The longitudinal relationships among adverse childhood experiences, lifestyle, and late-life depression: a latent growth mediation model

BackgroundMany studies have shown that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are one of the causes of depressive symptoms in middle-aged and elderly individuals, but the combined impact of ACEs and lifestyle factors on depression has not been fully explored.MethodsThis study used data from the China...

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Main Authors: Xin Cai, Haojie Yin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-07-01
Series:Frontiers in Psychiatry
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1581908/full
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author Xin Cai
Haojie Yin
author_facet Xin Cai
Haojie Yin
author_sort Xin Cai
collection DOAJ
description BackgroundMany studies have shown that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are one of the causes of depressive symptoms in middle-aged and elderly individuals, but the combined impact of ACEs and lifestyle factors on depression has not been fully explored.MethodsThis study used data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) from 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, and 2020, including 10,835 middle-aged and elderly individuals. A latent variable growth curve model was used to analyze the trends of late-life depression and lifestyle changes. The mediating role of lifestyle in the relationship between ACEs and depression was also assessed.ResultsACEs were significantly associated with lower initial lifestyle levels (β = -0.138, P <.001) and higher depression severity (β = 0.253, P <.001). The mediation analysis results showed that the relationship between ACEs and the depression intercept was partially mediated by the initial level of lifestyle (β = 0.021, P <.001), and the relationship between ACEs and the depression slope was entirely mediated by the initial level of lifestyle (β = -0.010, P <.01). Different dimensions of ACEs had varying effects on depression.ConclusionsACEs are associated with the severity of depression, partly due to lower lifestyle levels. Interventions focused on reducing ACEs and improving lifestyle could effectively reduce the incidence of depression in middle-aged and elderly populations.
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spelling doaj-art-c1b33a23c300490cafc4fa01be6affe72025-08-20T03:08:43ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402025-07-011610.3389/fpsyt.2025.15819081581908The longitudinal relationships among adverse childhood experiences, lifestyle, and late-life depression: a latent growth mediation modelXin Cai0Haojie Yin1Clinical Medical College & Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University, Chengdu University, Chengdu, ChinaDepartment of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Neijiang First People’s Hospital, Neijiang, ChinaBackgroundMany studies have shown that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are one of the causes of depressive symptoms in middle-aged and elderly individuals, but the combined impact of ACEs and lifestyle factors on depression has not been fully explored.MethodsThis study used data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) from 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, and 2020, including 10,835 middle-aged and elderly individuals. A latent variable growth curve model was used to analyze the trends of late-life depression and lifestyle changes. The mediating role of lifestyle in the relationship between ACEs and depression was also assessed.ResultsACEs were significantly associated with lower initial lifestyle levels (β = -0.138, P <.001) and higher depression severity (β = 0.253, P <.001). The mediation analysis results showed that the relationship between ACEs and the depression intercept was partially mediated by the initial level of lifestyle (β = 0.021, P <.001), and the relationship between ACEs and the depression slope was entirely mediated by the initial level of lifestyle (β = -0.010, P <.01). Different dimensions of ACEs had varying effects on depression.ConclusionsACEs are associated with the severity of depression, partly due to lower lifestyle levels. Interventions focused on reducing ACEs and improving lifestyle could effectively reduce the incidence of depression in middle-aged and elderly populations.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1581908/fulladverse childhood experiencesdepressionlifestylemiddle-aged and older adultsmediating effects
spellingShingle Xin Cai
Haojie Yin
The longitudinal relationships among adverse childhood experiences, lifestyle, and late-life depression: a latent growth mediation model
Frontiers in Psychiatry
adverse childhood experiences
depression
lifestyle
middle-aged and older adults
mediating effects
title The longitudinal relationships among adverse childhood experiences, lifestyle, and late-life depression: a latent growth mediation model
title_full The longitudinal relationships among adverse childhood experiences, lifestyle, and late-life depression: a latent growth mediation model
title_fullStr The longitudinal relationships among adverse childhood experiences, lifestyle, and late-life depression: a latent growth mediation model
title_full_unstemmed The longitudinal relationships among adverse childhood experiences, lifestyle, and late-life depression: a latent growth mediation model
title_short The longitudinal relationships among adverse childhood experiences, lifestyle, and late-life depression: a latent growth mediation model
title_sort longitudinal relationships among adverse childhood experiences lifestyle and late life depression a latent growth mediation model
topic adverse childhood experiences
depression
lifestyle
middle-aged and older adults
mediating effects
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1581908/full
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