The Effect of Child Trauma on the Relation Between Psychological Well-Being and Depressive Symptoms in Chilean University Students

Overview

Journal Healthcare (Basel)

Specialty Health Services

Date 2022 Dec 23

PMID 36553987

Authors

Paulina Barros

Rodrigo Assar

Alberto Botto

Caroline Leighton

Yamil Quevedo

Juan Pablo Jimenez

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

(1) Background: There is consistent evidence of the impact of early adverse experiences on mental health in adulthood, especially as a risk factor for depression. However, their influence on positive aspects of mental health such as well-being has been less extensively studied. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the effect of traumatic childhood experiences on the relationship between depression and psychological well-being in a sample of university students. (2) Methods: The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form (CTQ-SF), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-IA), and Ryff's psychological well-being scale were administered to 700 Chilean university students. Several regression models were used to analyze the interaction between variables, with multivariate SEM being applied to hierarchize the relationships found. (3) Results: Emotional Neglect and Abuse stand out as the types of maltreatment with the greatest impact on mental health, associated first with a decrease in the self-acceptance dimension of psychological well-being and then with depressive symptomatology in adulthood. (4) Conclusions: Results provide evidence that early trauma has an important impact on mental health, increasing the risk of depression, however, its impact is greater on positive aspects of health, such as self-acceptance, a fundamental element in the construction of psychological well-being.

Citing Articles

Adverse childhood experiences and their influence on psychological well-being and emotional intelligence among university students.

Irshad S, Lone A BMC Psychol. 2025; 13(1):255.

PMID: 40089738 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-025-02565-8.

References

Mc Elroy S, Hevey D . Relationship between adverse early experiences, stressors, psychosocial resources and wellbeing. Child Abuse Negl. 2013; 38(1):65-75. DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2013.07.017. View

Ryff C . Psychological well-being revisited: advances in the science and practice of eudaimonia. Psychother Psychosom. 2013; 83(1):10-28. PMC: 4241300. DOI: 10.1159/000353263. View

Diaz D, Rodriguez-Carvajal R, Blanco A, Moreno-Jimenez B, Gallardo I, Valle C . [Spanish adaptation of the Psychological Well-Being Scales (PWBS)]. Psicothema. 2007; 18(3):572-7. View

Nelson C, Scott R, Bhutta Z, Burke Harris N, Danese A, Samara M . Adversity in childhood is linked to mental and physical health throughout life. BMJ. 2020; 371:m3048. PMC: 7592151. DOI: 10.1136/bmj.m3048. View

Toth C, King Johnson M, Heinzerling A, Trapp N . Response to TMS treatment for depression associated with higher levels of psychological well-being. J Psychiatr Res. 2022; 150:142-146. PMC: 9673128. DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.03.030. View

Ruini C, Cesetti G . Spotlight on eudaimonia and depression. A systematic review of the literature over the past 5 years. Psychol Res Behav Manag. 2019; 12:767-792. PMC: 6720155. DOI: 10.2147/PRBM.S178255. View

Humphreys K, LeMoult J, Wear J, Piersiak H, Lee A, Gotlib I . Child maltreatment and depression: A meta-analysis of studies using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. Child Abuse Negl. 2020; 102:104361. PMC: 7081433. DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2020.104361. View

DiLillo D, Fortier M, Hayes S, Trask E, Perry A, Messman-Moore T . Retrospective assessment of childhood sexual and physical abuse: a comparison of scaled and behaviorally specific approaches. Assessment. 2006; 13(3):297-312. DOI: 10.1177/1073191106288391. View

Chu Q, Wang X, Yao R, Fan J, Li Y, Nie F . Childhood trauma and current depression among Chinese university students: a moderated mediation model of cognitive emotion regulation strategies and neuroticism. BMC Psychiatry. 2022; 22(1):90. PMC: 8819909. DOI: 10.1186/s12888-021-03673-6. View

10.

Greenfield E, Marks N . Identifying experiences of physical and psychological violence in childhood that jeopardize mental health in adulthood. Child Abuse Negl. 2010; 34(3):161-71. PMC: 2838932. DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2009.08.012. View

11.

Gilbert L, Breiding M, Merrick M, Thompson W, Ford D, Dhingra S . Childhood adversity and adult chronic disease: an update from ten states and the District of Columbia, 2010. Am J Prev Med. 2014; 48(3):345-9. DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2014.09.006. View

12.

Uher R, McGuffin P . The moderation by the serotonin transporter gene of environmental adversity in the etiology of depression: 2009 update. Mol Psychiatry. 2009; 15(1):18-22. DOI: 10.1038/mp.2009.123. View

13.

Ormel J, Jeronimus B, Kotov R, Riese H, Bos E, Hankin B . Neuroticism and common mental disorders: meaning and utility of a complex relationship. Clin Psychol Rev. 2013; 33(5):686-697. PMC: 4382368. DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2013.04.003. View

14.

Heim C, Wagner D, Maloney E, Papanicolaou D, Solomon L, Jones J . Early adverse experience and risk for chronic fatigue syndrome: results from a population-based study. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2006; 63(11):1258-66. DOI: 10.1001/archpsyc.63.11.1258. View

15.

Merrick M, Ports K, Ford D, Afifi T, Gershoff E, Grogan-Kaylor A . Unpacking the impact of adverse childhood experiences on adult mental health. Child Abuse Negl. 2017; 69:10-19. PMC: 6007802. DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2017.03.016. View

16.

Rossi J, Jimenez J, Barros P, Assar R, Jaramillo K, Herrera L . [Depressive symptomatology and psychological well-being among Chilean university students]. Rev Med Chil. 2019; 147(5):579-588. DOI: 10.4067/S0034-98872019000500579. View

17.

Abraham E, Antl S, McAuley T . Trauma exposure and mental health in a community sample of children and youth. Psychol Trauma. 2021; 14(4):624-632. DOI: 10.1037/tra0001035. View

18.

Westerhof G, Keyes C . Mental Illness and Mental Health: The Two Continua Model Across the Lifespan. J Adult Dev. 2010; 17(2):110-119. PMC: 2866965. DOI: 10.1007/s10804-009-9082-y. View

19.

Liu R, Choi J, Boland E, Mastin B, Alloy L . Childhood abuse and stress generation: the mediational effect of depressogenic cognitive styles. Psychiatry Res. 2013; 206(2-3):217-22. PMC: 4081492. DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2012.12.001. View

20.

Hayashi Y, Okamoto Y, Takagaki K, Okada G, Toki S, Inoue T . Direct and indirect influences of childhood abuse on depression symptoms in patients with major depressive disorder. BMC Psychiatry. 2015; 15:244. PMC: 4604614. DOI: 10.1186/s12888-015-0636-1. View