Treating childhood trauma and chronic depression

Treating childhood trauma and chronic depression

The results of a new study revealed that adults with depressive disorder and a history of childhood trauma can improve symptoms after receiving drug therapy, psychotherapy or combination therapy, according to the Neuro Science website.

The results of the new study, conducted by Dutch psychologist Erica Kosminskaite and her research team, and published in The Lancet Psychiatry, indicate that, contrary to current theory, common types of treatment for major depressive disorder have been shown to be effective for patients who suffer from childhood trauma, including neglect. Emotional, physical, emotional or sexual abuse before the age of 18.

childhood trauma

Childhood trauma is a risk factor for developing major depressive disorder in adulthood, often resulting in symptoms that appear earlier, last longer and are more frequent, with an increased risk of illness.

Previous studies have indicated that adults and adolescents with depression and childhood trauma were about 1.5 times more likely to fail to respond or refer after drug, psychotherapy, or combination therapy than those without childhood trauma.

The new study is "the largest of its kind examining the efficacy of depression treatments for adults with childhood trauma, and is also the first study to compare the effect of active treatment with condition control among this group of depressed patients," researcher Erica Kosminskate says.

29 clinical trials

Psychologist Kosminskite adds that about 46% of adults with depression have a history of childhood trauma, and for those with chronic depression, the prevalence rate is even higher. It is therefore important to determine whether current treatments offered for major depressive disorder are effective for patients with childhood trauma.

The researchers used data from 29 clinical trials of drug and psychotherapy for major depressive disorder in adults, covering a maximum of 6830 patients.

severity of symptoms

Consistent with the results of previous studies, patients with childhood trauma showed greater symptom severity at the start of treatment than patients without childhood trauma, highlighting the importance of taking symptom severity into account when calculating treatment effects.

Interestingly, although patients with childhood trauma reported more depressive symptoms at the beginning and end of treatment, they experienced a similar improvement in symptoms compared to patients without a history of childhood trauma.

future research

"The findings could give hope to people who have experienced childhood trauma," Kuzminskat explains. However, more clinical attention is needed to effectively manage residual symptoms after treatment in patients with childhood trauma.”

"To provide further meaningful progress and improve outcomes for individuals with childhood trauma, future research is necessary to examine the outcomes of long-term treatment and the mechanisms by which childhood trauma exerts its long-term effects," says Kuzminskate.

daily performance

Antoine Irondi, from the University of Toulouse in France who was not involved in the study, wrote: “The study results may allow us to deliver a hopeful message to patients with childhood trauma that evidence-based psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy can help. in improving symptoms of depression.

"But clinicians should keep in mind that childhood trauma can be associated with clinical features that may make it more difficult to access full symptomatic treatment, which in turn has an impact on daily functioning."