A study published in Depression & Anxiety suggests that early-life instability is associated with adverse outcomes in adulthood, including anxiety and depression.

The new study sought to understand how negative effects of early-life instability may contribute to symptoms of people at psychiatric risk.

Many participants were seeking treatment for PTSD and/or depression already.

Mental health symptoms were assessed via self-report measures and participants spoke with a research assistant about their current level of treatment.

Participants completed measures on early-life adversity, depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms, anhedonia, suicidal ideation, substance use, and pain.

Results showed that early-life unpredictability was associated with greater symptomology of depression and anxiety, even when childhood trauma was absent.

Additionally, for people with childhood trauma, early-life instability was related to worsened PTSD symptoms, as well as greater symptoms of depression, anxiety, and anhedonia.

These relationships were stable at follow up appointments, suggesting longevity of this relationship between childhood unpredictability and worsened symptoms of mental illness.

Early-life instability was also associated with increased suicidal ideation.