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. 2025 Jul 17:10.1037/hea0001532.
doi: 10.1037/hea0001532. Online ahead of print.

The social ambivalence and disease model: Childhood trauma as an antecedent factor linking spousal ambivalence to inflammation

Bert N Uchino  1 , Tracey Tacana  1 , Joshua Landvatter  2 , Brian W Baucom  1 , Timothy W Smith  1 , Samantha Joel  3 , Christopher Fagundes  4
Affiliations

The social ambivalence and disease model: Childhood trauma as an antecedent factor linking spousal ambivalence to inflammation

Bert N Uchino et al. Health Psychol. .

Abstract
in English, Spanish

Objective: Ambivalence in relationships is related to health-relevant biological outcomes. However, the antecedent processes that contribute to this association are unknown. The primary aim of this study was to test the prediction of the social ambivalence and disease model, which highlights the potential role of childhood trauma as an antecedent factor linking spousal ambivalence to inflammation.

Method: A sample of 107 heterosexual couples who had been married for at least 10 years was recruited. Participants completed the social relationship index to assess spousal ambivalence and the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. Blood was drawn to determine levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and interleukin-6 as measures of inflammation.

Results: Consistent with the social ambivalence and disease model, there was a significant indirect effect in which childhood trauma was related to greater spousal ambivalence which in turn was associated with higher hs-CRP levels. No evidence for the statistical mediational model was found for interleukin-6.

Conclusions: These results highlight the potential role of childhood trauma as an antecedent factor linking spousal ambivalence to hs-CRP. It also highlights potential pathways that might be targeted for interventions pending further work. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

Objetivo:: La ambivalencia en las relaciones se relaciona con resultados biológicos relevantes para la salud. Sin embargo, se desconocen los procesos antecedentes que contribuyen a esta asociación. El objetivo principal de este estudio fue evaluar la predicción del modelo de ambivalencia social y enfermedad (SAD, por sus siglas en inglés), que destaca el posible papel del trauma infantil como factor antecedente que vincula la ambivalencia conyugal con la inflamación.

Métodos:: Se reclutó una muestra de 107 parejas heterosexuales con al menos 10 años de matrimonio. Los participantes completaron el índice de relaciones sociales para evaluar la ambivalencia conyugal y el cuestionario de trauma infantil (CTQ, por sus siglas en inglés). Se les extrajo sangre para determinar los niveles de hs-CRP e IL-6 como indicadores de inflamación.

Resultados:: En consonancia con el modelo SAD, se observó un efecto indirecto significativo en el que el trauma infantil se relacionó con una mayor ambivalencia conyugal, la cual, a su vez, se asoció con niveles más altos de hs-CRP. No se encontró evidencia del modelo estadístico mediacional para IL-6.

Conclusiones:: Estos resultados resaltan el posible papel del trauma infantil como factor antecedente que vincula la ambivalencia conyugal con la hs-CRP. También destacan posibles vías que podrían ser objeto de intervención, a la espera de investigaciones adicionales.

Relevancia pública:: Las relaciones ambivalentes son relativamente comunes, pero la mayoría de las investigaciones han ignorado la coexistencia de sentimientos positivos y negativos inherentes a ellas. Este estudio sugiere que el trauma infantil se asocia con la ambivalencia en el matrimonio y algunos efectos relevantes para la salud.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Statistical mediational model with indirect pathways linking spousal ambivalence to hs-CRP.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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