Child abuse when young 'can lead to depression in later years'

Written by James Gadsby-Peet 5th February 2010

Children who suffer child abuse at an early age are more likely to go on to develop depression, new research has shown.

Research published in Child Development reveals that there are physiological differences in these children which could be down to the way they were treated before the age of five.

The team behind the study attribute this to an excess of cortisol, a hormone that can be generated through stress and which can harm development or health when present in very high or low levels.

Its survey involved a total of 500 children from low-income backgrounds, half having experienced abuse or neglect, and measured the levels of the hormone present in their bodies throughout the day.

The team behind the research concluded: "The results of this study have significant implications for children in the child welfare population and underscore the importance of providing early preventive interventions to children who have been abused."