The association of childhood trauma with depression in adulthood: a cross-sectional study

Uvod. Veza između traumatičnih iskustava u djetinjstvu i posljedične pojave psihopatologije u odrasloj dobi pretpostavljena je u nizu istraživanja. Rad ispituje povezanosti traume u djetinjstvu s depresivnošću u odrasloj dobi. Cilj. Usporediti učestalost javljanja traume u djetinjstvu s depresivnošću u odrasloj dobi u svrhu osiguranja učinkovitog liječenja i smanjenja depresivnosti. Metode. Istraživanje je presječno, provedeno u dvije psihijatrijske ambulante koje djeluju unutar Doma zdravlja Zagreb Zapad u periodu od rujna 2022. do siječnja 2023. godine. Podaci su prikupljeni upitnikom o sociodemografskim podacima, Upitnikom traume u djetinjstvu i Beckovim upitnikom depresije. Razlike u razini depresije, sociodemografskih osobina, rizičnih i zaštitnih faktora ispitani su t-testom i jednostavnom analizom varijance, a njihova povezanost izračunata je Pearsonovom korelacijom. Prediktivna vrijednost nekih varijabli na varijabilitet depresije testirala se pomoću hijerarhijske regresijske analize. Rezultati. Uključen je 101 ispitanik. Depresija je značajno povezana sa svim kategorijama traume u djetinjstvu. Najviša, značajna i pozitivna korelacija pronađena je između depresije i emocionalnog zanemarivanja, a najniža, značajna i pozitivna korelacija pronađena je kod seksualnog zlostavljanja. Izloženost većem broju različitih kategorija trauma u djetinjstvu, ima za posljedicu više razine depresije u odrasloj dobi. Također su pronađene poneke razlike u stupnju depresije ovisno o sociodemografskim obilježjima. Razina depresije je statistički značajno i negativno povezana s vjerom u ozdravljenje. Zaključak. Oboljeli od depresije s višim rezultatima na skali traume u djetinjstvu imaju jače izraženu depresivnost u odrasloj dobi od ispitanika s nižim rezultatima traume. Odrasli oboljeli od depresije s višim razinama emocionalnog zanemarivanja i zlostavljanja u djetinjstvu depresivniji su od ispitanika s nižim razinama. Ispitanici s više kategorija trauma u djetinjstvu imaju više izraženu depresivnost. U nekim kategorijama postoji i povezanost između depresije i sociodemografskih osobina. Oboljeli koji vjeruju u ozdravljenje manje su depresivni od onih koji ne vjeruju u ozdravljenje.Introduction. The connection between traumatic experiences in childhood and the consequent appearance of psychopathology in adulthood has been hypothesized in a number of studies. The study looks for the connection between trauma in childhood and depression in adulthood. Aim. To compare the incidence of trauma in childhood with depression in adulthood in order to ensure effective treatment and reduce depression. Methods: The research is cross-sectional, conducted in two psychiatric clinics operating within the Zagreb West Health Center in the period from September 2022 to January 2023. Data were collected using a questionnaire on sociodemographic data, the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire and the Beck Depression Questionnaire. Differences in the level of depression, sociodemographic characteristics, risk and protective factors were examined by t-test and simple analysis of variance, and their association was calculated by Pearson's correlation. The predictive value of some variables on the variability of depression was tested using hierarchical regression analysis. Results: A hundred and one patient with depression participated in the research. Depression is significantly associated with all categories of childhood trauma. The highest, significant and positive correlation was found between depression and emotional neglect, and the lowest, significant and positive correlation was found with sexual abuse. Exposure to a greater number of different categories of trauma in childhood results in higher levels of depression in adulthood. Some differences were also found in the degree of depression depending on sociodemographic characteristics. The level of depression is statistically significantly and negatively related to faith in healing. Conclusion: Adults suffering from depression who have higher results on the scale of trauma are much more depressive than those who have lower results of trauma. Adults suffering from depression associated with higher levels of emotional neglect and abuse during their childhood tend to be more depressive than those who are not. There is also a connection between depression and sociodemographic characteristics. Patients who believe in healing are less depressed than those who do not believe in healing