TY - JOUR
T1 - Childhood trauma and anger in adults with and without depressive and anxiety disorders
AU - de Bles, N. J.
AU - Pütz, L. E. H.
AU - Rius Ottenheim, N.
AU - van Hemert, A. M.
AU - Elzinga, B. M.
AU - Penninx, B. W. J. H.
AU - Giltay, E. J.
N1 - Funding Information: The infrastructure for the NESDA study ( www.nesda.nl ) is funded through the Geestkracht program of the Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development (ZonMw, grant number 10‐0001002) and financial contributions by participating universities and mental health care organizations (VU University Medical Center, GGZ inGeest, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden University, GGZ Rivierduinen, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Lentis, GGZ Friesland, GGZ Drenthe, Dimence, Rob Giel Onderzoekscentrum). Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Authors. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
PY - 2023/9
Y1 - 2023/9
N2 - Background: Childhood trauma (CT) is associated with severe sequelae, including stress-related mental health disorders that can perpetuate long into adulthood. A key mechanism in this relationship seems to be emotion regulation. We aimed to investigate (1) whether childhood trauma is associated with anger in adulthood, and, if so, (2) to explore which types of childhood trauma predominate in the prediction of anger in a cohort that included participants with and without current affective disorders. Methods: In the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA), childhood trauma was assessed with a semi-structured Childhood Trauma Interview (CTI) at baseline, and analyzed in relation to anger as measured at a 4-year follow-up with the Spielberger Trait Anger Subscale (STAS), the Anger Attacks Questionnaire, and cluster B personality traits (i.e., borderline, antisocial) of the Personality Disorder Questionnaire 4 (PDQ-4), using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and multivariable logistic regression analyses. Post hoc analyses comprised cross-sectional regression analyses, using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form (CTQ-SF) also obtained at a 4-year follow-up. Results: Participants (n = 2271) were on average 42.1 years (SD = 13.1), and 66.2% were female. Childhood trauma showed a dose–response association with all anger constructs. All types of childhood trauma were significantly associated with borderline personality traits, independently of depression and anxiety. Additionally, all types of childhood trauma except for sexual abuse were associated with higher levels of trait anger, and a higher prevalence of anger attacks and antisocial personality traits in adulthood. Cross-sectionally, the effect sizes were larger compared with the analyses with the childhood trauma measured 4 years prior to the anger measures. Conclusions: Childhood trauma is linked with anger in adulthood, which could be of particular interest in the context of psychopathology. Focus on childhood traumatic experiences and adulthood anger may help to enhance the effectiveness of treatment for patients with depressive and anxiety disorders. Trauma-focused interventions should be implemented when appropriate.
AB - Background: Childhood trauma (CT) is associated with severe sequelae, including stress-related mental health disorders that can perpetuate long into adulthood. A key mechanism in this relationship seems to be emotion regulation. We aimed to investigate (1) whether childhood trauma is associated with anger in adulthood, and, if so, (2) to explore which types of childhood trauma predominate in the prediction of anger in a cohort that included participants with and without current affective disorders. Methods: In the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA), childhood trauma was assessed with a semi-structured Childhood Trauma Interview (CTI) at baseline, and analyzed in relation to anger as measured at a 4-year follow-up with the Spielberger Trait Anger Subscale (STAS), the Anger Attacks Questionnaire, and cluster B personality traits (i.e., borderline, antisocial) of the Personality Disorder Questionnaire 4 (PDQ-4), using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and multivariable logistic regression analyses. Post hoc analyses comprised cross-sectional regression analyses, using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form (CTQ-SF) also obtained at a 4-year follow-up. Results: Participants (n = 2271) were on average 42.1 years (SD = 13.1), and 66.2% were female. Childhood trauma showed a dose–response association with all anger constructs. All types of childhood trauma were significantly associated with borderline personality traits, independently of depression and anxiety. Additionally, all types of childhood trauma except for sexual abuse were associated with higher levels of trait anger, and a higher prevalence of anger attacks and antisocial personality traits in adulthood. Cross-sectionally, the effect sizes were larger compared with the analyses with the childhood trauma measured 4 years prior to the anger measures. Conclusions: Childhood trauma is linked with anger in adulthood, which could be of particular interest in the context of psychopathology. Focus on childhood traumatic experiences and adulthood anger may help to enhance the effectiveness of treatment for patients with depressive and anxiety disorders. Trauma-focused interventions should be implemented when appropriate.
KW - anger
KW - anxiety
KW - childhood trauma
KW - depression
UR - https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=85164742815&origin=inward
UR - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37430486
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85164742815&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1111/acps.13589
DO - https://doi.org/10.1111/acps.13589
M3 - Article
C2 - 37430486
SN - 0001-690X
VL - 148
SP - 288
EP - 301
JO - Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica
JF - Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica
IS - 3
ER -