The relationship between self-reported adverse experiences and depressive symptoms among middle-aged and elderly individuals: A longitudinal study based on the CHARLS database
Background: Adverse experiences are critical determinants of late-life depressive symptomatology. Understanding how these experiences influence later-life health outcomes remains a research priority. This study examines the longitudinal associations between self-reported adverse childhood experience...
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Elsevier
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666354625000596 |
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| author | Feng Jiang Xifei Guan Zhixin Zhu Nawen Liu Hua Gu Xiuyang Li |
| author_facet | Feng Jiang Xifei Guan Zhixin Zhu Nawen Liu Hua Gu Xiuyang Li |
| author_sort | Feng Jiang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Adverse experiences are critical determinants of late-life depressive symptomatology. Understanding how these experiences influence later-life health outcomes remains a research priority. This study examines the longitudinal associations between self-reported adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and adverse adult experiences (AAEs) with depressive symptoms in older adults, as well as the underlying mechanisms. Methods: A sample of 3941 adults aged ≥45 years from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) was analyzed. K-means for Longitudinal Data (KML), Logistic regression, and Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR) models were employed to assess the effects of adverse experiences. Subgroup and mediation analyses were also performed. Results: The high depressive symptomatology cluster (n = 1432) demonstrated significant associations with six ACEs: childhood hunger (OR = 1.23, 95%CI:1.03–1.47), dangerous growth environments (OR = 1.34, 95%CI:1.09–1.65), childhood loneliness (OR = 1.45, 95%CI:1.20–1.74), bullying (OR = 1.2, 95%CI:1.01–1.43), parental depression (OR = 1.80, 95%CI:1.50–2.16), and parental disability (OR = 1.44, 95%CI:1.03–2.02). Comprehensive effect estimation of ACEs indicated an 85.9% probability of a high depression score for those with all adverse experiences. AAEs like prolonged bed rest (OR = 1.39, 95%CI:1.08–1.79), and lifetime discrimination (OR = 1.37, 95%CI:1.12–1.66) independently predicted symptom severity. Effect modification analysis revealed stronger ACE impacts among individuals with higher cognitive reserve (OR = 3.32, 95%CI:2.34–4.70). Mediation analysis identified arthritis or rheumatism as a partial mediator of the ACE-depression pathway (natural indirect effect = 1.04, 95%CI:1.02–1.05). Conclusions: Self-reported ACEs and AAEs demonstrate persistent associations with depressive symptoms in later life, mediated by chronic morbidity and moderated by cognitive reserve. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-3a6987cf71d34cfeb1b04736b8d79718 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2666-3546 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
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| series | Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-3a6987cf71d34cfeb1b04736b8d797182025-08-20T02:33:32ZengElsevierBrain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health2666-35462025-07-014610100110.1016/j.bbih.2025.101001The relationship between self-reported adverse experiences and depressive symptoms among middle-aged and elderly individuals: A longitudinal study based on the CHARLS databaseFeng Jiang0Xifei Guan1Zhixin Zhu2Nawen Liu3Hua Gu4Xiuyang Li5Department of Big Data in Health Science, and Center for Clinical Big Data and Statistics, The Second Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, ChinaDepartment of Big Data in Health Science, and Center for Clinical Big Data and Statistics, The Second Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, ChinaDepartment of Big Data in Health Science, and Center for Clinical Big Data and Statistics, The Second Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, ChinaDepartment of Big Data in Health Science, and Center for Clinical Big Data and Statistics, The Second Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, ChinaZhejiang Provincial Center for Medical Service Management & Evaluation, Hangzhou, 310005, ChinaDepartment of Big Data in Health Science, and Center for Clinical Big Data and Statistics, The Second Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, ChinaBackground: Adverse experiences are critical determinants of late-life depressive symptomatology. Understanding how these experiences influence later-life health outcomes remains a research priority. This study examines the longitudinal associations between self-reported adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and adverse adult experiences (AAEs) with depressive symptoms in older adults, as well as the underlying mechanisms. Methods: A sample of 3941 adults aged ≥45 years from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) was analyzed. K-means for Longitudinal Data (KML), Logistic regression, and Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR) models were employed to assess the effects of adverse experiences. Subgroup and mediation analyses were also performed. Results: The high depressive symptomatology cluster (n = 1432) demonstrated significant associations with six ACEs: childhood hunger (OR = 1.23, 95%CI:1.03–1.47), dangerous growth environments (OR = 1.34, 95%CI:1.09–1.65), childhood loneliness (OR = 1.45, 95%CI:1.20–1.74), bullying (OR = 1.2, 95%CI:1.01–1.43), parental depression (OR = 1.80, 95%CI:1.50–2.16), and parental disability (OR = 1.44, 95%CI:1.03–2.02). Comprehensive effect estimation of ACEs indicated an 85.9% probability of a high depression score for those with all adverse experiences. AAEs like prolonged bed rest (OR = 1.39, 95%CI:1.08–1.79), and lifetime discrimination (OR = 1.37, 95%CI:1.12–1.66) independently predicted symptom severity. Effect modification analysis revealed stronger ACE impacts among individuals with higher cognitive reserve (OR = 3.32, 95%CI:2.34–4.70). Mediation analysis identified arthritis or rheumatism as a partial mediator of the ACE-depression pathway (natural indirect effect = 1.04, 95%CI:1.02–1.05). Conclusions: Self-reported ACEs and AAEs demonstrate persistent associations with depressive symptoms in later life, mediated by chronic morbidity and moderated by cognitive reserve.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666354625000596Adverse childhood experienceAdverse adulthood experienceBayesian kernel machine regress |
| spellingShingle | Feng Jiang Xifei Guan Zhixin Zhu Nawen Liu Hua Gu Xiuyang Li The relationship between self-reported adverse experiences and depressive symptoms among middle-aged and elderly individuals: A longitudinal study based on the CHARLS database Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health Adverse childhood experience Adverse adulthood experience Bayesian kernel machine regress |
| title | The relationship between self-reported adverse experiences and depressive symptoms among middle-aged and elderly individuals: A longitudinal study based on the CHARLS database |
| title_full | The relationship between self-reported adverse experiences and depressive symptoms among middle-aged and elderly individuals: A longitudinal study based on the CHARLS database |
| title_fullStr | The relationship between self-reported adverse experiences and depressive symptoms among middle-aged and elderly individuals: A longitudinal study based on the CHARLS database |
| title_full_unstemmed | The relationship between self-reported adverse experiences and depressive symptoms among middle-aged and elderly individuals: A longitudinal study based on the CHARLS database |
| title_short | The relationship between self-reported adverse experiences and depressive symptoms among middle-aged and elderly individuals: A longitudinal study based on the CHARLS database |
| title_sort | relationship between self reported adverse experiences and depressive symptoms among middle aged and elderly individuals a longitudinal study based on the charls database |
| topic | Adverse childhood experience Adverse adulthood experience Bayesian kernel machine regress |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666354625000596 |
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