Fazio Leonardo, Semeraro Cristina, Pennacchio Teresa Claudia, Asselti Martina Grazia, Russo Marianna, Cassibba Rosalinda, Bertolino Alessandro, Rampino Antonio, Grattagliano Ignazio, Pergola Giulio, Antonucci Linda Antonella
Department of Medicine and Surgery, LUM University - Casamassima (Bari), Bari, Italy.
Department of Education, Psychology, Communication, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy.
BMC Psychol. 2025 Aug 17;13(1):927. doi: 10.1186/s40359-025-03297-5.
Early exposure to interpersonal adverse events, such as traumatic childhood events or exposure to bullying, abuse, or harassment, can impact an adult's psychological functioning. The negative effects on quality of life and the increased risk of psychopathological outcomes may underscore long-lasting vulnerabilities. Psychological flexibility is defined as the ability to be present in the moment and to pursue one's values, and it can facilitate coping with adverse events occurring in the present. An open question is whether psychological flexibility may contribute to reducing the long-term consequences of exposure to early adversities. The relevance of this research is that psychological flexibility is modifiable through intervention. The present study investigated the potential role of psychological flexibility in modulating the relationship between early exposure to interpersonal adverse events and two outcomes in young adults: quality of life and psychological symptomatology.
We recruited one hundred and nine women aged 19-21 years. Exposure to adverse interpersonal events was assessed with the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire and the Bullying Scale; quality of life and psychological symptomatology were measured with the World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale and the Symptom checklist-90, respectively; psychological flexibility was assessed with the Multidimensional Psychological Flexibility Inventory.
The frequency of adverse interpersonal events was associated with lower quality of life and greater psychological symptoms. Psychological flexibility mediated the relationship between the frequency of interpersonal adverse events and measures of quality of life, with an indirect effect explaining 18-42% of the total effect. Similarly, psychological flexibility mediated between the frequency of interpersonal adverse events and psychological symptomatology, with an indirect effect explaining 21-22% of the total effect.
The present study evaluates the impact of exposure to interpersonal adverse events on different aspects of quality of life and psychological symptomatology. The results suggest that psychological flexibility mediates the long-term repercussions of interpersonal adversity. As psychological flexibility is a modifiable skill, interventions aimed at enhancing it in individuals with early exposure to adverse interpersonal events, such as traumatic childhood events, bullying, abuse, or harassment, could be used to reduce the long-term effects of past adversities.
早期接触人际不良事件，如童年创伤事件或遭受欺凌、虐待或骚扰，会影响成年人的心理功能。对生活质量的负面影响以及心理病理结果风险的增加可能凸显出长期的脆弱性。心理灵活性被定义为当下保持专注并追求自身价值观的能力，它有助于应对当前发生的不良事件。一个悬而未决的问题是，心理灵活性是否有助于减少早期逆境暴露的长期后果。这项研究的意义在于心理灵活性可通过干预进行调节。本研究调查了心理灵活性在调节早期人际不良事件暴露与年轻成年人的两个结果之间关系中的潜在作用：生活质量和心理症状。
我们招募了109名年龄在19 - 21岁之间的女性。使用儿童创伤问卷和欺凌量表评估人际不良事件暴露情况；分别使用世界卫生组织生活质量量表和症状清单-90测量生活质量和心理症状；使用多维心理灵活性量表评估心理灵活性。
人际不良事件的发生频率与较低的生活质量和更严重的心理症状相关。心理灵活性介导了人际不良事件发生频率与生活质量测量指标之间的关系，间接效应解释了总效应的18 - 42%。同样，心理灵活性介导了人际不良事件发生频率与心理症状之间的关系，间接效应解释了总效应的21 - 22%。
本研究评估了人际不良事件暴露对生活质量和心理症状不同方面的影响。结果表明心理灵活性介导了人际逆境的长期影响。由于心理灵活性是一种可调节的技能，针对早期接触人际不良事件（如童年创伤事件、欺凌、虐待或骚扰）的个体，旨在增强其心理灵活性的干预措施可用于减少过去逆境的长期影响。
