title: Is developmental timing of trauma exposure associated with depressive and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms in adulthood?
abstract: Trauma exposure is a known risk factor for psychopathology. However, the impact of the developmental timing of exposure remains unclear. This study examined the effect of age at first trauma exposure on levels of adult depressive and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms.
  
  
  
  Lifetime trauma exposure (including age at first exposure and frequency), current psychiatric symptoms, and sociodemographic information were collected during interviews with adults participating in a study at a public urban hospital in Atlanta, GA. Multiple linear regression models assessed the association between timing of first trauma exposure, classified as early childhood (ages 0-5), middle childhood (ages 6-10), adolescence (ages 11-18), and adulthood (ages 19+), on adult psychopathology in 2892 individuals.
  
  
  
  Participants exposed to trauma (i.e., child maltreatment, other interpersonal violence, non-interpersonal violence, and other events) at any age had higher depressive and PTSD symptoms compared to their unexposed peers. However, participants first exposed to child maltreatment during early childhood had depression and PTSD symptoms that were about twice as high as those exposed during later developmental stages. This association was detected even after controlling for sociodemographic characteristics, exposure to other trauma types, and frequency of exposure. Participants first exposed during middle childhood to other interpersonal violence also had depressive symptoms scores that were about twice as high as those first exposed during adulthood.
  
  
  
  Trauma exposure at different ages may differentially impact depressive and PTSD symptoms in adulthood. More detailed examination of timing of trauma exposure is warranted to aid in identifying sensitive periods in development.
authors.affiliation: Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, 185 Cambridge St, Simches Research Building, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, 401 Park Drive, 2 West, Room 305, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, The Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, The Ted and Vada Stanley Building, 75 Ames Street, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA. Electronic address: http://www.thedunnlab.com.
authors.forename: Erin C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Dunn
authors.affiliation: Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, 185 Cambridge St, Simches Research Building, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA. Electronic address: kmn920@mail.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Kristen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nishimi
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, 201 Dowman Drive, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA. Electronic address: abigail.d.powers@emory.edu.
authors.forename: Abigail
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Powers
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, 201 Dowman Drive, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; Atlanta VA Medical Center, 1670 Clairmont Road, Decatur, GA 30033, USA. Electronic address: rbradl2@emory.edu.
authors.forename: Bekh
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bradley
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D054523:Adult Survivors of Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology*; D000367:Age Factors; D003423:Critical Period, Psychological; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005845:Georgia; D006803:Human Development; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D014505:Urban Population; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Child maltreatment; Depression; Post-traumatic stress disorder; Sensitive periods; Trauma