Citation

Yang MJ, Sawhney V, McHugh RK, Leyro TM. J. Am. Coll. Health 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/07448481.2020.1810053

PMID

32877634

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Extant studies document a prospective link between early childhood trauma and internalizing symptoms, such as anxiety and depression. Less is known regarding specific cognitive-affective mechanisms. The current study sought to examine distress intolerance (DI) as a mechanism that may explain the relation between early childhood emotional abuse and internalizing symptoms.

PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: Participants (N = 230; 54.3% women; mean age = 19.72, SD = 2.28) completed multiple self-report indices of early childhood emotional abuse, DI, and internalizing symptom indices. Using structural equation modeling, a series of mediation models was run to examine the indirect effect of childhood emotional abuse on latent and specific internalizing symptom indices through a latent index of subjective DI.

RESULTS: Childhood emotional abuse was significantly associated with internalizing symptoms through DI (effect size range =.083-.227, medium to large).

CONCLUSIONS: The results provide preliminary evidence for DI as a mechanism of interest in the relation between early childhood emotional abuse and internalizing symptoms.

Language: en

Keywords

depression; Anxiety; childhood emotional trauma; distress intolerance