This month’s research column will be discussing an article on depression as October is Depression Education and Awareness Month, which has the purpose of promoting understanding and reducing stigma. 

The life-course approach to mental health posits that one’s well-being and mental health state is a product of biology as well as the life experiences that an individual experiences across the lifespan. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are one category of these possible individual experiences and they have been strongly linked with later-life depressive symptoms and overall reduced well-being. While this is a discouraging relationship, there is emerging evidence pointing towards possible protective factors and interventions. Social support has been investigated in past studies and was shown to lessen the negative impacts of stressful events. As such, Cheong et al. sought to investigate whether the relationship between ACEs and depression in late adulthood is moderated by perceived social support. 

The sample of participants consisted of 1,926 Irish adults ranging in age from 50-69 years old. Of these participants, 457 reported having had an ACE within their first 18 years of life. A questionnaire was administered for each of the 3 primary variables examined; the ACE questionnaire to look at adverse childhood experiences, the Oslo Social Support Scale to look at perceived social support, and the CES-D questionnaire to look at depressive symptoms. Demographics such as marital status, educational attainment, and long-term illness were also collected. 

As hypothesized, participants who had experienced an ACE were at a higher risk of experiencing depressive symptoms during their later adulthood, and this relationship was indeed moderated by the level of perceived social support reported. Namely, participants who reported greater social support were at a lower risk of reporting depressive symptoms than were individuals who reported moderate social support, and these individuals with moderate support had a lower risk than those who reported limited social support. Additionally, the amount of impact had by perceived social support in affecting depressive symptoms varied based on the type of ACE. For individuals that reported abuse, the moderating effect of perceived social support was particularly strong in comparison to those that reported neglect or household dysfunction. Furthermore, no differences were found between socioeconomic or gender groups in terms of perceived social support diminishing the effects of ACEs on depression. 

While adverse childhood experiences can have detrimental consequences for individuals all the way into their later-life, such as an increased risk for experiencing depressive symptoms, there is hope for social support being a protective factor. This evidence found by Cheong et al. points towards the value of promoting and creating spaces/opportunities for adults to find social support when they have experienced an ACE, so as to protect their well-being and reduce the impact of possible depression. 

Graphics: Tej Mistry

Source: Cheong, E. V., Sinnott, C., Dahly, D. & Kearney, P. M. (2017). Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and later-life depression: perceived social support as a potential protective factor. BMJ Open 7(9), http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2016-013228.