TY - JOUR

T1 - Emotion regulation mediates the effect of childhood trauma on depression

AU - Hopfinger, Lisa

AU - Berking, Matthias

AU - Bockting, Claudi L.H.

AU - Ebert, David D.

PY - 2016/7/1

Y1 - 2016/7/1

N2 - Background Childhood trauma increases the risks of both depression and dysfunctional emotion regulation, which is a factor that has been strongly linked to depression. Because of these demonstrated relationships, it can be hypothesized that dysfunctional emotion regulation is a mediator of the association between childhood trauma and depression. Methods To test this hypothesis, we assessed the indirect effect of emotion regulation (Emotion Regulation Skills Questionnaire) on the relationship between childhood trauma (Childhood Trauma Questionnaire) and depression severity (24-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression) as well as depression lifetime persistency (i.e., lifetime percentage spent in major depressive episodes; assessed via SCID and Life Chart Interviews) in 269 patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Results Bootstrapping-enhanced mediation analyses indicated that deficits in general emotion regulation mediated the association of childhood trauma to both depression severity and depression lifetime persistency. Further exploratory analyses indicated that specific emotion regulation skills (such as the ability to mindfully observe, accept, and tolerate undesired emotions or the willingness to voluntarily confront situations that prompt negative emotions in order to attain personally relevant goals) significantly mediated the association between childhood trauma and depression severity. Willingness to confront was a mediator for both depression outcomes (depression severity and lifetime persistency). Limitations The employed mediation analyses are cross-sectional in nature, which limits any firm conclusions regarding causality. Conclusions The findings support the assumption that a sophisticated emotion regulation may help prevent the onset or unfavorable course of depression in individuals who have experienced childhood trauma.

AB - Background Childhood trauma increases the risks of both depression and dysfunctional emotion regulation, which is a factor that has been strongly linked to depression. Because of these demonstrated relationships, it can be hypothesized that dysfunctional emotion regulation is a mediator of the association between childhood trauma and depression. Methods To test this hypothesis, we assessed the indirect effect of emotion regulation (Emotion Regulation Skills Questionnaire) on the relationship between childhood trauma (Childhood Trauma Questionnaire) and depression severity (24-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression) as well as depression lifetime persistency (i.e., lifetime percentage spent in major depressive episodes; assessed via SCID and Life Chart Interviews) in 269 patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Results Bootstrapping-enhanced mediation analyses indicated that deficits in general emotion regulation mediated the association of childhood trauma to both depression severity and depression lifetime persistency. Further exploratory analyses indicated that specific emotion regulation skills (such as the ability to mindfully observe, accept, and tolerate undesired emotions or the willingness to voluntarily confront situations that prompt negative emotions in order to attain personally relevant goals) significantly mediated the association between childhood trauma and depression severity. Willingness to confront was a mediator for both depression outcomes (depression severity and lifetime persistency). Limitations The employed mediation analyses are cross-sectional in nature, which limits any firm conclusions regarding causality. Conclusions The findings support the assumption that a sophisticated emotion regulation may help prevent the onset or unfavorable course of depression in individuals who have experienced childhood trauma.

KW - Childhood trauma

KW - Depression lifetime persistency

KW - Depression severity

KW - Emotion regulation

KW - Mediator

KW - Regression

KW - Psychology

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84961574673&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.jad.2016.03.050

DO - 10.1016/j.jad.2016.03.050

M3 - Journal articles

C2 - 27018937

AN - SCOPUS:84961574673

VL - 198

SP - 189

EP - 197

JO - Journal of Affective Disorders

JF - Journal of Affective Disorders

SN - 0165-0327

ER -