Do purpose in life and self-directedness mediate the effects of child abuse on anxiety and depression symptoms 18 years later?

BACKGROUND

Childhood maltreatment is a transdiagnostic risk factor that is robustly associated with the development of anxiety and depressive disorder symptoms in adulthood. This study thus aimed to investigate potential mediators between early childhood abuse and adult psychopathology severity using data from an 18-year longitudinal study among community-dwelling adults in the U.S.

METHOD: Retrospective self-reports of maternal and paternal abuse from Wave 1 (W1) were used to predict symptom severity of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) at Wave 3 (W3) for a sample of 3,294 adults. Self-reported purpose in life and self-directedness measured at Wave 2 (W2) were examined as potential mediators of this relationship. Each assessment wave was spaced about nine years apart. All models adjusted for W1 symptom severity.

RESULTS

Results from longitudinal structural equation modeling (SEM) revealed a significant mediating effect of lower W2 purpose in life in the relationship between higher W1 maternal and paternal child abuse and greater W3 GAD and MDD symptoms in adulthood (Cohen's d range = 0.221-0.279). Further, lower W2 self-directedness mediated the association between greater W1 paternal child abuse and higher W3 GAD severity (d = 0.209) but not between W1 maternal abuse and W3 GAD symptoms in adulthood. W2 self-directedness also did not mediate the effects of child abuse on adulthood MDD symptoms.

DISCUSSION: Raising a sense of purpose in life and self-directedness might be key treatment targets to treat and prevent GAD and MDD in adults who experienced maltreatment in childhood.