CHILDHOOD OUT-OF-HOME CARE AND CURRENT DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS AMONG HOMELESS ADULTS

Previous research indicates that adverse childhood experiences are ass ociated with depression during adulthood under conditions of social st ress. This relationship was examined in a large sample of homeless adu lts (n = 1849). Subjects with evidence of severe mental disorders such as schizophrenia were excluded. Those with out-of-home care (e.g., fo ster, group, or institutional care) during childhood were significantl y more likely than those without such care to report current severe de pressive symptoms (CES-D score greater than or equal to 30). The findi ng, which held up:in multivariate analysis when potential confounders were statistically controlled, supports the theory that certain develo pmental experiences are risk factors for subsequent depressive symptom s.