The influence of childhood trauma on social media-induced secondary traumatic stress among college students: the chain mediating effect of self-compassion and resilience
Background: Studies have shown that media exposure to critical public events can lead to secondary traumatic stress (STS). Personal trauma history, self-compassion and resilience are important factors influencing STS in healthy professionals. However, whether these variables are associated with soci...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2025-12-01
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| Series: | European Journal of Psychotraumatology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/20008066.2025.2456322 |
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| author | Xiqin Liu Ye Yao Siyu Zhu Qiyong Gong |
| author_facet | Xiqin Liu Ye Yao Siyu Zhu Qiyong Gong |
| author_sort | Xiqin Liu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Studies have shown that media exposure to critical public events can lead to secondary traumatic stress (STS). Personal trauma history, self-compassion and resilience are important factors influencing STS in healthy professionals. However, whether these variables are associated with social media-induced STS in college students and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to explore the complex relationship linking childhood trauma to social media-induced STS in a large sample of college students.Methods: A total of 1151 Chinese college students from Chengdu, Sichuan Province of China completed a web-based cross-sectional survey, which included standard assessments of childhood trauma, self-compassion, resilience and social media-induced STS, as well as sociodemographic questionnaires. The chain mediation model was tested using the PROCESS macro programme in SPSS software.Results: There was a moderate correlation between childhood trauma and social media-induced STS (r = 0.34, p < .001). This association was significantly mediated by self-compassion (indirect effect [95% CI] = 0.14[0.11, 0.17]) and resilience (indirect effect = 0.03[0.01, 0.04]), respectively. Further, a chained mediating effect was observed with self-compassion and resilience consecutively mediated the relationship between childhood trauma and social media-induced STS (indirect effect = 0.02[0.01, 0.03]). These results persisted after sociodemographic characteristics were included as controlling variables.Conclusions: Early life trauma impacts STS induced by exposure to traumatic materials on social media through self-compassion and resilience among Chinese college students. Psychological interventions targeting self-compassion and resilience can be implemented to reduce the risk of STS, especially in vulnerable individuals. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-71d988515872404587593837ed866e50 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2000-8066 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Journal of Psychotraumatology |
| spelling | doaj-art-71d988515872404587593837ed866e502025-02-03T17:07:03ZengTaylor & Francis GroupEuropean Journal of Psychotraumatology2000-80662025-12-0116110.1080/20008066.2025.2456322The influence of childhood trauma on social media-induced secondary traumatic stress among college students: the chain mediating effect of self-compassion and resilienceXiqin Liu0Ye Yao1Siyu Zhu2Qiyong Gong3Department of Radiology, Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Institute of Radiology, Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, People’s Republic of ChinaSchool of Sociology and Psychology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People’s Republic of ChinaThe Laboratory of Sport Psychology, School of Sport Training, Chengdu Sport University, Chengdu, People’s Republic of ChinaDepartment of Radiology, Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Institute of Radiology, Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, People’s Republic of ChinaBackground: Studies have shown that media exposure to critical public events can lead to secondary traumatic stress (STS). Personal trauma history, self-compassion and resilience are important factors influencing STS in healthy professionals. However, whether these variables are associated with social media-induced STS in college students and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to explore the complex relationship linking childhood trauma to social media-induced STS in a large sample of college students.Methods: A total of 1151 Chinese college students from Chengdu, Sichuan Province of China completed a web-based cross-sectional survey, which included standard assessments of childhood trauma, self-compassion, resilience and social media-induced STS, as well as sociodemographic questionnaires. The chain mediation model was tested using the PROCESS macro programme in SPSS software.Results: There was a moderate correlation between childhood trauma and social media-induced STS (r = 0.34, p < .001). This association was significantly mediated by self-compassion (indirect effect [95% CI] = 0.14[0.11, 0.17]) and resilience (indirect effect = 0.03[0.01, 0.04]), respectively. Further, a chained mediating effect was observed with self-compassion and resilience consecutively mediated the relationship between childhood trauma and social media-induced STS (indirect effect = 0.02[0.01, 0.03]). These results persisted after sociodemographic characteristics were included as controlling variables.Conclusions: Early life trauma impacts STS induced by exposure to traumatic materials on social media through self-compassion and resilience among Chinese college students. Psychological interventions targeting self-compassion and resilience can be implemented to reduce the risk of STS, especially in vulnerable individuals.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/20008066.2025.2456322Childhood traumasecondary traumatic stressself-compassionresiliencesocial mediaTrauma infantil |
| spellingShingle | Xiqin Liu Ye Yao Siyu Zhu Qiyong Gong The influence of childhood trauma on social media-induced secondary traumatic stress among college students: the chain mediating effect of self-compassion and resilience European Journal of Psychotraumatology Childhood trauma secondary traumatic stress self-compassion resilience social media Trauma infantil |
| title | The influence of childhood trauma on social media-induced secondary traumatic stress among college students: the chain mediating effect of self-compassion and resilience |
| title_full | The influence of childhood trauma on social media-induced secondary traumatic stress among college students: the chain mediating effect of self-compassion and resilience |
| title_fullStr | The influence of childhood trauma on social media-induced secondary traumatic stress among college students: the chain mediating effect of self-compassion and resilience |
| title_full_unstemmed | The influence of childhood trauma on social media-induced secondary traumatic stress among college students: the chain mediating effect of self-compassion and resilience |
| title_short | The influence of childhood trauma on social media-induced secondary traumatic stress among college students: the chain mediating effect of self-compassion and resilience |
| title_sort | influence of childhood trauma on social media induced secondary traumatic stress among college students the chain mediating effect of self compassion and resilience |
| topic | Childhood trauma secondary traumatic stress self-compassion resilience social media Trauma infantil |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/20008066.2025.2456322 |
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