Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Childhood psychological maltreatment and depressive symptoms: Parallel-serial mediating effects of certain psychological factors

  • Published:
Current Psychology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The relationship between childhood psychological maltreatment and depression is well documented in the literature. In recent years, there is a growing body of literature aiming to examine which factors are determinant in this strong relationship. However, there are no studies to present a comprehensive model of how insecure attachment styles, guilt, and loneliness joint play a role in this relationship. This study investigated parallel and serial mediation of insecure attachment styles, guilt, and loneliness in the relationship between childhood psychological maltreatment forms and depressive symptoms. Participants were 688 (458 females, 198 males, and 32 people who do not specify their gender) undergraduate students from six different universities in Turkey. The data were collected through Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Trait Shame and Guilt Scale, UCLA Loneliness Scale, and Three Dimensional Attachment Style Scale. The data were analyzed with PROCESS version 3.5 that works as an extension of SPSS. The results confirmed both hypotheses in the study. The study revealed that emotional abuse affected loneliness through anxious-ambivalent attachment and guilt and subsequently affected depressive symptoms. In addition, emotional neglect affected loneliness through avoidant attachment and guilt and subsequently affected depressive symptoms. Therefore, insecure attachment styles, guilt, and loneliness played an important role in determining the susceptibility of childhood psychological maltreatment to depression in adulthood. The results elucidate the literature by offering a deeper understanding of the strong relationship between childhood psychological maltreatment and depression.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

Data Availability

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the author on reasonable request.

References

  • Ainsworth, M.D.S., Blehar, M.C., Waters, E. & Wall, S. (2015). Patterns of attachment. A psychological study of the strange situation (Classic Edition). Psychology Press.

  • Akbağ, M., & Imamoğlu, S. E. (2010). The prediction of gender and attachment styles on shame, guilt, and loneliness. Educational Sciences: Theory and Practice, 10(2), 669–682.

    Google Scholar 

  • Akın, A., & Çetin, B. (2007). Depression, anxiety and stress scale (DASS): The study of validity and reliability. Educational Science: Theory & Practice, 7(1), 241–268.

    Google Scholar 

  • American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children [APSAC]. (2019). The Investigation and Determination of Suspected Psychological Maltreatment in Children and Adolescents. Retrieved from: https://www.apsac.org/guidelines. Accessed 1 February 2021.

  • Baer, J. C., & Martinez, C. D. (2006). Child maltreatment and insecure attachment: A meta-analysis. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, 24(3), 187–197. https://doi.org/10.1080/02646830600821231

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beck, A. T., Rush, A. J., Shaw, B. F., & Emery, G. (1979). Cognitive therapy of depression. Guilford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bernstein, D. P., Fink, L., Handelsman, L., Foote, J., Lovejoy, M., Wenzel, K., Sapareto, E., & Ruggiero, J. (1994). Initial reliability and validity of a new retrospective measure of child abuse and neglect. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 151(8), 1132–1136. https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.151.8.1132

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bifulco, A., Kwon, J., Jacobs, C., Moran, P. M., Bunn, A., & Beer, N. (2006). Adult attachment style as mediator between childhood neglect/abuse and adult depression and anxiety. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 41(10), 796–805. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-006-0101-z

  • Bowlby, J. (1969). Attachment and loss: Vol. 1. Attachment. Basic Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Briere, J., Godbout, N., & Runtz, M. (2012). The psychological maltreatment review (PMR): Initial reliability and association with insecure attachment in adults. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 21(3), 300–320. https://doi.org/10.1080/10926771.2012.659801

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bruno, S., Lutwak, N., & Agin, M. A. (2009). Conceptualizations of guilt and the corresponding relationships to emotional ambivalence, self-disclosure, loneliness and alienation. Personality and Individual Differences, 47(5), 487–491. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2009.04.023

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bugay, A., & Demir, A. (2011). Psychometric properties of the Turkish version of trait shame and guilt scale. The Eurasian Journal of Educational Research, 45, 17–30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cecil, C. A. M., Viding, E., Fearon, P., Glaser, D., & McCrory, E. J. (2017). Disentangling the mental health impact of childhood abuse and neglect. Child Abuse & Neglect, 63, 106–119. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2016.11.024

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coates, A. A., & Messman-Moore, T. L. (2014). A structural model of mechanisms predicting depressive symptoms in women following childhood psychological maltreatment. Child Abuse & Neglect, 38(1), 103–113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2013.10.005

