Relationship between maternal depression as a risk factor for childhood trauma and mood disorders in young adults

Background Maternal depression may be a risk factor for childhood trauma (CT), with resultant offspring development of mood disorders (MD) in adult life. Objective To verify the relationship between maternal depression (as a risk factor for childhood trauma) and mood disorders in young adults. Methods The sample was composed of 164 young adults and their mothers. Maternal depression was identified through the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I.). Mood Disorders in the young adults were confirmed with the Structured Interview for the DSM-IV (SCID), whereas the CT was evaluated using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). Results In the group of young adults with MD, individuals who had depressed mothers presented higher mean scores of CT in comparison to the ones who did not have mothers with Depression (p < 0.005). Childhood trauma was also associated with lower social classes (p < 0.005). In the group of young adults without MD, the only variable that was associated with CT was the young adult’s (not) current work (p < 0.005). Discussion Maternal depression was considered to be a risk factor for CT and MD in young adults. Thus, preventing and treating maternal psychiatric disorders may diminish the risk of offspring childhood trauma, and, consequently, avoid negative effects in the offspring’s adult life.

背景 母亲抑郁可能是儿童期创伤（Childhood Trauma, CT）的危险因素，可导致子代在成年后罹患心境障碍（Mood Disorders, MD）。
目的 验证作为儿童期创伤危险因素的母亲抑郁与青年成年人心境障碍之间的关联。
方法 本研究样本包含164名青年成年人及其母亲。母亲抑郁状况通过《简明国际神经精神访谈》（Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview, M.I.N.I.）进行评估；青年成年人的心境障碍经《DSM-IV结构化访谈》（Structured Interview for the DSM-IV, SCID）确认；儿童期创伤则采用《儿童期创伤问卷》（Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, CTQ）进行测评。
结果 在罹患心境障碍的青年成年人群体中，母亲抑郁的个体其儿童期创伤平均得分显著高于母亲无抑郁的个体（p < 0.005）。儿童期创伤还与较低的社会阶层呈显著关联（p < 0.005）。在未罹患心境障碍的青年成年人群体中，唯一与儿童期创伤相关的变量为青年成年人当前是否就业（p < 0.005）。
讨论 母亲抑郁被认为是青年成年人发生儿童期创伤及心境障碍的危险因素。因此，对母亲精神障碍的预防与治疗，或可降低子代发生儿童期创伤的风险，进而避免其成年后出现不良结局。