Earlier age at menarche as a transdiagnostic mechanism linking childhood trauma with multiple forms of psychopathology in adolescent girls

Natalie L Colich; Jonathan M Platt; Katherine M Keyes; Jennifer A Sumner; Nicholas B Allen; Katie A McLaughlin

doi:10.1017/S0033291719000953

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Earlier age at menarche as a transdiagnostic mechanism linking childhood trauma with multiple forms of psychopathology in adolescent girls

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Earlier age at menarche as a transdiagnostic mechanism linking childhood trauma with multiple forms of psychopathology in adolescent girls

Natalie L Colich, Jonathan M Platt, Katherine M Keyes, Jennifer A Sumner, Nicholas B Allen and Katie A McLaughlin

Psychological medicine, Vol.50(7), pp.1090-1098

05/2020

DOI: 10.1017/S0033291719000953

PMCID: PMC6814488

PMID: 31020943

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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/6814488View

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Abstract

Although early life adversity (ELA) increases risk for psychopathology, mechanisms linking ELA with the onset of psychopathology remain poorly understood. Conceptual models have argued that ELA accelerates development. It is unknown whether all forms of ELA are associated with accelerated development or whether early maturation is a potential mechanism linking ELA with psychopathology. We examine whether two distinct dimensions of ELA - threat and deprivation - have differential associations with pubertal timing in girls, and evaluate whether accelerated pubertal timing is a mechanism linking ELA with the onset of adolescent psychopathology. Data were drawn from a large, nationally representative sample of 4937 adolescent girls. Multiple forms of ELA characterized by threat and deprivation were assessed along with age at menarche (AAM) and the onset of DSM-IV fear, distress, externalizing, and eating disorders. Greater exposure to threat was associated with earlier AAM (B = -0.1, p = 0.001). Each 1-year increase in AAM was associated with reduced odds of fear, distress, and externalizing disorders post-menarche (ORs = 0.74-0.85). Earlier AAM significantly mediated the association between exposure to threat and post-menarche onset of distress (proportion mediated = 6.2%), fear (proportion mediated = 16.3%), and externalizing disorders (proportion mediated = 2.9%). Accelerated pubertal development in girls may be one transdiagnostic pathway through which threat-related experiences confer risk for the adolescent onset of mental disorders. Early pubertal maturation is a marker that could be used in both medical and mental health settings to identify trauma-exposed youth that are at risk for developing a mental disorder during adolescence in order to better target early interventions.

Adolescent

Adolescent Development

Adverse Childhood Experiences - psychology

Age Factors

Child

Female

Humans

Menarche - psychology

Mental Disorders - psychology

Details

Title: Subtitle: Earlier age at menarche as a transdiagnostic mechanism linking childhood trauma with multiple forms of psychopathology in adolescent girls
Creators: Natalie L Colich - Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
Jonathan M Platt - Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
Katherine M Keyes - Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
Jennifer A Sumner - Center for Behavioral Cardiovascular Health, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
Nicholas B Allen - Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
Katie A McLaughlin - Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Psychological medicine, Vol.50(7), pp.1090-1098
DOI: 10.1017/S0033291719000953
PMID: 31020943
PMCID: PMC6814488
NLM abbreviation: Psychol Med
ISSN: 0033-2917
eISSN: 1469-8978
Grant note: K01 HL130650 / NHLBI NIH HHS F32 MH114317 / NIMH NIH HHS R01 MH103291 / NIMH NIH HHS R01 MH106482 / NIMH NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 05/2020
Academic Unit: Epidemiology; Injury Prevention Research Center
Record Identifier: 9984214803302771

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