From childhood maltreatment to adult inflammation: Evidence for the mediational status of social anxiety and low positive affect
Year: 2021
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Prior work has established a robust association between childhood maltreatment and systemic inflammatory activation later in life; however, the mechanisms involved in this process remain incompletely understood. The purpose of this investigation was to examine potential mechanistic roles for social anxiety (SA) symptoms and low positive affect (PA) in the path from childhood maltreatment to elevations in circulating interleukin (IL)-6, a common biomarker of inflammatory activation. In addition, building on prior work establishing linkages between mindful awareness and reductions in systemic inflammation, we examined the potential role of trait mindfulness as a moderator of the relationships among childhood maltreatment, SA, low PA, and IL-6. A serial mediation model utilizing a large epidemiologic dataset (final N=527) supported our central hypothesis that the direct effect of childhood maltreatment on IL-6 was fully serially mediated by SA symptoms and low PA (but not high negative affect). Additionally, results indicated that individuals falling in the upper versus lower quartiles of SA symptoms demonstrated significantly elevated concentrations of IL-6, a finding that has not been previously reported. Trait mindfulness moderated the association between low PA and IL-6, to the exclusion of any paths related to negative affect. Overall, we conclude that childhood maltreatment and SA symptoms have a significant influence on IL-6, albeit indirectly via low PA, and the influence of PA on IL-6 may be uniquely susceptible to influence by individual differences in mindfulness.
Institutions: Virginia Tech, Temple University
Language: English
Topic: Child Abuse and Trauma
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,500
Funders: John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Georgia Clinical and Translational Science Alliance, National Institutes of Health, University of California, Los Angeles, National Institute on Aging, National Center for Research Resources, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences
Awards: G1576582908, Georgetown-Howard Universities Center for Clinical and Translational Science (GHUCCTS), G2008237588, G420700271, Institutional Clinical and Translational Science Award (UW-Madison)(UL1), G4485944526, G5406386923, G6814341081, Integrative Pathways to Health and Illness, G8722151542, G8851828769, G9000304719, Integrative Pathways to Health and Illness, UCLA Clinical and Translational Science Institute
OpenAlex ID: W3162351013