Assessing the interplay of childhood adversities with more recent stressful life events and conditions in predicting panic pathology among adults from the general population

• Published in: Journal of affective disorders 2018-01, Vol.225, p.715-722
• Main Authors: Asselmann, E., Stender, J., Grabe, H.J., König, J., Schmidt, C.O., Hamm, A.O., Pané-Farré, C.A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Adult Survivors of Child Abuse - psychology; Arousal; Child; Fear - psychology; Female; Humans; Interaction; Life Change Events; Life event; Male; Panic; Panic Disorder - psychology; Psychopathology; Risk Factors; Surveys and Questionnaires; Time Factors; Trauma
• ISSN: 0165-0327; 1573-2517
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2017.08.050

Although research suggests that (a) childhood adversities and more recent stressful life events/conditions are risk factors for panic pathology and that (b) early life stress increases vulnerability to later psychopathology, it remains unclear whether childhood adversities amplify the association between more recent stressful life events/conditions and panic pathology. Data were derived from a general population sample (Study of Health in Pomerania, SHIP). Lifetime panic pathology was assessed with the Munich Composite International Diagnostic Interview (M-CIDI). Childhood adversities (emotional, physical and sexual abuse; emotional and physical neglect) were assessed with the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). More recent separation/loss events and long-lasting stressful conditions were assessed with the Stralsund Life Event List (SEL). Individuals with lifetime panic pathology (fearful spell, panic attack or panic disorder, N = 286) were compared to controls without any psychopathology (N = 286, matched for sex and age). Conditional logistic regressions revealed that childhood adversities as well as more recent separation/loss events and long-lasting stressful conditions were associated with panic pathology (OR 1.1–2.5). Moreover, more recent separation/loss events - but not long-lasting stressful conditions - interacted statistically with each of the examined childhood adversities except for sexual abuse in predicting panic pathology (OR 1.1–1.3). That is, separation/loss events were associated more strongly with panic pathology among individuals with higher childhood adversities. Data were assessed retrospectively and might be subject to recall biases. Findings suggest that early childhood adversities amplify the risk of developing panic pathology after experiencing separation or loss events. •Data come from a general population sample in Germany.•We compared subjects with panic vs. matched controls without mental disorder.•We tested associations of childhood adversities/recent stressful events with panic.•Childhood adversities interacted with more recent stressful events in predicting panic.•Higher childhood adversity amplified the link between recent events and panic risk.