From childhood maltreatment to adulthood depression: The roles of emotion dysregulation and self-compassion
Zahra Asl Soleimani, Hamid Poursharifi, Behrouz Dolatshahi, Ali Akbar ForoughiBACKGROUND:
Depression is a prevalent disorder with a high possibility of relapse that also causes destruction to the patient’s functioning. For this reason, several studies have investigated the factors involved in it. However, the role of behavioral dimensions of emotion regulation and the effect of self-compassion in these relationships are less well understood. So, this study aims to explore the relationship between childhood maltreatment (CM) experience and depression, considering the mediating role of cognitive and behavioral emotion regulation and self-compassion.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
This cross-sectional correlational study was conducted between 2021 and 2022 using a web-based survey (Google Form) completed by 304 Iranian adults aged 18–50 (mean age: 34.89 years; male: 61.70%; female: 38.30%). Participants were recruited through online platforms using convenience sampling. Pearson’s correlation was calculated to examine the relationships among variables, and path analysis was used to test the hypothesized model.
RESULTS:
Results revealed that in addition to the significant direct relationship between the experience of childhood emotional maltreatment (emotional abuse:
CONCLUSIONS:
The findings suggest that individuals with an experience of emotional maltreatment in childhood also experience higher levels of depression in adulthood. Meanwhile, the results of this study supported the mediating role of self-compassion, cognitive emotion regulation, and behavioral emotion regulation in the relationship between the experience of emotional maltreatment and depression in adulthood.