Victimization In Childhood Affects Depression In Adulthood Via Neuroticism:A Path Analysis Study

Figures & data

Table 1 Comparison Of The Characteristics, PHQ-9, EPQ, And Victimization Data Of MDD Patients And Healthy Controls

Characteristic Or Measure	Healthy Controls	MDD Patients	t-test or χ^2 test (MDD Patients vs Healthy Controls)
Age (years; mean ± S.D.)	44.6 ± 11.2	46.0 ± 10.2	n.s.
Sex (men : women)	206 :  144	46 : 36	n.s.
Years of education	14.5  ± 1.8	13.7  ± 2.4	p < 0.01
Employment status (employed : nonemployed)	346: 4	48: 34	p < 0.001
Marital status (single : married)	90 : 257	36 : 46	p = 0.001
Living alone (yes : no)	59: 291	27 : 55	p = 0.001
Offspring (yes : no)	247: 103	45 :  37	p = 0.006
Number of offspring (mean ± S.D.)	1.5 ± 1.2	1.0 ± 1.0	p < 0.001
Comorbid physical disease (yes : no)	111: 239	33 :  49	n.s.
Comorbid psychiatric disorder (yes : no)	0: 350	13: 69	p < 0.001
First-degree relative with mood disorder (yes : no)	26: 324	9: 73	n.s.
First-degree relative with MDD (yes : no)	21: 329	7: 75	n.s.
PHQ-9 score	2.8 ± 2.6	15.5 ± 7.1	p < 0.001
Neuroticism score (from EPQ-R)	3.5 ± 3.1	7.8 ± 3.0	p < 0.001
Victimization score	2.0 ± 3.2	4.4 ± 3.8	p < 0.001

Notes: Values represent number or mean ± standard deviation (SD).

Abbreviations: S.D., standard deviation; MDD, major depressive disorder; EPQ-R, Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-revised; PHQ-9, Patient Health Questionnaire-9; n.s., not significant.

Figure 1 Results of path analysis of 350 healthy adults and 82 major depressive disorder (MDD) patients with age, victimization, neuroticism (EPQ-R), and depressive symptoms (PHQ-9). The solid arrows represent statistically significant direct paths, and the dotted arrows represent nonsignificant direct paths. The arrows with double lines represent indirect paths from victimization or age to PHQ-9 via neuroticism. The numbers beside the arrows show the standardized path coefficients (minimum: −1; maximum: 1). C, healthy controls; M, MDD patients. *p<0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001; ns, not significant.

Figure 2 Results of path analysis of 350 healthy adults and 82 major depressive disorder patients with age, victimization, neuroticism (EPQ-R), and the distinction of MDD (control = 1, MDD = 2). The solid arrows represent statistically significant direct paths, and the dotted arrow represents the nonsignificant direct path. The arrows with double lines represent the indirect paths from victimization or age to the distinction of MDD via neuroticism. The numbers beside the arrows show the standardized path coefficients (minimum: −1; maximum: 1). **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001; ns, not significant.