RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Childhood maltreatment is an important factor associated with adverse mental health outcomes including geriatric depression and the "big five" personality characteristics. The objective of this study was to evaluate a model where personality characteristics mediate the relationship between childhood maltreatment and geriatric depression. METHOD: In this cross-sectional study, elderly subjects from socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods of Porto Alegre, Brazil (n = 260) completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), NEO-Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI), and Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview 5.0 (MINI plus). We used structural equation modeling (SEM) to evaluate the mediation hypothesis. RESULTS: The five personality factors (neuroticism, extraversion, agreeableness, openness, and conscientiousness) were related to childhood maltreatment and depression. Mediation analysis revealed that neuroticism and extraversion are complete mediators, agreeableness and conscientiousness are partial mediators, and openness is not a mediator. CONCLUSIONS: These ï¬ndings support the hypothesis in which childhood maltreatment is associated with geriatric depression and mediated by personality factors. These results suggest that reducing the maladaptive personality trait in elderly people who suffered childhood maltreatment could prevent geriatric depression.
Assuntos
Sobreviventes Adultos de Maus-Tratos Infantis/psicologia , Depressão/psicologia , Personalidade , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Brasil , Estudos Transversais , Depressão/epidemiologia , Feminino , Humanos , Estudos Longitudinais , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Modelos Psicológicos , Escalas de Graduação PsiquiátricaRESUMO
Childhood maltreatment is a risk factor for depression in nonelderly individuals. We investigated the effect of childhood abuse and neglect on the development of geriatric depression and its severity in socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals. A cross-sectional study investigated 449 individuals aged 60-103 years sorted by data using the enrollment list health coverage from the city of Porto Alegre, Brazil. The fifteen-item Geriatric Depression Scale was used to assess depression. The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire was used to identify emotional and physical neglect, in addition to emotional, physical, and sexual abuse. Geriatric depression was associated with emotional and physical abuse and neglect. Emotional abuse and neglect, as well as physical abuse, increased the odds of an individual developing severe depression. Correlations were observed for combined forms of maltreatment, with two to five maltreatment types producing mild to moderate symptoms. Similar trends were observed for severe symptoms in a limited number of cases. The cross-sectional design limit causal inference. Retrospective measurement of childhood maltreatment may increase recall and response bias. Late-life depression and its severity significantly correlated with the extent of childhood emotional and physical abuse and neglect. Thus, research should focus on supporting trauma survivors late in life, particularly when they come from low or middle income countries because these patients have higher rates of depression in elderly populations.