Childhood emotional maltreatment predicts social well-being beyond individual well-being: a daily diary study

Abstract

ABSTRACT Childhood emotional maltreatment can have a profound impact on well-being. However, past research has largely focused on individual well-being, making it noteworthy to examine whether childhood emotional maltreatment predicts social well-being beyond individual well-being. To fill this gap, the current study employed a daily diary approach to investigate the independent effect of childhood emotional maltreatment on social well-being, and examined gratitude’s mediating role in the relationship. A total of 483 participants (Mage = 19.30, SDage = 2.12) completed daily surveys for 14 consecutive days. The results of the multilevel regression analysis indicated that childhood emotional maltreatment negatively and independently predicted social well-being, even after controlling for individual well- being, other forms of maltreatment (i.e. physical and sexual maltreatment), age and gender. Moreover, multilevel mediation analysis elucidated that gratitude served as a mediating factor in this association. In summary, these findings underscore the adverse effects of emotional maltreatment on social well-being and suggest gratitude as a possible intervention focus.