Association of traumatic experiences with depressive symptoms among LGBTQ+ population in China

AI Summary

Trauma exposure was ubiquitous among Chinese LGBTQ+ participants: 92.7% overall, with 87.3% experiencing LGBTQ+-related adversities.
Trauma strongly associated with depressive symptoms: 30.2% prevalence, adjusted odds ratio 11.00, and each additional traumatic event raised depression risk by 10%.
Sequential mediation implicated behavioural factors, lower social support and negative coping; smoking mediated 15-40% and social support 8-33% of associations.

AI Summary

Using baseline data from 8,384 participants in the TREASURE cohort in Chengdu, China, we examined associations between trauma exposure (adverse childhood experiences, lifetime trauma and LGBTQ+-related adversities) and depressive symptoms.

Depressive symptoms were observed in 30.2% of participants and were associated with trauma exposure (adjusted odds ratio = 11.00, 95% confidence interval, 7.39-16.39), exhibiting a dose-response relationship: each additional traumatic event is associated with 10% higher risk of depressive symptoms (95% confidence interval, 9-11%).

Despite limitations including non-representative, cross-sectional and self-reported data, our findings highlight that trauma exposure is ubiquitous and associated with depressive symptoms among Chinese LGBTQ+ individuals.

Basic summary

Nat Hum Behav. 2026 Jul 16. doi: 10.1038/s41562-026-02518-0. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Trauma is a major contributor to mental health disparities among LGBTQ+ individuals, yet evidence from non-Western contexts remains limited. Using baseline data from 8,384 participants in the TREASURE cohort in Chengdu, China, we examined associations between trauma exposure (adverse childhood experiences, lifetime trauma and LGBTQ+-related adversities) and depressive symptoms. Trauma exposure was highly prevalent (92.7%), particularly LGBTQ+-related adversities (87.3%). Depressive symptoms were observed in 30.2% of participants and were associated with trauma exposure (adjusted odds ratio = 11.00, 95% confidence interval, 7.39-16.39), exhibiting a dose-response relationship: each additional traumatic event is associated with 10% higher risk of depressive symptoms (95% confidence interval, 9-11%). Sequential mediation analysis suggested that unfavourable behavioural factors such as smoking (mediated proportions, 14.99-40.23%), lower social support (7.91-33.08%) and negative coping (1.79-37.66%) may mediate these associations. Despite limitations including non-representative, cross-sectional and self-reported data, our findings highlight that trauma exposure is ubiquitous and associated with depressive symptoms among Chinese LGBTQ+ individuals.

PMID:42463884 | DOI:10.1038/s41562-026-02518-0

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