The association between childhood abuse and addictive behaviors in adolescents: Understanding the role of impulsivity and irritability.

Previous studies have investigated the associations between childhood abuse experiences and addictive behaviors in traumatized adolescents. However, few studies have examined the distinctions of underlying mechanisms of the associations between childhood abuse and different addictive behaviors. To fill this gap, the current study used multiple mediation models to assess the relationship between childhood abuse experiences and smoking, alcohol, internet addiction in adolescents, and the possible mediation effects of impulsivity and irritability. Data were collected from 1601 high school students (Mage = 16.7, SD = 0.71, 757 boys and 807 girls) in Zhejiang Province, utilizing self-reported measures of childhood abuse, impulsivity, irritability, and addictive behaviors. Results indicated that childhood abuse significantly predicted these addictive behaviors both directly and indirectly through impulsivity and irritability. Notably, the mechanisms differed across behaviors: impulsivity mediated smoking and internet addiction, but not alcohol use, while irritability mediated all three addictive behaviors. Additionally, chain mediation effects of impulsivity and irritability were observed for all three addictive behaviors. These findings highlighted the need for personalized interventions addressing the unique pathways linking childhood abuse to specific addictive behaviors. Nevertheless, this study had some limitations as the following: reliance on self-report questionnaires, regional sampling, focus on specific addictive behaviors, and a cross-sectional design. Future research should incorporate diverse assessment methods, include broader populations, use longitudinal data, and integrate qualitative analysis for a more comprehensive understanding to validate these insights.