The mediating role of anxiety/depression symptoms between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and somatic symptoms in adolescents, 2022, Lee et al

Abstract

Introduction
This study examines the relationships among recent adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), somatic symptoms, and anxiety/depression symptoms during adolescence and whether anxiety/depression symptoms mediate the relationship between ACEs and somatic symptoms.

Methods
Longitudinal prospective data from the Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect study of 1354 children and their primary caregivers in the United States was used in this study. A longitudinal cross-lagged path analysis among recent ACEs, anxiety/depression symptoms, and somatic symptoms at three points during adolescence (ages 12, 14, and 16 years) was conducted.

Results
The sample was 51% female and 53% African American. The results indicated significant concurrent associations between recent ACEs and increased anxiety/depression symptoms at ages 12, 14, and 16 (β = .27, p < .001; β = .15, p < .001; β = .07, p < .05) and between anxiety/depression symptoms and increased somatic symptoms at ages 12, 14, and 16 years (β = .44, p < .001; β = .39, p < .001; β = .49, p < .001). Moreover, anxiety/depression symptoms significantly mediated the relationship between recent ACEs and concurrent somatic symptoms at ages 12, 14, and 16 years (β = .12, p < .001; β = .06, p < .001; β = .04, p < .05). However, there was no significant relationship between recent ACEs and somatic symptoms.

Conclusion
The findings suggest that anxiety/depression symptoms mediate the concurrent relationships between recent ACEs and somatic symptoms at ages 12, 14, and 16. Clinicians should consider assessing anxiety/depression symptoms and possible concurrent exposure to ACEs when caring for adolescents who present with somatic symptoms.

Paywall, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jad.12012

 

OK I may have got this wrong but I think they are saying that they found a correlation between adverse experiences and anxiety/depression.

They also found that adolescents who experienced somatic symptoms had a correlation with anxiety/ depression. When I became ill with ME at 14 I was anxious not knowing when I was suddenly not going to be able to speak or read because of double vision and so on. The symptoms were causing the problem not the other way round!

But they did not find any correlation between adverse events and somatic symptoms. That would be a null result then, but no, as usual a positive spin is put on it and we should still assume that adverse events cause somatic symptoms!

I also think they should have separated out anxiety and depression since anxiety about being beaten at home or sudden extreme pain is a natural response while depression is a disease which can come from bad experience or with no known cause.