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Cited by 1,059Child Abuse and TraumaChild Welfare and AdoptionChild and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development

A Prospective Investigation of Major Depressive Disorder and Comorbidity in Abused and Neglected Children Grown Up

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Spatz Widom, Cathy, DuMont, Kimberly, Czaja, Sally J.·2007·Archives of General Psychiatry
DOI 10.1001/archpsyc.64.1.49
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Abstract

CONTEXT: Few prospective longitudinal studies have examined the relationship between abuse or neglect in childhood and depression in adulthood. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether abused and neglected children were at elevated risk of major depressive disorder (MDD) and psychiatric comorbidity, compared with matched control subjects, when followed up into young adulthood. DESIGN: Prospective cohort design study. SETTING: Midwestern metropolitan county area. PARTICIPANTS: Children with substantiated cases of physical and sexual abuse and neglect (before the age of 11 years) from January 1, 1967, to December 31, 1971 (n = 676) were matched based on age, race, sex, and approximate family social class with a group of non-abused and non-neglected children (n = 520) and followed up into young adulthood (mean age, 28.7 years). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Between October 20, 1989, and December 22, 1995, 2-hour in-person interviews were conducted, using the National Institute of Mental Health Diagnostic Interview Schedule, Version III Revised, to determine DSM-III-R MDD and other psychiatric diagnoses. RESULTS: Child abuse and neglect were associated with an increased risk for current MDD (odds ratio [OR], 1.51; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06-2.14; P< or=.05) in young adulthood. Children who were physically abused (OR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.00-2.52; P< or =.05) or experienced multiple types of abuse (OR, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.01-3.02; P< or =.05) were at increased risk of lifetime MDD, whereas neglect increased risk for current MDD (OR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.10-2.29; P<.01). Childhood sexual abuse was not associated with elevated risk of MDD. Kaplan-Meier age-of-onset curves (log-rank statistic, 4.03; df = 1; P=.04) showed earlier onset of MDD for abused and neglected children compared with controls. Among those with MDD, comorbidity was higher for abused and neglected individuals than for controls. CONCLUSION: These results support the need for clinicians to increase efforts to detect and treat depression in physically abused and neglected children.

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  • Childhood maltreatment is associated with increased severity of illness, reduced treatment responsivity, and increased comorbidity.

    “Moreover, childhood maltreatment also associates with an increased severity of illness, reduced treatment responsivity, and increased comorbidity.14,15”

    From Early life adversity and the epigenetic programming of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal function (2014) · cites this paper as [14]

  • Childhood adversity moderates the relation between stressful life events in adulthood and depression, with increased risk for depression or anxiety in response to moderately stressful circumstances among individuals with a history of childhood adversity.

    “Moreover, childhood adversity moderates the relation between stressful life events in adulthood and depression, with increased risk for depression or anxiety in response to moderately stressful circumstances among individuals with a history of childhood adversity.11,14,37”

    From Early life adversity and the epigenetic programming of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal function (2014) · cites this paper as [14]

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Research works printed but not linked: 24

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Authors
Spatz Widom, C., DuMont, K., & Czaja, S. J.
Affiliations
  • New York State Office of Children and Family Services (US)
  • Rutgers New Jersey Medical School (US)
ORCID
DuMont, Kimberly
Venue
Archives of General Psychiatry
Publisher
American Medical Association (AMA)
Published
2007-01-01
Volume
64
Issue
1
Pages
49
ISSN
0003-990X (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1001/archpsyc.64.1.49
OpenAlex
W2038714501
Cited by
1,059
References
8
Citations by year
2026: 18 · 2025: 27 · 2024: 38 · 2023: 50 · 2022: 40 · 2021: 56 · 2020: 68 · 2019: 65 · 2018: 62 · 2017: 53 · 2016: 53 · 2015: 95 · 2014: 72 · 2013: 63 · 2012: 96
FWCI
52.04
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Archives of General Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (AA11108, AA09238, R03AA009238, R21AA011108)
  • National Institute of Mental Health (MH58386, MH-49467, R01MH058386, R01MH049467)
  • National Institute on Drug Abuse (DA17842, R01DA017842, R01DA010060, DA10060)
  • Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (HD 40774, R01HD040774)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
  • Social Sciences › Safety Research › Child Welfare and Adoption
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
Keywords
child neglect, major depressive disorder, adult depression, psychiatric comorbidity, physical abuse, sexual abuse, child abuse, depression onset, early adulthood, age of onset of depression, prospective cohort follow-up, risk factors for depression
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Age Factors, Mental Disorders, Child, Child Abuse, Child Abuse, Sexual, Child, Preschool, Major Depressive Disorder, Depressive Disorder, Major, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Prospective Studies, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Risk Factors, Midwestern United States, Cohort Studies, Comorbidity, Prevalence, Survival Analysis, Age of Onset, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

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