The Effects of Adversity on Depression among University Students

Abstract

Based on secondary analysis of data from a sample of 649 individuals attending one of three New England colleges in the United States, this study examines the links between childhood adversity and young adult depression. Assessment of the relative impact on depression of adversity experienced directly and adversity experienced indirectly through family problems was made in an attempt to identify mechanisms by which each affects psychological distress. It was hypothesized that childhood adversity exhibits effects on psychological distress in young adulthood, at least in part, through its damaging impact on the development of social and personal resources—specifically, by affecting a reduction in family support, peer support, self-esteem, and mastery. Further, it was hypothesized that the importance of these mediators in explaining the link to depression of adversity differs between personal problems and family problems. Findings indicate that family adversity has a more severe impact on young adult depression than personal adversity. Further, the two most important mediators of the relationship to depression of family adversity are self-esteem and mastery, but the two most important mediators of the relationship to depression of personal adversity are self-esteem and family support. Also, the combined mediating effect of the resource variables is greater for family adversity than it is for personal adversity. These findings suggest that the mechanisms involved in the translation of stress to depression do vary somewhat between adversity that is experienced directly and adversity that is experienced indirectly through the family.

DOI: 10.5901/jesr.2016.v6n2p53