Profiles of childhood maltreatment and bullying victimization and their associations with posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in chinese college students: the mediating role of self-compassion
摘要
Family and school play fundamental roles in the development of college students, serving as primary places of socialization. However, few studies have simultaneously analyzed the impact of adversities in both contexts. We identified profiles of family maltreatment and peer victimization and explored their relationship with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, mediated by self-compassion. In total, 5,231 college students (58.5% females, Mage = 19.40 ± 1.47) participated in this study and completed questionnaires for childhood maltreatment (before 18 years old), bullying victimization (lifetime), self-compassion, and PTSD symptoms. Data were analyzed using latent profile analysis and Bolck, Croons, and Hagenaars (BCH) method. Five groups were identified: low-risk (72.6%, n = 3,800), neglect (14.2%, n = 742), bullying victimization (8.1%, n = 425), severe maltreatment (2.9%, n = 152), and doubly disadvantaged (2.1%, n = 112). Compared with the “low-risk” group, individuals in the “severe maltreatment”, “bullying victimization”, and “doubly disadvantaged” groups showed a significantly higher risk of PTSD symptoms, whereas the “neglect” group showed a significantly lower risk of PTSD symptoms. In addition, compared with individuals in the “low-risk” group, those in the “severe maltreatment”, “neglect”, “bullying victimization”, and “doubly disadvantaged” groups associated with PTSD symptoms through self-compassion. This study indicates the necessity for tailored interventions targeting college students falling within these specific profiles. Interventions aimed at fostering positive self-compassion and alleviating negative self-compassion hold promise for mitigating PTSD symptoms among college students.