Childhood sexual abuse, stressful life events and risk for major depression in women
Abstract
Background. In animals, early trauma can produce long-lasting changes in sensitivity to the pathogenic effects of stress. To explore whether similar processes occur in humans, we examine whether childhood sexual abuse (CSA) in women alters sensitivity in adulthood to the depressogenic effects of stressful life events (SLEs). Method. A history of CSA was obtained from a population-based sample of 1404 female adult twins. Cox Proportional hazard models were used to predict onsets of episodes of DSM-III-R major depression (MD) in the past year from previously assessed levels of neuroticism (N), CSA and past-year SLEs scored on long-term contextual threat. Results. In the best-fit model, onset of MD was predicted by CSA, SLEs and N. Individuals with CSA (and especially with severe CSA) had both an overall increased risk for MD and a substantially increased sensitivity to the depressogenic effects of SLEs. A ‘dose–response’ relationship between severity of CSA and sensitivity to SLEs was clearer in those with low to average levels of N than in those with high levels of N. Conclusion. As documented with physiological responses to a standardized laboratory stressor, CSA increases stress sensitivity in women in a more naturalistic setting. Both genetic and early environmental risk factors can produce long-term increase in the sensitivity of individuals to depressogenic life experiences.
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Other investigations into the risk of a major depressive episode found stress sensitization only at high levels of adult stressful events.
“Other investigations into the risk of a major depressive episode found stress sensitization only at high levels of adult stressful events (Kendler et al. 2004; Espejo et al. 2007; McLaughlin et al. 2010a).”
From Childhood adversity, adult stress, and the risk of major depression or generalized anxiety disorder in US soldiers: a test of the stress sensitization hypothesis (2017) · cites this paper as Kendler et al. 2004
Previous investigations have focused on narrow classes of adversity such as sexual abuse or emotional abuse or have collapsed over broader classes into count variables.
“Previous investigations have focused on narrow classes of adversity such as sexual abuse or emotional abuse (Hammen et al. 2000; Kendler et al. 2004; Espejo et al. 2007; Shapero et al. 2014) or have collapsed over broader classes into count variables (McLaughlin et al. 2010a).”
From Childhood adversity, adult stress, and the risk of major depression or generalized anxiety disorder in US soldiers: a test of the stress sensitization hypothesis (2017) · cites this paper as Kendler et al. 2004
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- Authors
- KENDLER, K. S., KUHN, J. W., & PRESCOTT, C. A.
- Affiliations
- Virginia Commonwealth University (US)
- Venue
- Psychological Medicine
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press (CUP)
- Published
- 2004-11
- Volume
- 34
- Issue
- 8
- Pages
- 1475-1482
- ISSN
- 0033-2917 (ISSN-L)
- 1469-8978
- OpenAlex
- W2074897360
- Cited by
- 475
- References
- 6
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 50 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 17 · 2020: 17 · 2019: 22 · 2018: 17 · 2017: 39 · 2016: 22 · 2015: 26 · 2014: 28 · 2013: 31 · 2012: 27
- FWCI
- 14.89
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychological Medicine (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health
- National Institute of Mental Health (MH/AA/DA-49492)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
- Keywords
- child sexual abuse, life events, major depressive disorder, women, stress sensitivity, neuroticism, depression onset, dose-response relationship, early trauma, genetic risk factors, environmental risk factors, twin studies
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Child, Child Abuse, Sexual, Depressive Disorder, Major, Major Depressive Disorder, Female, Health Surveys, Humans, Life Change Events, Middle Aged, Models, Psychological, Risk Factors, Severity of Illness Index, Stress, Psychological
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