Relationship between specific adverse life events and psychiatric disorders

This study examines whether certain psychiatric disorders are associated mo re closely with adverse life events than other disorders are, and whether s ome adverse life events are associated with a specific group of disorders ( e.g., depressive disorders), but not with other disorders (e.g., anxiety di sorders). A probability sample of youth aged 9-17 at 4 sites is used (N = 1 ,285). Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions identify specific r elationships between 25 adverse life events and 9 common child and adolesce nt psychiatric disorders. measured by the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children. Conduct Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder. Major Depressiv e Disorder, and Dysthymia are significantly associated with many of the adv erse life events examined. whereas Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder , Agoraphobia. acid Social Phobia are related to very few. This study sugge sts that certain psychiatric disorders may be more closely associated with adverse life events: than other psychiatric disorders are, and that some ad verse life events seem to be related to specific types of disorders.