutic programs that address the psychological effects of trauma on youth, with an emphasis on family-based interventions. By fostering resilience and supporting healthy family relationships, these interventions can help youth navigate the long-term impacts of trauma. Future research should explore the influence of cultural and socioeconomic factors on family perceptions and trauma recovery, to better inform intervention strategies across diverse populations.

The effect of childhood trauma on moral cognition in patients with schizophrenia.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether a potential moral cognitive impairment (failure in understanding moral rules) exists in patients with schizophrenia (SCZ) and to explore the effect of childhood trauma (CT) on moral cognition in a group of patients with SCZ. A total of 99 patients with SCZ and 102 healthy controls (HCs) were included in this study. The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form (CTQ) was administered to assess childhood trauma experiences in both groups, while the Moral Identity Measure (MIM) and the Moral Foundations Questionnaire (MFQ) were applied for a comparative evaluation of moral cognition across the two groups. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) was administered to assess the psychopathology. Patients with schizophrenia had significantly greater CTQ scores than HCs (42.77 ± 13.50 vs. 29.11 ± 4.25, t=9.697, p<0.001). The prevalence of childhood trauma (χ 2 = 58.452, p<0.001) and history of aggressive behaviors (χ 2 = 23.565, p=0.001) among patients with SCZ were greater than that among HCs. In addition, the scores of moral cognition (MIM: 61.82 ± 15.12 vs. 70.88 ± 8.87, p=0.001; MFQ: 87.24 ± 22.30 vs. 112.62 ± 23.42, p=0.045) in the SCZ group was lower than that in the HC group after controlling for the influence of CT covariates. The MFQ score was negatively correlated with the CTQ score, the emotional abuse (EA) score, the physical abuse (PA) score and the physical neglect (PN) score in SCZ patients. Among HCs, the MFQ score was positively correlated with the CTQ score, as well as with the dimensions of physical abuse (PA) and emotional Neglect (EN). Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that impaired moral cognition performance was significantly predicted by the CTQ score (beta=-0.235, p=0.034, 95% CI -0.743 to -0.031) in patients with SCZ but was significantly predicted by years of education (beta=-0.392, p<0.001, 95% CI -4.783 to -1.876), alcohol use (beta=0.210, p=0.023, 95% CI 2.191 to 29.399) and the CTQ score (beta=0.184, p=0.046, 95% CI 0.019 to 1.928) in HCs. CTQ moderated the effect of SCZ on MFQ (B = 0.516); Simple tests revealed that the group effect on the MFQ was B=12.306 at the lower level(-1SD) and B = 54.089 at the higher level(+1SD) of the CTQ scores. SCZ patients exhibit impaired moral cognition. The contribution of CT to the presence of moral cognitive impairments seems to be independent of psychopathology.

Intergenerational Pathways Linking Mothers’ Childhood Traumatic Experiences and Preschoolers’ Prosocial Behaviors

ABSTRACT Research Findings: The present study investigated the potential mediating role of maternal parenting in the intergenerational effects of maternal childhood traumatic experiences (CTEs) on prosocial behaviors of their offspring and examined whether the offspring’s sensory processing sensitivity (SPS) moderates this association using a 1-year longitudinal design. A total of 203 preschoolers (M age = 4.84, SD = 0.64, 96 girls, at T1) and their mothers participated in this study. Mothers completed questionnaires assessing their own CTEs and parenting toward their offspring, and offspring’s SPS and prosocial behaviors. Results indicated that maternal neglect experiences could intergenerationally directly influence their offspring’s prosocial behaviors in early childhood (β = −0.20, p = .012), as well as having an indirect influence through the mediating role of maternal authoritative parenting (indirect effect = −0.09, p = .009). Moreover, aesthetic sensitivity (AES) and low sensory threshold (LST), two subdimensions of SPS, moderated the predictive influence of authoritative parenting on preschoolers’ prosocial behaviors (AES: β = 0.17, p = .005; LST: β = 0.17, p = .006). Practice or Policy: The findings provide new evidence for understanding the intergenerational influence of different maternal CTEs on prosocial behaviors among children with different SPS and have implications for alleviating the intergenerational negative effects on children’s prosocial behaviors.

Dynamic networks of complex posttraumatic stress disorder and depression among college students with childhood trauma: insights from cross-sectional and cross-lagged panel network analysis

ABSTRACT Background and Objective: There is a current research gap regarding the symptom structure and underlying causal relationships between complex posttraumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) and depressive symptoms. This longitudinal study used a cross-sectional network and cross-lag panel network (CLPN) to examine how CPTSD and depression symptoms interact over time in Chinese college students with childhood trauma. Methods: From 18,933 college students who took part in 2 surveys 12 months apart, 4006 participants (mean age: 20.07 ± 2.04) who reported childhood trauma were screened. Within this sample, there were 2354 (58.8%) males and 1652 (41.2%) females. Results: In the one-year interval CLPN model, it was found that depressive symptoms may precede other symptoms. Specifically, negative emotions and negative self-evaluations are more likely to predict subsequent symptoms. Conversely, in CPTSD, symptoms related to fear and anxiety, such as avoidance, intrusion, and hyperarousal, are more frequently activated by other symptoms, including negative emotions Conclusions: This finding offers a novel perspective on the interplay between CPTSD and depression, extending the existing theory. From a clinical standpoint, the points of intervention for comorbidity between depression and CPTSD who have experienced childhood trauma differ across different stages.

