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. 2025 Apr 22;13(1):419.
doi: 10.1186/s40359-025-02746-5.

The impact of childhood trauma on meaning in life among middle school students: the chain-mediating roles of social support and core self-evaluations

Suqun Liao  1 , Luyao Mo  1 , Lishen Wang  2
Affiliations

The impact of childhood trauma on meaning in life among middle school students: the chain-mediating roles of social support and core self-evaluations

Suqun Liao et al. BMC Psychol. .

Abstract

Background: The negative impact of childhood trauma on adolescence' meaning in life has become a widely concerned topic. The junior high school students are still at a critical stage of developing their meaning in life. This study aims to explore the impact of childhood trauma on meaning in life among junior high school students, as well as the mediating role of social support and core self-evaluations.

Methods: Cross-sectional data were collected from 23 schools in South China. 2,273 junior high school students completed self-reported questionnaires on demographic variables, childhood trauma, meaning in life, social support, and core self-evaluations. Statistical analysis was conducted via SPSS 27.0 and SPSS PROCESS.

Results: Childhood trauma negatively impacted junior high school students' meaning in life significantly. Both social support ( Indirect effect = -0.073, 95% CI, -0.112 ~ -0.034) and core self-evaluations ( Indirect effect = -0.044, 95% CI, -0.061 ~ -0.028) were significant partial mediators in the childhood trauma and meaning in life. A chain mediating role of social support and core self-evaluations in the relationship between childhood trauma and meaning in life was also supported (Indirect effect = -0.048, 95% CI, -0.066 ~ -0.031). Hierarchical regression results showed that social support and core self-evaluations both positively predict meaning in life. When social support and core self-evaluations were added separately, the impact of childhood trauma weakened. When social support (β = 0.113, t = 4.108, p < 0.001) and core self-evaluations (β = 0.165, t = 6.250, p < 0.001) were both present, childhood trauma has the least impact on meaning in life.

Conclusions: Strengthening the power of social support networks and fostering positive core self-evaluations may be important strategies for mitigating the negative effects of childhood trauma and enhancing meaning in life for junior high school students.

Keywords: Chain intermediary; Childhood trauma; Core self-evaluations; Meaning in life; Social support.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: The study was conducted in accordance with the guidelines of the Declaration of Helsinki, was approved in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the Institutional Review Board (or Ethics Committee) of the Medical College of Shaoguan University (0001,20220710). Informed consent has been obtained from all participants participating in the study and from the parents or legal guardians of participants under 16 years of age. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
The proposed theoretical model
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Mediation model showing the associations among the study variables. Note: adjusted for grade, gender and family income; all continuous variables were standardized before they were entered in the path model: *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001
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