A longitudinal study of childhood trauma impacting on negative emotional symptoms among college students: a moderated mediation analysis

The present study investigated the possible mediation of resilience in the relationship between childhood trauma and negative emotional symptoms (depression, anxiety, and stress) and whether this mediation depends on the levels of trait mindfulness. A total of 629 college students (female: 189, 30.0%; age: M= 18.43, SD = .90) completed the childhood trauma questionnaire (CTQ), the Connor-Davidson resilience scale (CD-RISC), and the mindful attention awareness scale (MAAS) at baseline assessment (T1), and completed the depression anxiety stress scale (DASS) three months later (T2). After controlling for age and gender, the moderated mediation analysis with longitudinal data suggested that resilience mediated the link between childhood trauma and negative emotional symptoms, and the indirect effect of childhood trauma on negative emotional symptoms was moderated by trait mindfulness. Specifically, the indirect effect was weaker among individuals with a high level of mindfulness compared to those with a low level of mindfulness. The findings suggested that trait mindfulness significantly influenced the indirect effect of childhood trauma on negative emotional symptoms via resilience. However, when the model was analyzed for males and females, respectively, the results suggested that the moderated mediating effects were only found for males, but not for females.

Automated summary

The study found that resilience mediated the relationship between childhood trauma and negative emotional symptoms, and this mediation was moderated by trait mindfulness. Specifically, individuals with high mindfulness had a weaker indirect effect of childhood trauma on negative emotional symptoms. This moderating effect was only found for males, but not for females.