Lu Xinyong, Li Zixuan, Zhu XianFeng, Li Dong, Wei Jiahui
College of Economy and Trade, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.
Peking University, School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
Psychol Res Behav Manag. 2024 Sep 14;17:3197-3210. doi: 10.2147/PRBM.S466379. eCollection 2024.
There is robust evidence indicating the adverse association between childhood abuse and depressive symptoms. However, the ways in which childhood physical abuse is indirectly associated with adulthood depressive symptoms by alexithymia and moral disengagement remain poorly understood, particularly in the context of China. The present study aims to investigate how childhood physical abuse may be associated with depressive symptoms via the serial mediation effects of alexithymia and moral disengagement among college students in China.
A total of 686 college students (female: 53.2%) aged from 17 to 28 years old ( = 21.33; = 2.53) were recruited from mainland China to participate in an online survey assessing the variables of interest. Structural equation modeling and multiple group analysis were performed using M 7.0 to investigate the hypothesized model.
College students' experiences with childhood physical abuse was significantly associated with their depressive symptoms. This relationship was partially mediated by alexithymia and then by moral disengagement. Meanwhile, alexithymia and moral disengagement had a chain mediating effect on childhood physical abuse and depressive symptoms. Furthermore, multigroup analysis revealed that the association between alexithymia and depressive symptoms was stronger among rural students compared to urban students. Furthermore, the mediation model involving moral disengagement applies exclusively to rural students.
Alexithymia and moral disengagement exerted serial mediating effect on the association between childhood physical abuse and depressive symptoms. This pattern was particularly pronounced among rural students. These findings underscore the importance of addressing both childhood adversity and maladaptive cognitive processes in the prevention and treatment of depression.
有确凿证据表明童年期受虐与抑郁症状之间存在不良关联。然而，童年期身体虐待通过述情障碍和道德推脱与成年期抑郁症状间接关联的方式仍知之甚少，尤其是在中国背景下。本研究旨在探讨在中国大学生中，童年期身体虐待如何通过述情障碍和道德推脱的系列中介效应与抑郁症状相关联。
从中国大陆招募了686名年龄在17至28岁之间（平均年龄 = 21.33岁；标准差 = 2.53岁）的大学生（女性占53.2%）参与一项在线调查，评估相关变量。使用Mplus 7.0进行结构方程建模和多组分析，以检验假设模型。
大学生童年期身体虐待经历与他们的抑郁症状显著相关。这种关系部分由述情障碍介导，然后由道德推脱介导。同时，述情障碍和道德推脱对童年期身体虐待和抑郁症状有链式中介效应。此外，多组分析显示，农村学生中述情障碍与抑郁症状之间的关联比城市学生更强。此外，涉及道德推脱的中介模型仅适用于农村学生。
述情障碍和道德推脱对童年期身体虐待与抑郁症状之间的关联发挥了系列中介作用。这种模式在农村学生中尤为明显。这些发现强调了在抑郁症的预防和治疗中解决童年逆境和适应不良认知过程的重要性。
