Early Childhood Adversity and Its Associations With Anxiety, Depression, and Distress in Women With Breast Cancer

Overview

Journal Psychosomatics

Publisher Elsevier

Specialty Psychiatry

Date 2016 Feb 16

PMID 26876888

Citations 9

Authors

Daniel C McFarland

Charissa Andreotti

Kirk Harris

John Mandeli

Amy Tiersten

Jimmie Holland

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Certain vulnerability factors have been found to place patients at risk for depression and anxiety, especially within the context of medical illness.

Objectives: We sought to describe the relationships among early childhood adversity (ECA) and anxiety, depression and distress in patients with breast cancer.

Methods: Patients with breast cancer (stages 0-IV) were assessed for ECA (i.e., the Risky Families Questionnaire subscales include Abuse/Neglect/Chaotic Home Environment), distress (i.e., Distress Thermometer and Problem List), anxiety (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety), depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Depression), meeting standardized cut-off thresholds for distress (Distress Thermometer and Problem List ≥4 or ≥7)/anxiety (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety ≥8)/depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Depression ≥8) and demographic factors.

Results: A total of 125 participants completed the study (78% response rate). ECA was associated with depression (p <0.001), anxiety (p = 0.001), and distress (p = 0.006), meeting cut-off threshold criteria for distress (p = 0.024), anxiety (p = 0.048), and depression (p = 0.001). On multivariate analysis, only depression (p = 0.04) and emotional issues (i.e., component of Distress Thermometer and Problem List) (p = 0.001) were associated with ECA. Neglect, but not Abuse and Chaotic Home Environment, was associated with depression (β = 0.442, p < 0.001), anxiety (β = 0.342, p = 0.002), and self-identified problems with family (β = 0.288, p = 0.022), emotion (β = 0.345, p = 0.004), and physical issues (β = 0.408, p < 0.001).

Conclusion: ECA and neglect are associated with multiple psychologic symptoms, but most specifically depression in the setting of breast cancer. ECA contributes to psychologic burden as a vulnerability factor. ECA may help to explain individual patient trajectories and influence the provision of patient-centered care for psychologic symptoms in patients with breast cancer.

Citing Articles

Incidence and risk factors for psychological distress in adult female patients with breast cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Tao L, Xiang Y, Zeng X, Fu L, Li J, Chen H Front Psychiatry. 2024; 15:1309702.

PMID: 38544846 PMC: 10965559. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1309702.

Adverse childhood events and mental health problems in cancer survivors: a systematic review.

Hinnen C, von Haeseler E, Tijssens F, Mols F Support Care Cancer. 2024; 32(1):80.

PMID: 38175303 PMC: 10766658. DOI: 10.1007/s00520-023-08280-7.

Effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction training on rumination in patients with breast cancer.

Bagherzadeh R, Sohrabineghad R, Gharibi T, Mehboodi F, Vahedparast H BMC Womens Health. 2022; 22(1):552.

PMID: 36575482 PMC: 9795671. DOI: 10.1186/s12905-022-02124-y.

A Comprehensive Review on Multifaceted Mechanisms Involved in the Development of Breast Cancer Following Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).

Pino O, Cadena R, Poli D Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022; 19(19).

PMID: 36231913 PMC: 9565960. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191912615.

Insomnia and Susceptibility to Depressive Symptoms and Fatigue in Diverse Breast Cancer Survivors.

Haque R, Hsu J, Avila C, Olmstead R, Carroll J, Irwin M J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2020; 30(11):1604-1615.

PMID: 33035108 PMC: 8917892. DOI: 10.1089/jwh.2019.8135.

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