Effects of child abuse and stress on later depression: A lifecourse perspective on chronic adversity and mental health

While the mental health implications of child abuse and stress are well-established, these risks are usually examined at limited time points and in isolation from each other. Less is known about the role of chronicity related to these types of adversity, as well as how the unique and shared contributions of chronic abuse and stress might unfold over time. Using path analysis with data from a prospective longitudinal study, we tested the unique effects of chronicity of physical abuse in childhood and cumulative stress from childhood through adulthood on adult depression (N=356). We also examined how chronicity of stress may act as a mediator to explain, at least in part, the effects of chronic child abuse on adult depression.

Both chronicity of child abuse and chronicity of stress were independent predictors of adult depression (ß=0.117, p < 0.05; ß= 0.319, p < 0.001). Chronicity of stress mediated the relationship between chronicity of child abuse and adult depression (ß= 0.041, p <0.05). Variables in the model explained 12.5% of the variance in adolescent depression (r²=.125; p=.000). Findings demonstrate the independent and joint contributions of chronic abuse and chronic stress to mental health throughout the lifecourse. Results underscore the need for efforts to simultaneously investigate early abuse and chronic stress, and highlight the importance of initiatives aimed at preventing these types of adversity and mitigating the lasting effects these risks have on mental health.