Emotion Dysregulation as a Mediator of the Relationship Between Childhood Trauma and Self-Harm
Keywords:
Childhood trauma, Emotion dysregulation, Self-harm, AdolescentsAbstract
Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the mediating role of emotion dysregulation in the relationship between childhood trauma and self-harming behavior in adolescents and young adults.
Methods and Materials: This study employed a descriptive correlational design with a sample of 361 participants aged 15 to 25 from Taiwan, selected based on the Morgan and Krejcie sample size table. Data were collected using three standardized instruments: the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire–Short Form (CTQ-SF), the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), and the Deliberate Self-Harm Inventory (DSHI). Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analysis, and structural equation modeling (SEM) were performed using SPSS version 27 and AMOS version 21 to assess relationships among variables and examine the mediating role of emotion dysregulation.
Findings: Descriptive analyses revealed moderate to high levels of childhood trauma (M = 62.87, SD = 14.46), elevated emotion dysregulation (M = 94.21, SD = 16.08), and moderate self-harming behavior (M = 9.38, SD = 4.73). Pearson correlations showed significant positive relationships between childhood trauma and emotion dysregulation (r = .61, p < .001), childhood trauma and self-harm (r = .48, p < .001), and emotion dysregulation and self-harm (r = .56, p < .001). SEM indicated a good model fit (χ²/df = 2.16, GFI = .94, CFI = .96, RMSEA = .056). Path analysis demonstrated that emotion dysregulation significantly mediated the relationship between childhood trauma and self-harming behavior, with both direct (β = .21, p = .003) and indirect (β = .29, p < .001) effects observed.
Conclusion: These findings highlight the crucial role of emotion dysregulation as a psychological mechanism linking childhood trauma to self-harm. Targeting emotional regulation skills may serve as a vital component in the prevention and intervention strategies for trauma-exposed youth exhibiting self-injurious behavior.
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