Meta-Analysis: Exposure to Early Life Stress and Risk for Depression in Childhood and Adolescence

Early life stress (ELS) is associated with increased risk for the development of major depressive disorder (MDD) in adulthood; the degree to which ELS is associated with an early onset of MDD (ie, during childhood or adolescence), however, is not known. In this meta-analysis, we estimated the associations between ELS and the risk for onset of MDD before age 18 years. In addition, we examined the associations between eight specific forms of ELS (ie, sexual abuse, physical abuse, poverty, physical illness/injury, death of a family member, domestic violence, natural disaster, and emotional abuse) and risk for youth-onset MDD.
Source: Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry - Category: Psychiatry Authors: Tags: Review Source Type: research