Mediating role of regulatory emotional self-efficacy between childhood abuse and depression in college students / 中国心理卫生杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To examine the relationship between regulatory emotional self-efficacy and childhood abuse,and the mediating role of regulatory emotional self-efficacy between childhood abuse and depression in col-lege students.Methods:Totally 475 college students from 4 universities in Harbin were assessed with the Chinese version of the Regulatory Emotional Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (RES),Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form (CTQ),and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D).The survey of CTQ was manipula-ted retrospectively.Results:Physical neglect and physical abuse had significant direct negative effects on perceived self-efficacy in expressing positive affect (POS)(β=-0.38,-0.52).Emotional neglect and sexual abuse had significant direct negative effects on perceived self-efficacy in managing despondency/distress (DES)(β=-0.35,-0.31).Physical neglect had a significant direct negative effect on perceived self-efficacy in managing anger/irri-tation (ANG)(β=-0.23).Physical neglect and physical abuse had significant direct positive effects on depres-sion (β=0.78,3.20).The POS mediated relationships between emotional neglect and depression,physical neglectand depression,and sexual abuse and depression (with intermediary effects of 0.021 -0.029).The DES imposed mediating effects on relationships between emotional neglect and depression,physical neglect and depression,physi-cal abuse and depression,and sexual abuse and depression (with intermediary effect of 0.017 -0.040).The ANG was a mediator in the relationships between emotional neglect and depression,and physical neglect and depression (with intermediary effects of 0.016 -0.019).Conclusion:It suggests that childhood abuse may be an important factor related to low regulatory emotional self-efficacy.Regulatory emotional self-efficacy may play a mediating role between childhood abuse and depression.