Adult Affective Disorder and Early Environment

Childhood precursors of symptoms of depression and anxiety were investigated in a national population sample of over 3000 men and women, aged 36 years. Early-life data had been collected prospectively for all subjects. A number of factors, differing for men and women, were found to be significant predictors of adult disorder. Some factors showed strong effects but tended to apply to relatively few individuals, while other more common circumstances had modest influences. Overall, early environment did not seem to hold great significance for adult affective disorder, although multiple disadvantages had a cumulative deleterious effect. There was little evidence of early benefits being protective.