Danielle Roubinov1, Dillon Browne2, Kaja Z LeWinn3, Nadra Lisha4, W Alex Mason5, Nicole R Bush6. 1. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States. Electronic address: danielle.roubinov@ucsf.edu. 2. Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada; Centre for Mental Health Research & Treatment, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. 3. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States. 4. Department of General Internal Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States. 5. University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States. 6. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States; Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, United States.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Childhood trauma exacts a lasting toll on one's own mental health and the health of one's offspring; however, limited research has examined the pathways through which this intergenerational transmission occurs. This study aimed to identify the transactions and mechanisms that link maternal early life trauma, maternal depressive symptoms, and children's internalizing symptoms. METHOD: A pregnancy cohort of N = 1462 mothers (66% Black, 32% White, 2% Other race) reported their childhood trauma exposure and depressive symptoms during pregnancy. Maternal depressive and children's internalizing symptoms were measured repeatedly when offspring were 12, 24, 36, and 48-60 months of age. A path model tested the transactional associations between maternal and child symptomatology and mediation of maternal childhood trauma on offspring symptoms via maternal depressive symptoms. RESULTS: Mothers' childhood trauma history was related to greater prenatal and postnatal (12 and 24 months) maternal depressive symptoms, which were prospectively associated with offspring internalizing problems at 36 and 48-60 months. Child-directed effects on maternal depressive symptoms were not observed. The association of maternal trauma on children's internalizing at 36 months was mediated by maternal depressive symptoms at 24 months. LIMITATIONS: Assessments of the key study variables were provided by mothers. Childhood trauma was evaluated retrospectively. CONCLUSION: Women's experiences of adversity in childhood have persistent and cumulative effects on their depression during the transition to parenthood, which is associated with risk for children's internalizing. Given the two-generation influence of maternal childhood trauma exposure, attending to its impact may protect both caregivers and their children.
OBJECTIVE: Childhood trauma exacts a lasting toll on one's own mental health and the health of one's offspring; however, limited research has examined the pathways through which this intergenerational transmission occurs. This study aimed to identify the transactions and mechanisms that link maternal early life trauma, maternal depressive symptoms, and children's internalizing symptoms. METHOD: A pregnancy cohort of N = 1462 mothers (66% Black, 32% White, 2% Other race) reported their childhood trauma exposure and depressive symptoms during pregnancy. Maternal depressive and children's internalizing symptoms were measured repeatedly when offspring were 12, 24, 36, and 48-60 months of age. A path model tested the transactional associations between maternal and child symptomatology and mediation of maternal childhood trauma on offspring symptoms via maternal depressive symptoms. RESULTS: Mothers' childhood trauma history was related to greater prenatal and postnatal (12 and 24 months) maternal depressive symptoms, which were prospectively associated with offspring internalizing problems at 36 and 48-60 months. Child-directed effects on maternal depressive symptoms were not observed. The association of maternal trauma on children's internalizing at 36 months was mediated by maternal depressive symptoms at 24 months. LIMITATIONS: Assessments of the key study variables were provided by mothers. Childhood trauma was evaluated retrospectively. CONCLUSION: Women's experiences of adversity in childhood have persistent and cumulative effects on their depression during the transition to parenthood, which is associated with risk for children's internalizing. Given the two-generation influence of maternal childhood trauma exposure, attending to its impact may protect both caregivers and their children.
Authors: Mariann A Howland; Curt A Sandman; Laura M Glynn; Cheryl Crippen; Elysia Poggi Davis Journal: Psychoneuroendocrinology Date: 2016-02-04 Impact factor: 4.905