Moe Moe Yu. Traumatic life events, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder in older adults: The Mediating role of meditation and resilience. Master's Degree(Mental Health). Chiang Mai University. Library. : Chiang Mai University, 2025.
Traumatic life events, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder in older adults: The Mediating role of meditation and resilience
Abstract:
Background: Traumatic events are significant risk factors for psychiatric conditions such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder in older adults. Meditation and resilience have been identified as protective factors against adverse mental health outcomes. However, their role of modulation the impact of trauma on depression and PTSD symptoms remained underexplored. Objectives: This study aimed to examine the mediating and moderating effects of meditation practice and resilience on the relationship between trauma exposure and mental health outcomes (depression and PTSD symptoms) among older Thai adults. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 201 older adults (mean age 68.56 years, ±5.01) attending the Family Medicine Clinic and the Geriatric Psychiatry Clinic at Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Chaing Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand. Data collected included socio-demographic information, clinical history, and assessments of trauma exposure (modified Traumatic Experience Scale & Life Event Checklist), meditation practice (Inner Strength Based Inventory), resilience (Resilience Inventory), depression (Thai Geriatric Depression Scale), and PTSD symptoms (PTSD Checklist). Statistical analyses comprised descriptive statistics, correlations, mediation and moderation analyses. Results: Among participants, 40.3% reported experiencing at least one traumatic event during childhood, and 58.2% reported lifetime trauma exposure. The prevalence of probable depression and PTSD was 11.4%. Approximately 75% of participants engaged in meditation practices ranging from occasionally to regularly, and the average resilience level was above Average. Childhood trauma was positively correlated with depression (r=.43, p<0.01), and PTSD symptoms (r=.31, p<0.01). Lifetime trauma was also positively associated with depression (r=.23, p<0.01) and PTSD symptoms (r=.40, p<0.01), respectively. Childhood trauma was negatively correlated with resilience (r = -0.15, p < 0.05). Resilience was negatively correlated with depression (r=-.22, p<0.01) but positively with PTSD symptoms (r=.15, p<0.05). Meditation practice was positively correlated with resilience (r = 0.16, p < 0.05). A positive correlation was observed between depression and PTSD symptoms (r=.51, p<0.05). The mediation analysis revealed that meditation practice and resilience mediated the relationship between lifetime trauma and depression in a parallel mediation model, with a total indirect effect B=-.02, SE=.01, 95%CI (-.045, -.002), and a significant specific indirect effect through resilience B=-.02, SE=.01, 95%CI (-.033, -.000). Moderation analysis revealed an unexpected significant interaction: meditation practice moderated the association between childhood trauma and PTSD symptoms (B = 1.31, SE = 0.42, t = 2.03, p < .05). Resilience buffered the effect of childhood trauma on depression (B=-.01, SE=.01, t=-2.37, p<0.05), factors such as family history of psychiatric condition, smoking/tobacco use, and monthly income influenced the outcome. Conclusions: Trauma exposure is associated with increased depression and PTSD symptoms among older Thai adults. Trauma exhibited both direct effects and indirect effects (mediated through resilience and meditation practice) on depression and PTSD symptoms. While resilience mediated and attenuated the impact of lifetime trauma on depression, it showed differential effects across trauma types: resilience buffered childhood trauma's effect on depression but failed to mitigate childhood trauma's impact on PTSD symptoms. Most strikingly, higher meditation practice frequency unexpectedly exacerbated childhood trauma's effect on PTSD symptoms, intensifying rather than alleviating symptom severity. This counterintuitive finding diverges from established literature documenting meditation's protective effects, highlighting the importance of investigating moderating factors (e.g., meditation style, trauma characteristics, implementation context). These results emphasize the need for longitudinal research to disentangle the complex relationships between trauma exposure, resilience factors, meditation practices, and mental health outcomes in vulnerable populations.