Ubiquitous negative emotional states such as depression, anxiety and stress in adulthood are related to individual life scenario, particularly influenced by exposure to environmental risk factors. Here, we investigated if sub-threshold negative emotional states in general population can be predicted by experience of trauma in the childhood.

A sample of 106 healthy young adult participants from Belgrade and surroundings (43.4% male, age 29.2 ± 6.6 years, mean IQ 106.4 ± 15.9) fulfilled Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) to identify emotional or physical abuse/neglect or sexual abuse. Present level of negative affectivity was measured by Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS). Hierarchical linear regression analysis was conducted to identify subtypes of trauma as predictors of the negative affectivity.

Mean CTQ and DASS scores were 31.2 ± 6.7 and 16.4 ± 16.8, respectively. An exposure to given risk factors in the past correlated significantly with intensity of the present negative affective states (r = 0.290, P = 0.004). For the prediction of anxiety, the most important traumatism subtypes were emotional abuse, emotional neglect and physical abuse (P = 0.001; 0.028; and 0.041, respectively). Depressive symptoms were predicted only by the emotional abuse in the past (P = 0.008).

Based on clinical samples, findings from the literature yielded greater risk for mood and anxiety disorders after exposure to emotional, in comparison to the physical trauma. We confirmed the same pattern of correlations in the healthy subject's sample, who had no history mental disorders. Evaluation of the interaction effects among emotional trauma and genotype is strongly recommended in the identification of subjects at risk and for the prevention.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.