A Network Approach to Understanding Early-Life Adversity: Linking Threat, Deprivation, and Unpredictability to Adolescent Developmental Outcomes

The dimensional model of early-life adversity proposes threat and deprivation as two core dimensions with distinct developmental impacts. However, existing research may not fully capture the co-occurrence of early-life adversity and the role of unpredictability as a potentially significant dimension. To address this gap, in this research ( N = 2,212; 57.41% girls, M age = 13.90 years, SD age = 1.29 years), we employed network analysis to investigate the relationships between three dimensions of early-life adversity (i.e., threat, deprivation, and unpredictability) and adolescent depression (affective developmental outcome) and executive function subcomponents (cognitive developmental outcome). We found that three dimensions were closely interconnected and demonstrated differential associations with depression and executive function subcomponents. Specifically, threat was most strongly associated with depression but not linked to executive function subcomponents. Yet, deprivation showed weaker associations with depression but was negatively correlated with inhibitory control. Unpredictability exhibited a wide range of negative psychological consequences, being associated with higher depression and lower cognitive flexibility and working memory. Moreover, the threat was the most crucial central and bridge node in the network. These findings validate and advance the dimensional model of early-life adversity, supporting threat, deprivation, and unpredictability as unique forms of adversity.