Self-compassion as a mediator of attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance, and complex PTSD in college students with adverse childhood experiences
Abstract Given the significant prevalence of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and their detrimental impact on mental health, this study examines the relationship between attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance, and complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) among college students with ACEs,...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-84947-3 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1841559630128349184 |
|---|---|
| author | Yu Peng Zahari Ishak |
| author_facet | Yu Peng Zahari Ishak |
| author_sort | Yu Peng |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Given the significant prevalence of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and their detrimental impact on mental health, this study examines the relationship between attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance, and complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) among college students with ACEs, emphasizing the mediating role of self-compassion (SC). A sample of 32,388 students from Kunming, China completed a survey including the Revised Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire (ACEQ-R), the Adult Attachment Scale (AAS), the International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ), and the Self-Compassion Scale-Short Form (SCS-SF). Among the participants, 3,896 reported at least one ACE. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) to explore the proposed mediation model. Results revealed that both attachment anxiety and avoidance positively influenced CPTSD symptoms while negatively affecting SC. SC negatively influenced CPTSD symptoms, acting as a significant mediator. The mediating effect of SC was stronger for disturbances in self-organization (DSO) than for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. These findings underscore the importance of fostering SC in interventions aimed at mitigating the influence of attachment anxiety and avoidance on CPTSD among college students with ACEs. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ef590f9c6a3347b08f4eb6b178744c3e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-ef590f9c6a3347b08f4eb6b178744c3e2025-01-05T12:21:11ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-01-0115111010.1038/s41598-024-84947-3Self-compassion as a mediator of attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance, and complex PTSD in college students with adverse childhood experiencesYu Peng0Zahari Ishak1Students Mental Health Education and Counseling Center, Kunming University of Science and TechnologyFaculty of Social Sciences and Liberal Arts, UCSI UniversityAbstract Given the significant prevalence of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and their detrimental impact on mental health, this study examines the relationship between attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance, and complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) among college students with ACEs, emphasizing the mediating role of self-compassion (SC). A sample of 32,388 students from Kunming, China completed a survey including the Revised Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire (ACEQ-R), the Adult Attachment Scale (AAS), the International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ), and the Self-Compassion Scale-Short Form (SCS-SF). Among the participants, 3,896 reported at least one ACE. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) to explore the proposed mediation model. Results revealed that both attachment anxiety and avoidance positively influenced CPTSD symptoms while negatively affecting SC. SC negatively influenced CPTSD symptoms, acting as a significant mediator. The mediating effect of SC was stronger for disturbances in self-organization (DSO) than for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. These findings underscore the importance of fostering SC in interventions aimed at mitigating the influence of attachment anxiety and avoidance on CPTSD among college students with ACEs.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-84947-3Adverse childhood experiencesAttachment anxietyAttachment avoidanceComplex post-traumatic stress disorderDisturbances in self-organizationPost-traumatic stress disorder |
| spellingShingle | Yu Peng Zahari Ishak Self-compassion as a mediator of attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance, and complex PTSD in college students with adverse childhood experiences Scientific Reports Adverse childhood experiences Attachment anxiety Attachment avoidance Complex post-traumatic stress disorder Disturbances in self-organization Post-traumatic stress disorder |
| title | Self-compassion as a mediator of attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance, and complex PTSD in college students with adverse childhood experiences |
| title_full | Self-compassion as a mediator of attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance, and complex PTSD in college students with adverse childhood experiences |
| title_fullStr | Self-compassion as a mediator of attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance, and complex PTSD in college students with adverse childhood experiences |
| title_full_unstemmed | Self-compassion as a mediator of attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance, and complex PTSD in college students with adverse childhood experiences |
| title_short | Self-compassion as a mediator of attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance, and complex PTSD in college students with adverse childhood experiences |
| title_sort | self compassion as a mediator of attachment anxiety attachment avoidance and complex ptsd in college students with adverse childhood experiences |
| topic | Adverse childhood experiences Attachment anxiety Attachment avoidance Complex post-traumatic stress disorder Disturbances in self-organization Post-traumatic stress disorder |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-84947-3 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yupeng selfcompassionasamediatorofattachmentanxietyattachmentavoidanceandcomplexptsdincollegestudentswithadversechildhoodexperiences AT zahariishak selfcompassionasamediatorofattachmentanxietyattachmentavoidanceandcomplexptsdincollegestudentswithadversechildhoodexperiences |