Measuring childhood trauma in young adults with depression: A latent profile analysis

Childhood traumas are important risk factors for depression in young adults. However, the co-occurrence of childhood traumas is complex, and the specific effects of different types of childhood traumas on depression need further exploration. The aim of this study was to assess the co-occurrence of childhood traumas and the impact of different profiles of childhood trauma on depression. A total of 1053 young adults with depression in China participated. PHQ-9, SHAPS, GAD-7, CTQ-SF, and NLES were evaluated. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was conducted to identify profiles of childhood trauma. The effects of different childhood trauma profiles on depression, anxiety, and anhedonia were assessed using stepwise linear regression. LPA suggested three profiles: no or low childhood traumas, moderate childhood trauma with emotional abuse and childhood neglect, and high childhood trauma with high levels of all trauma types. Regression analyses suggested that high levels of emotional abuse and childhood neglect significantly affected anhedonia. Childhood adverse events cluster in young adults with depression, allowing grouping into three distinct profiles. Specific childhood trauma patterns predict anhedonia symptoms in adult depression.