
Research view
Title: | Recent and childhood adversities in patients with depressive disorders |
Author: | Mohamed A. Abdelhameed, Ahmed M. Kamal and Nashaat A.M. Abdel-Fadeel |
Abstract: |
Background
A strong association is believed to exist between stressful life events and
development of depressive disorders. Childhood adverse experiences contribute
to a person’s vulnerability to such disorders. The complex interplay between these
variables needs further investigation.
Objectives
The objective of the present study was to clarify the impact of child abuse and recent
stressful life events on patients with depressive disorders.
Patients and methods
A total of 75 patients with depressive disorders not having a comorbid mental illness
were studied using the Social Readjustment Rating Scale of Holmes and Rahe and
the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire.
Results
The mean age of our patients was 34.96±12.32 years, 69.3% of them were females,
and the duration of illness ranged from 2 to 288 weeks with a mean of 30.94±54.61;
36% of the sample had severe depression. There was a statistically significant
relationship between urban residence and magnitude of stress (P=0.049); married
patients suffered less severe depression compared with unmarried ones (P=0.02).
A positive and significant correlation was found between magnitude of stress and
severity of depression (P≤0.001).
Duration of depressive illness was positively and significantly correlated with the
raw score of Social Readjustment Rating Scale and with the severity of emotional
neglect as measured by the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (P=0.02 and 0.04,
respectively).
Conclusion
The development of depression in adulthood is significantly associated with past
exposure to child abuse and stressful life events. Childhood history of emotional
neglect and magnitude of preonset stress may be contributing factors to the
duration of depressive illness.
Keywords:
child abuse, depression, life events, stress
|
Journal: | Egypt J Psychiatr 38:105–111 |
Text: | |
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