Clinical Psychology: Research and Practice Innovations

Clinical Psychology: Research and Practice Innovations"

The Relationship Between Traumatic Childhood Traumatic Experiences and Mental Health with the Mediating Role of Coping Strategies

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Hanieh Vahabi mashhoor 1
Fatemeh Pooragha roodbardeh 2
1 Master of Science in General Psychology, Northern Strategy Institute of Higher Education, Rasht, Iran.
2 Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Northern Strategy Institute of Higher Education, Rasht, Iran.
10.22075/jcp.2025.37144.3144
Abstract
Introduction: The study aimed to investigate the relationship between childhood traumatic experiences and general health with the mediating role of coping strategies.

Method: The research used a descriptive-correlation path analysis method. The statistical population consisted of undergraduate students from non-profit institutions in Rasht city in 2022-2023 academic year. 173 students were selected by cluster random sampling to complete Goldberg's General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), Bernstein et al.'s Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), and Lazarus and Folkman's Coping Strategies Questionnaire (CSQ).Pearson correlation coefficient, path analysis model, and SPSS and AMOS software were used to analyze statistical data.

Results: The results showed that emotional neglect and emotional abuse had a direct effect on coping strategies and general health, whereas physical and sexual abuse only affected general health. Additionally, physical neglect influenced only coping strategies. Moreover, emotion-focused coping mediated the relationship between emotional abuse and general health, while problem-focused coping did not have a mediating role. Both emotion-focused and problem-focused coping strategies significantly mediated the relationship between emotional and physical neglect with general health and had a direct impact on general health.

Conclusion: Based on the results, it can be said that childhood trauma experiences can affected collegians' genera health through the mediation of coping strategies. Therefore, psychological interventions that aim to strengthen coping strategies and reduce the negative effects of childhood adversities can play an effective role in improving the general health of university students
Keywords
Traumatic childhood experiences
Coping strategies
General health
Subjects

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  • Receive Date 17 March 2025
  • Revise Date 06 August 2025
  • Accept Date 28 June 2025
  • First Publish Date 18 August 2025
  • Publish Date 23 September 2025