title: Exposure to socioeconomic adversity in early life and risk of depression at 18 years: The mediating role of locus of control.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous studies have linked exposure to early socioeconomic adversity to depression, but the mechanisms of this association are not well understood. Locus of control (LoC), an individual's control-related beliefs, has been implicated as a possible mechanism, however, longitudinal evidence to support this is lacking.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study sample comprised 8803 participants from a UK cohort, the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Indicators of early socioeconomic adversity were collected from the antenatal period to 5 years and modelled as a latent factor. Depression was assessed using the Clinical Interview Schedule-Revised (CIS-R) at 18 years. LoC was assessed with the Nowicki-Strickland Internal-External (CNSIE) scale at 16 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Using structural equation modelling, we found that 34% of the total estimated association between early socioeconomic adversity and depression at 18 years was explained by external LoC at 16 years. There was weak evidence of a direct pathway from early socioeconomic adversity to depression after accounting for the indirect effect via external locus of control. Socioeconomic adversity was associated with more external LoC, which, in turn, was associated with depression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Attrition may have led to an underestimation of the direct and indirect effect sizes in the complete case analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results suggest that external LoC in adolescence is one of the factors mediating the link between early adversity and depression at 18 years. Cognitive interventions that seek to modify maladaptive control beliefs in adolescence may be effective in reducing risk of depression following early life adversity.
authors.affiliation: School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK. Electronic address: Iryna.Culpin@bristol.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Iryna
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Culpin
authors.affiliation: School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK; Centre of Research Excellence in Mental Health and Substance Use, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Lexine
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Stapinski
authors.affiliation: Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, St. David's Hospital Cardiff, Cwm Taf Health Board, Cardiff, Wales, UK.
authors.forename: Ömür Budanur
authors.initials: ÖB
authors.lastname: Miles
authors.affiliation: London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Epidemiology and Public Health, London, UK.
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Araya
authors.affiliation: School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Joinson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010379:Peer Group; D011203:Poverty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC); Depression; Early childhood; Locus of control; Socioeconomic adversity