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Courtney, E. A., Kushwaha, M., & Johnson, J. G. (2008). Childhood emotional abuse and risk for hopelessness and depressive symptoms during adolescence. Journal of Emotional Abuse, 8, 281–298. https://doi.org/10.1080/10926790802262572

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Day, L., & Maltby, J. (2005). Forgiveness and social loneliness. The Journal of Psychology, 139(6), 553–555.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Demir, A. (1989). UCLA yalnızlık ölçeğinin geçerlik ve güvenirliği. Psikoloji Dergisi, 7(23), 14–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Erickson, M., & Egeland, B. (1996). Child neglect. In L. Berliner, J. Briere, J. Bulkley, C. Jenny, & T. Reid (Eds.), The APSAC handbook on child abuse and neglect (pp. 4–20). Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Erozkan, A. (2011). The attachment styles bases of loneliness and depression. International Journal of Psychology and Counselling, 3(9), 186–193. https://doi.org/10.5897/IJPC11.032

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Erzen, E. (2016). Üç boyutlu bağlanma stilleri ölçeği. İnönü Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 17(3), 01–21. https://doi.org/10.17679/iuefd.17323631

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Erzen, E., & Çikrikci, Ö. (2018). The effect of loneliness on depression: A meta-analysis. International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 64(5), 427–435. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020764018776349

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gambin, M., & Sharp, C. (2018). The relations between empathy, guilt, shame and depression in inpatient adolescents. Journal of Affective Disorders, 241, 381–387. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2018.08.068

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gibb, B. E., Benas, J. S., Crossett, S. E., & Uhrlass, D. J. (2007a). Emotional maltreatment and verbal victimization in childhood: Relation to adults' depressive cognitions and symptoms. Journal of Emotional Abuse, 7(2), 59–73. https://doi.org/10.1300/J135v07n02_04

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gibb, B. E., Chelminski, I., & Zimmerman, M. (2007b). Childhood emotional, physical, and sexual abuse, and diagnoses of depressive and anxiety disorders in adult psychiatric outpatients. Depression and Anxiety, 24(4), 256–263.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Glaser, D. (2002). Emotional abuse and neglect (psychological maltreatment): A conceptual framework. Child Abuse & Neglect, 26(6–7), 697–714.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hankin, B. L. (2005). Childhood maltreatment and psychopathology: Prospective tests of attachment, cognitive vulnerability, and stress as mediating processes. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 29(6), 645–671. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-005-9631-z

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hart, S. N., Binggeli, N. J., & Brassard, M. R. (1997). Evidence for the effects of psychological maltreatment. Journal of Emotional Abuse, 1(1), 27–58. https://doi.org/10.1300/J135v01n01_03

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hayes, A. F. (2018). Introduction to mediation, moderation, and conditional process analysis: A regression-based approach. Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hazan, C., & Shaver, P. (1987). Romantic love conceptualized as an attachment process. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52(3), 511–524. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.52.3.511

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hazan, C., & Shaver, P. R. (1994). Attachment as an organizational framework for research on close relationships. Psychological Inquiry, 5(1), 1–22.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hildyard, K. L., & Wolfe, D. A. (2002). Child neglect: Developmental issues and outcomes. Child Abuse & Neglect, 26(6–7), 679–695.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • İlhan, T. (2012). Üniversite öğrencilerinde yalnızlık: Cinsiyet rolleri ve bağlanma stillerinin yalnızlığı yordama güçleri. Kuram ve Uygulamada Eğitim Bilimleri, 12(4), 2377–2396.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kim, S., Thibodeau, R., & Jorgensen, R. S. (2011). Shame, guilt, and depressive symptoms: A meta-analytic review. Psychological Bulletin, 137(1), 68–96. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0021466

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kim, E., Cho, I., & Kim, E. J. (2017). Structural equation model of smartphone addiction based on adult attachment theory: Mediating effects of loneliness and depression. Asian Nursing Research, 11(2), 92–97. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anr.2017.05.002

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Klumparendt, A., Nelson, J., Barenbrügge, J., & Ehring, T. (2019). Associations between childhood maltreatment and adult depression: A mediation analysis. BMC Psychiatry, 19(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-019-2016-8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lovibond, S. H., & Lovibond, P. F. (1995). Manual for the depression anxiety stress scale. The Psychological Foundation of Australia, Inc..

