Self-compassion and resilience mediate the relationship between childhood exposure to domestic violence and posttraumatic growth/stress disorder during COVID-19 pandemic

Xin-Li Chi; Qiao-Min Huang; Xiao-Feng Liu; Liu-Yue Huang; Meng-Jian Hu; Zhi-Jing Chen; Can Jiao; Brendon Stubbs; M Mahbub Hossain; Li-Ye Zou

doi:10.5498/wjp.v11.i11.1106

Self-compassion and resilience mediate the relationship between childhood exposure to domestic violence and posttraumatic growth/stress disorder during COVID-19 pandemic

World J Psychiatry. 2021 Nov 19;11(11):1106-1115. doi: 10.5498/wjp.v11.i11.1106.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Institute of KEEP Collaborative Innovation, School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, Guangdong Province, China.
² Guangdong Polytechnic, Foshan 528041, Guangdong Province, China.
³ Longhua No. 2 Experimental School Affiliated Hongchuang Kindergarten, Shenzhen 518100, Guangdong Province, China.
⁴ Physiotherapy Department, South London & Maudsley NHS Fdn Trust, London WC2R 2LS, United Kingdom.
⁵ School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, Texas, TX 77843, United States.
⁶ Exercise Psychophysiology Laboratory, Institute of KEEP Collaborative Innovation, School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, Guangdong Province, China. liyezou123@gmail.com.

Abstract

Background: Studies have indicated that childhood exposure to domestic violence is a common factor in posttraumatic growth (PTG) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but it is unclear whether PTG and PTSD share a common/different underlying mechanism.

Aim: To explore the common/different underlying mechanism of PTG and PTSD.

Methods: Between February 12 and 17, 2020, a nationwide cross-sectional online survey was conducted in China among 2038 university students, and a self-administered questionnaire was used for the data collection. The data included demographic characteristics, such as age, gender, and subjective social economic status, and childhood exposure to domestic violence scale that was selected from the Chinese version of revised Adverse Childhood Experiences Question, Self-compassion Scale, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, and the Abbreviated PTSD Checklist-Civilian version. A structural equation model was used to test the hypotheses.

Results: Exposure to domestic violence was significantly associated with PTG and PTSD via a 1-step indirect path of self-compassion (PTG: β = -0.023, 95%CI: -0.44 to -0.007; PTSD: β = 0.008, 95%CI: 0.002, 0.014) and via a 2-step indirect path from self-compassion to resilience (PTG: β = -0.008, 95%CI: -0.018 to -0.002; PTSD: β = 0.013, 95%CI: 0.004-0.024). However, resilience did not mediate the relationship between exposure to domestic violence and PTG and PTSD.

Conclusion: PTG and PTSD are common results of childhood exposure to domestic violence, which may be influenced by self-compassion and resilience.

Keywords: COVID-19; Domestic violence; Posttraumatic growth; Posttraumatic stress disorder; Resilience; Self-compassion.