Self-compassion and avoidant coping as mediators of the relationship between childhood maltreatment and mental health and alcohol use in young adulthood

Abstract

BackgroundExposure to childhood maltreatment increases the risk of mental health and substance use problems. Understanding the mechanisms linking maltreatment to these problems is critical for prevention. ObjectiveTo examine whether self-compassion and avoidant coping mediate the relationship between childhood maltreatment and mental ill-health and alcohol use. Participants and settingAustralians aged 18–20 years at baseline were recruited through social media and professional networks. MethodsParticipants (n = 568) completed an online survey, and were followed up annually for two subsequent surveys. Mediation models were conducted with the SPSS PROCESS macro. Maltreatment was the predictor; Wave 2 self-compassion and avoidant coping as mediators; Wave 3 mental health and alcohol use as outcomes. ResultsChildhood maltreatment predicted greater mental health symptoms (b = 0.253, 95 % CI = 0.128–0.378), and alcohol use (b = 0.057, 95 % CI = 0.008–0.107). Both self-compassion (b = 0.056, 95 % CI = 0.019–0.093) and avoidant coping (b = 0.103, 95 % CI = 0.024–0.181) mediated the relationship between maltreatment and mental health. Additionally, avoidant coping, but not self-compassion, mediated the relationship (b = 0.040, 95 % CI 0.020–0.061) with alcohol use. However, when controlling for pre-existing mental health and substance use, neither self-compassion nor avoidant coping mediated the relationship with mental health. Only avoidant coping mediated the link with alcohol use (b = 0.010, 95 % CI = 0.001–0.020). ConclusionsFindings suggests that by adulthood, self-compassion and avoidant coping may not explain future change in mental health symptoms; however, avoidant coping accounts for change in alcohol use across early adulthood. Reducing avoidant coping may prevent hazardous alcohol use across young adulthood among people exposed to childhood maltreatment.