    Google Scholar 

  • Lowell, A., Renk, K., & Adgate, A. H. (2014). The role of attachment in the relationship between child maltreatment and later emotional and behavioral functioning. Child Abuse & Neglect, 38(9), 1436–1449.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mikulincer, M., & Shaver, P. R. (2014). An attachment perspective on loneliness. In R. J. Coplan & J. C. Bowker (Eds.), The handbook of solitude: Psychological perspectives on social isolation, social withdrawal, and being alone (pp. 34–50). John Wiley & Sons, Ltd..

    Google Scholar 

  • Minzenberg, M. J., Poole, J. H., & Vinogradov, S. (2006). Adult social attachment disturbance is related to childhood maltreatment and current symptoms in borderline personality disorder. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 194(5), 341–348. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.nmd.0000218341.54333.4e

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Muller, R. T., Thornback, K., & Bedi, R. (2012). Attachment as a mediator between childhood maltreatment and adult symptomatology. Journal of Family Violence, 27(3), 243–255. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-012-9417-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Müller, L. E., Bertsch, K., Bülau, K., Herpertz, S. C., & Buchheim, A. (2019). Emotional neglect in childhood shapes social dysfunctioning in adults by influencing the oxytocin and the attachment system: Results from a population-based study. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 136, 73–80. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2018.05.011

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Murphy, B., & Bates, G. W. (1997). Adult attachment style and vulnerability to depression. Personality and Individual Differences, 22(6), 835–844.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Norman, R. E., Byambaa, M., De, R., Butchart, A., Scott, J., & Vos, T. (2012). The long-term health consequences of child physical abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS Medicine, 9(11), e1001349.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Riggs, S. A., & Kaminski, P. (2010). Childhood emotional abuse, adult attachment, and depression as predictors of relational adjustment and psychological aggression. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 19, 75–104. https://doi.org/10.1080/10926770903475976

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rohleder, N., Chen, E., Wolf, J. M., & Miller, G. E. (2008). The psychobiology of trait shame in young women: Extending the social self preservation theory. Health Psychology, 27(5), 523–532.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ross, N. D., Kaminski, P. L., & Herrington, R. (2019). From childhood emotional maltreatment to depressive symptoms in adulthood: The roles of self-compassion and shame. Child Abuse & Neglect, 92, 32–42.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Russell, D., Peplau, L. A., & Cutrona, C. E. (1980). The revised UCLA loneliness scale: Concurrent and discriminant validity evidence. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 39(3), 472–480.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Şar, V., Öztürk, E., & İkikardeş, E. (2012). Çocukluk çağı ruhsal travma ölçeğinin türkçe uyarlamasının geçerlilik ve güvenilirliği (Validity and reliability of the Turkish version of childhood trauma questionnaire). Turkiye Klinikleri Journal of Medical Sciences, 32(4), 1054–1063. https://doi.org/10.5336/medsci.2011-26947

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schulz, P., Beblo, T., Ribbert, H., Kater, L., Spannhorst, S., Driessen, M., & Hennig-Fast, K. (2017). How is childhood emotional abuse related to major depression in adulthood? The role of personality and emotion acceptance. Child Abuse & Neglect, 72, 98–109.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shapero, B. G., Black, S. K., Liu, R. T., Klugman, J., Bender, R. E., Abramson, L. Y., & Alloy, L. B. (2014). Stressful life events and depressive symptoms: The effect of childhood emotional abuse on stress reactivity. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 70(3), 209–223. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.22011

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Shaver, P. R., & Mikulincer, M. (2002). Attachmentrelated psychodynamics. Attachment & Human Development, 4(2), 133–161. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616730210154171

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Simpson, J. A., & Karantzas, G. C. (2019). Editorial overview: Attachment in adulthood: A dynamic field with a rich past and a bright future. Current Opinion in Psychology, 25, 177–181.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spence, R., Jacobs, C., & Bifulco, A. (2020). Attachment style, loneliness and depression in older age women. Aging & Mental Health, 24(5), 837–839. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2018.1553141

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stoltenborgh, M., Bakermans-Kranenburg, M. J., Alink, L. R. A., & Van IJzendoorn, M. H. (2012). The universality of childhood emotional abuse: A meta-analysis of worldwide prevalence. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 21(8), 870–890. https://doi.org/10.1080/10926771.2012.708014