Association between childhood maltreatment and obsessive-compulsive disorder comorbid with eating disorders: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundObsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and eating disorders (ED) share common features, including the presence of obsessions and compulsions, and they often co-occur. Additionally, there is a significant comorbidity between ED and childhood traumatic experiences (CTE), as well as between CTE and OCD. Various biological and environmental factors have been proposed to explain the connection between ED, OCD, and CTE. This study explores the link between CTE and the comorbidity of ED and OCD, with the hypothesis that specific types of CTE may increase the risk of developing OCD in individuals with ED.MethodsParticipants (N = 562) were enrolled at an eating disorder unit in Montpellier, France, between March 2013 and January 2020. The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q), and Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) were used to evaluate childhood maltreatment, assess clinical characteristics associated with ED, and categorize participants into two groups: patients with and without OCD.ResultsBivariate analysis revealed that patients with comorbid ED and OCD had higher EDE-Q scores (p < 0.001), more anxiety disorders (p < 0.001), depressive disorders (p = 0.02), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (p < 0.001), and a higher incidence of sexual abuse (p < 0.001) and physical neglect (p = 0.04) compared to those without OCD. Multivariate analysis showed that the association between CTE and OCD was influenced by the presence of an anxiety disorder (p = 0.01) and a higher EDE-Q total score (p = 0.03), with a significant association with a history of sexual abuse (p = 0.04).ConclusionsThis demonstrates that CTE increases the risk of comorbid OCD in ED patients, correlating with more clinically severe ED and a higher likelihood of anxiety disorders.

Enduring Neurobiological Consequences of Early-Life Stress: Insights from Rodent Behavioral Paradigms.

Stress profoundly affects physical and mental health, particularly when experienced early in life. Early-life stress (ELS) encompasses adverse childhood experiences such as abuse, neglect, violence, or chronic poverty. These stressors can induce long-lasting changes in brain structure and function, impacting areas involved in emotion regulation, cognition, and stress response. Consequently, individuals exposed to high levels of ELS are at an increased risk for mental health disorders like depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorders, as well as physical health issues, including metabolic disorders, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. This review explores the biological and psychological consequences of early-life adversity paradigms in rodents, such as maternal separation or deprivation and limited bedding or nesting. The study of these experimental models have revealed that the organism's response to ELS is complex, involving genetic and epigenetic mechanisms, and is associated with the dysregulation of physiological systems like the nervous, neuroendocrine, and immune systems, in a sex-dependent fashion. Understanding the impact of ELS is crucial for developing effective interventions and preventive strategies in humans exposed to stressful or traumatic experiences in childhood.

Çocukluk Çağı Travmalarının Yaşam Kalitesi ve Evlilik Uyumuna Etkisi

This study aims to explore the impact of childhood traumatic experiences on both the quality of life and marital adjustment within married couples. Additionally, it seeks to ascertain whether variations exist in the quality of life and marital adjustment of married couples based on specific variables related to their childhood traumatic experiences. A total of 103 married couples (206 individuals) voluntarily participated in the study by completing online forms. Participants were asked to complete a set of instruments including a 'Sociodemographic Data Form', 'Childhood Trauma Scale', 'Quality of Life Scale', and 'Marital Adjustment Scale'. Data analysis was conducted using the SPSS 26 package program, employing various statistical techniques including the Mann-Whitney U Test, LSD Test and Spearman Correlation. The results revealed that childhood traumatic experiences, quality of life and marital adjustment differed significantly among the participants according to the age of their spouses in the area of physical neglect; according to their psychiatric treatment history in the areas of emotional abuse, sexual abuse and physical neglect; according to their spouses' psychiatric treatment history in the areas of emotional neglect and physical neglect; according to their smoking, alcohol and substance use status in the area of marital adjustment; according to their childbearing status in the area of physical neglect. However, no significant differences were found in gender, age, education level, economic status, employment status, place of longest residence, number of years of marriage, marriage decision with spouse, and number of marriages. Finally, relationships were observed between emotional abuse and emotional neglect with marital adjustment, as well as between emotional abuse and the mental dimension.

Relationship between childhood trauma and postpartum psychotic experiences: the role of postnatal anxiety and depression as mediators

BackgroundPostpartum psychosis (PP) is a psychological emergency requiring rapid intervention, hospitalization and psychiatric management. However, PP has been neglected in the postpartum literature. Understanding the detrimental consequences of childhood trauma across mother’s life span is crucial to prevent this serious condition. The study’s objectives were to demonstrate the relationship between childhood trauma and postpartum psychotic experiences (PPEs) and to look over the mediating role of postnatal depression (PD) and anxiety (PA) in this relationship.MethodsThis cross-sectional study, which enrolled 438 postpartum females 4–6 weeks after delivery (mean age: 31.23 ± 5.24 years), was carried out from September 2022 to June 2023. The Arabic validated versions of the Postpartum Psychotic Experiences Scale, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, the Perinatal Anxiety Screening Scale, and the Child Abuse Self Report Scale were used.ResultsBoth PD and PA partially mediated the correlation between psychological abuse and PPEs, and fully mediated the association between neglect and PPEs. Higher psychological abuse and neglect were significantly associated with higher PD (Beta = 1.11) and PA (Beta = 3.94), higher PD (Beta = 0.84) and PA (Beta = 0.26) were significantly associated with higher PPEs in both models, whereas greater child psychological abuse (Beta = 1.37) (but not neglect) was directly and strongly correlated with higher PPEs in all models.ConclusionThe significant mediating effect of PA and PD on the association between childhood adversities and PPEs among postpartum females may offer additional therapeutic avenues to help attenuate various postpartum mental health issues and their potential serious risks on both mother and child.