Benjamin G Shapero1, Amy Farabaugh2, Olga Terechina2, Stephanie DeCross3, Joey C Cheung3, Maurizio Fava2, Daphne J Holt2. 1. Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, One Bowdoin Square, 6th Floor, Boston, MA 02114, United States; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States. Electronic address: bgshapero.phd@gmail.com. 2. Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, One Bowdoin Square, 6th Floor, Boston, MA 02114, United States; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States. 3. Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, One Bowdoin Square, 6th Floor, Boston, MA 02114, United States.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Early adulthood is a period of increased risk for depression and suicide. Emotional reactivity (a tendency to react to stress with increases in negative affect and maladaptive interpretations of events) is an important risk factor for these outcomes that has been under-studied. We hypothesized that elevated emotional reactivity would be associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Further, we hypothesized that experiences of childhood maltreatment would amplify this relationship, whereas the presence of resilience would act as a buffer. METHODS: 1703 young adults (Mean Age = 19.56 years), 71% female) completed well-validated self-report questionnaires at a single time point. RESULTS: Higher emotional reactivity was directly associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Further, resilience levels significantly moderated the relationships between emotional reactivity and depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Finally, childhood trauma significantly moderated the relationship between emotional reactivity and suicidal thoughts and behaviors only. LIMITATIONS: This study was cross-sectional in design and relied upon self-report measures only. CONCLUSIONS: The current study demonstrates an association between emotional reactivity, depressive symptoms, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors during emerging adulthood. Whereas a history of childhood maltreatment may amplify the relationship between emotional reactivity, depression, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors, certain qualities associated with resilience may buffer against the effects of emotional reactivity. Future studies can identify the resilience-promoting factors that are most protective and develop and test interventions that can potentially augment those factors.
BACKGROUND: Early adulthood is a period of increased risk for depression and suicide. Emotional reactivity (a tendency to react to stress with increases in negative affect and maladaptive interpretations of events) is an important risk factor for these outcomes that has been under-studied. We hypothesized that elevated emotional reactivity would be associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Further, we hypothesized that experiences of childhood maltreatment would amplify this relationship, whereas the presence of resilience would act as a buffer. METHODS: 1703 young adults (Mean Age = 19.56 years), 71% female) completed well-validated self-report questionnaires at a single time point. RESULTS: Higher emotional reactivity was directly associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Further, resilience levels significantly moderated the relationships between emotional reactivity and depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Finally, childhood trauma significantly moderated the relationship between emotional reactivity and suicidal thoughts and behaviors only. LIMITATIONS: This study was cross-sectional in design and relied upon self-report measures only. CONCLUSIONS: The current study demonstrates an association between emotional reactivity, depressive symptoms, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors during emerging adulthood. Whereas a history of childhood maltreatment may amplify the relationship between emotional reactivity, depression, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors, certain qualities associated with resilience may buffer against the effects of emotional reactivity. Future studies can identify the resilience-promoting factors that are most protective and develop and test interventions that can potentially augment those factors.
Authors: Buzohre Eli; Yueyue Zhou; Yiming Liang; Jin Cheng; Jiazhou Wang; Changbing Huang; Xi Xuan; Zhengkui Liu Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-01-08 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Katalin Ujhelyi Gomez; Rhiannon Corcoran; Adele Ring; Shaima Hassan; Katherine Abba; Jennifer Downing; Mark Goodall; Mark Gabbay; Pam Clarke; Paul Moran; Dorcas Akeju Obe; Kate M Bennett Journal: PLoS One Date: 2022-07-13 Impact factor: 3.752