Citation

Wang GF, Han AZ, Zhang GB, Xu N, Xie GD, Chen LR, Su PY. Asian J. Psychiatry 2019; 46: 105-110.

Affiliation

Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, No.81 Meishan Road, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China; Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China; NHC Key Laboratory of study on abnormal gametes and reproductive tract, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China. Electronic address: supuyu@ahmu.edu.cn.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.ajp.2019.10.010

PMID

31654922

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Increasing evidence has suggested that childhood maltreatment might mediate the association between physical disability or chronic illness and depression among adolescents. We sought to identify whether childhood maltreatment mediated the relationship between physical disability or long-term health problems and depression in Chinese adolescents.

METHOD: A total of 5726 middle and high school students aged 12-18 years old were chosen to participant in this study. Participants completed the self-reported questionnaire on childhood physical or long-term health problems, childhood maltreatment and depression.

RESULTS: The results showed that there were significant differences of childhood maltreatment, depression between adolescents with childhood physical disability or long-term health problems and those without. Physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, physical neglect and emotional neglect mediated the association between childhood physical disability or long-term health problems and depression accounting for 8.7%, 20.6%, 14.5%, 16.3% and 14.7% of the total effect of physical disability or long-term health problems on depression in each single mediator model respectively, whereas the indirect effect of emotional abuse and sexual abuse in the association between physical disability or long-term health problems and depression explained 15.6% and 8.0% of the total effect in a multiple mediation model respectively.

CONCLUSION: Childhood physical disability or long-term health problems was associated with the increased risk for depression, and the associations between childhood physical disability and long-term health problems and depression were partially mediated by childhood maltreatment experiences. Childhood maltreatment exposure should be considered to prevent depression among adolescents with childhood physical disability or long-term health problems.

Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Childhood maltreatment; Childhood physical disability; Depression; Long-term health problems; Mediation analysis