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Struck, N., Krug, A., Feldmann, M., Yuksel, D., Stein, F., Schmitt, S., Meller, T., Brosch, K., Dannlowski, U., Meinert, S., Opel, N., Lemke, H., Waltemate, L., Nenadić, I., Kircher, T., & Brakemeier, E. L. (2020). Attachment and social support mediate the association between childhood maltreatment and depressive symptoms. Journal of Affective Disorders, 273, 310–317. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2020.04.041

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Taillieu, T. L., Brownridge, D. A., Sareen, J., & Afifi, T. O. (2016). Childhood emotional maltreatment and mental disorders: Results from a nationally representative adult sample from the United States. Child Abuse & Neglect, 59, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2016.07.005

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tangney, J. P. (2002). Self-conscious emotions: The self as a moral guide. In A. Tesser, D. A. Stapel, & J. V. Wood (Eds.), Self and motivation: Emerging psychological perspectives (pp. 97–117). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/10448-004

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Tangney, J. P., & Dearing, R. L. (2002). Emotions and social behavior. Shame and guilt. Guilford Press. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781412950664.n388

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Tangney, J. P., Wagner, P., & Gramzow, R. (1992). Proneness to shame, proneness to guilt, and psychopathology. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 101(3), 469–478.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Trocmé, N., Fallon, B., MacLaurin, B., Daciuk, J., Felstiner, C., Black, T., et al. (2005). Canadian incidence study of reported child abuse and neglect – 2003: Major findings. Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada.

    Google Scholar 

  • Webb, M., Heisler, D., Call, S., Chickering, S. A., & Colburn, T. A. (2007). Shame, guilt, symptoms of depression, and reported history of psychological maltreatment. Child Abuse & Neglect, 31(11–12), 1143–1153. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2007.09.003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weeks, D. G., Michela, J. L., Peplau, L. A., & Bragg, M. E. (1980). Relation between loneliness and depression: A structural equation analysis. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 39(6), 1238–1244.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wei, M., Russell, D. W., & Zakalik, R. A. (2005a). Adult attachment, social self-efficacy, self-disclosure, loneliness, and subsequent depression for freshman college students: A longitudinal study. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 52(4), 602–614. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0167.52.4.602

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wei, M., Shaffer, P. A., Young, S. K., & Zakalik, R. A. (2005b). Adult attachment, shame, depression, and loneliness: The mediation role of basic psychological needs satisfaction. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 52(4), 591–601. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0167.52.4.591

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weiss, R. S. (1973). Loneliness: The experience of emotional and social isolation. The MIT Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Widom, C. S., Czaja, S. J., Kozakowski, S. S., & Chauhan, P. (2018). Does adult attachment style mediate the relationship between childhood maltreatment and mental and physical health outcomes? Child Abuse & Neglect, 76, 533–545. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2017.05.002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wielaard, I., Hoyer, M., Rhebergen, D., Stek, M. L., & Comijs, H. C. (2018). Childhood abuse and late-life depression: Mediating effects of psychosocial factors for early-and late-onset depression. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 33(3), 537–545. https://doi.org/10.1002/gps.4828

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organization-WHO. (1999). Report of the consultation on child abuse prevention, 29–31 march 1999, WHO, Geneva. Author.

    Google Scholar 

  • Worsley, J. D., McIntyre, J. C., Bentall, R. P., & Corcoran, R. (2018). Childhood maltreatment and problematic social media use: The role of attachment and depression. Psychiatry Research, 267, 88–93. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2018.05.023

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Young, J. E., Klosko, J. S., & Weishaar, M. E. (2003). Schema therapy: A practitioner's guide. Guilford Press.

Download references

Funding

No funding support was received.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Counseling and Guidance, Faculty of Education, Anadolu University, Eskişehir, Turkey

    Deniz Guler

Authors
  1. Deniz Guler
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Deniz Guler.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of Interest

It has been reported by the author that there is no conflict of interest.

Ethical Statement

All procedures conducted were approved by the Anadolu University Scientific Research and Ethical Review Board (Protocol Number: 96705, Date: 25.12.2019).

Informed Consent Inform

Informed consent was obtained from all participants included in the study.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Guler, D. Childhood psychological maltreatment and depressive symptoms: Parallel-serial mediating effects of certain psychological factors. Curr Psychol 41, 4183–4193 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-021-02182-9

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-021-02182-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation