Impact of childhood psychological abuse on the trajectory of adolescent depressive symptoms: a latent growth modeling approach
Abstract Background Although researchers have examined the impact of childhood psychological abuse on adolescent depressive symptoms, further investigation is needed to understand the mechanisms by which childhood psychological abuse influences these symptoms. Methods Utilizing a latent variable gro...
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| Language: | English |
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BMC
2025-04-01
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| Series: | BMC Psychiatry |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-025-06884-3 |
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| author | Fang Yuan Yongna Feng Jingtao Wu Jingxia Wang Yanhong Shao |
| author_facet | Fang Yuan Yongna Feng Jingtao Wu Jingxia Wang Yanhong Shao |
| author_sort | Fang Yuan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Although researchers have examined the impact of childhood psychological abuse on adolescent depressive symptoms, further investigation is needed to understand the mechanisms by which childhood psychological abuse influences these symptoms. Methods Utilizing a latent variable growth model, this study analyzed the dynamic trajectories of depressive symptoms among 1,300 adolescents from four middle schools in Jiangsu Province and Sichuan Province, as well as the factors influencing these trajectories. A longitudinal survey was conducted with three rounds of questionnaires over the course of a semester. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 24.0 and Mplus 7.0. Results The findings revealed several key points: (1) Depressive symptoms among adolescents generally showed a linear decline; however, there were significant individual differences in initial symptom levels and rates of change; (2) Childhood psychological abuse was found to significantly predict both initial levels and the pace of change in depressive symptoms; (3) All three dimensions of childhood psychological abuse—verbal aggression, threats, and intrusiveness—significantly influenced both initial symptom levels and the trajectory of change; (4) The dynamics of psychological abuse were significantly correlated with the rate of change in depressive symptoms. Conclusion The results highlight the detrimental effects of childhood psychological abuse and suggest the feasibility of interventions targeting early secondary school students, providing insights into strategies to mitigate the impact of depressive symptoms among adolescents. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1be2761ad57944b38c293ea6d9db72ce |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1471-244X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
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| series | BMC Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj-art-1be2761ad57944b38c293ea6d9db72ce2025-08-20T02:20:25ZengBMCBMC Psychiatry1471-244X2025-04-0125111710.1186/s12888-025-06884-3Impact of childhood psychological abuse on the trajectory of adolescent depressive symptoms: a latent growth modeling approachFang Yuan0Yongna Feng1Jingtao Wu2Jingxia Wang3Yanhong Shao4School of Education, Faculty of Education, Qufu Normal UniversitySchool of Teacher Education, Weifang Engineering Vocational CollegeSchool of Physical Education, Leshan Normal UniversityCollege of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials, Jining UniversityXiangshui Teacher Development CenterAbstract Background Although researchers have examined the impact of childhood psychological abuse on adolescent depressive symptoms, further investigation is needed to understand the mechanisms by which childhood psychological abuse influences these symptoms. Methods Utilizing a latent variable growth model, this study analyzed the dynamic trajectories of depressive symptoms among 1,300 adolescents from four middle schools in Jiangsu Province and Sichuan Province, as well as the factors influencing these trajectories. A longitudinal survey was conducted with three rounds of questionnaires over the course of a semester. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 24.0 and Mplus 7.0. Results The findings revealed several key points: (1) Depressive symptoms among adolescents generally showed a linear decline; however, there were significant individual differences in initial symptom levels and rates of change; (2) Childhood psychological abuse was found to significantly predict both initial levels and the pace of change in depressive symptoms; (3) All three dimensions of childhood psychological abuse—verbal aggression, threats, and intrusiveness—significantly influenced both initial symptom levels and the trajectory of change; (4) The dynamics of psychological abuse were significantly correlated with the rate of change in depressive symptoms. Conclusion The results highlight the detrimental effects of childhood psychological abuse and suggest the feasibility of interventions targeting early secondary school students, providing insights into strategies to mitigate the impact of depressive symptoms among adolescents.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-025-06884-3Childhood psychological abuseDepressive symptomsAdolescentsLatent variable growth modeling |
| spellingShingle | Fang Yuan Yongna Feng Jingtao Wu Jingxia Wang Yanhong Shao Impact of childhood psychological abuse on the trajectory of adolescent depressive symptoms: a latent growth modeling approach BMC Psychiatry Childhood psychological abuse Depressive symptoms Adolescents Latent variable growth modeling |
| title | Impact of childhood psychological abuse on the trajectory of adolescent depressive symptoms: a latent growth modeling approach |
| title_full | Impact of childhood psychological abuse on the trajectory of adolescent depressive symptoms: a latent growth modeling approach |
| title_fullStr | Impact of childhood psychological abuse on the trajectory of adolescent depressive symptoms: a latent growth modeling approach |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impact of childhood psychological abuse on the trajectory of adolescent depressive symptoms: a latent growth modeling approach |
| title_short | Impact of childhood psychological abuse on the trajectory of adolescent depressive symptoms: a latent growth modeling approach |
| title_sort | impact of childhood psychological abuse on the trajectory of adolescent depressive symptoms a latent growth modeling approach |
| topic | Childhood psychological abuse Depressive symptoms Adolescents Latent variable growth modeling |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-025-06884-3 |
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