Depressed mood consistently emerged as a central symptom; regardless of participants' history of childhood trauma. Additionally, feelings of worthlessness emerged as a key symptom in the network of self-reported depressive symptoms among participants with—but not without—a history of childhood trauma.

Summary of results

Data from 543 participants were used.  67.2% were women with a mean age of 50.3. This data was used to estimate the networks of self-reported and clinician-rated depressive symptoms. Self-reported (Patient Health Questionnaire) and clinician-rated (Hamilton Depression Rating Scale) scales were used for individual depressive symptoms. These were used among participants with bipolar disorder with and without a history of childhood trauma (Childhood Trauma Questionnaire), which were characterized and compared.

Methods

This study characterized and compared the networks of both self-reported  and  clinician-rated depressive symptoms among participants with BD with and without a history of childhood trauma. The most consistent finding was that depressed mood emerged as a central symptom (9 out of 32 networks) in patients with BD.  This is regardless of participants' history or no history of childhood trauma. This reinforces the fact that depressed mood is a core feature of depression in BD.

Discussion - why is this important?

Pepperdine University

During childhood, individual is exposed to neglect, physical, sexual, or emotional abuse that leaves them vulnerable to developmental problems into adulthood

Childhood Trauma

Wrobel, AL, Cotton, SM, Jayasinghe, A, et al. Childhood trauma and depressive symptoms in bipolar disorder: A network analysis. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2023; 147(3): 286-300. doi:10.1111/acps.13528

Childhood trauma and depressive symptoms in bipolardisorder: A network analysis

During developmental periods, the brain has high plasticity and is extremely vulnerable to its environment. Hindering environments can lead the child to become susceptible to developmental problems and disorders.

childhood Trauma and the Brain

- Fear/ reluctance to go home
- Low/no self-esteem
- Flinching away from physical touch 
- Poor academic performance in school
- Self-harm
- Suicidal ideation 
- Aggression/tantrums 
- Physical signs of neglect
- Unusual behavior

Indicators of Child Abuse

Childhood Trauma Effects References

- More complex, diffused, and tenacious symptomology (does not fit neatly into DSM-5)
- personality changes in relatedness and identity
- involved further harm to self/others

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