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The Relation of Childhood Separation Experiences to Adult Depressive and Anxiety States

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

Christopher Tennant ,
Jane Hurry  and
Paul Bebbington
Christopher Tennant
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Sydney, Concord Hospital, Concord, NSW 2139, Australia
Paul Bebbington
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, London SE5
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Summary

The relation of childhood separation experiences to adult depression, anxiety and ‘general psychological morbidity’ was assessed in a random population survey. Four causes of separation were examined in each of three age groups: childhood illness, parental illness, parental marital discord and wartime evacuation. Childhood separations occurring up to five years of age bore no relation to depression, anxiety nor to incidence of morbidity generally. From five to ten years of age, separations caused by parental illness and marital discord were related to morbidity, and in the latter instance were more likely to cause depression than anxiety. From 11 to 15 years, only separations due to parental illness were related to morbidity generally.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 141 , Issue 5 , November 1982 , pp. 475 - 482
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1982 

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