[Mediating effect of psychological symptoms on the relationship between childhood abuses and non-suicidal self-injuries among medical college students].

OBJECTIVE

To explore the mediating effect of psychological symptoms on the relationship between childhood abuse and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI).

METHODS

Freshmen and sophomores as a whole in one medical school were selected as interviewers. Questionnaire survey including childhood abuse assessment, NSSI and psychological symptoms has been conducted. The relevancy among Pearson correlation, linear regression and Sobel examination and analysis has also been used.

RESULTS

There was a significant positive correlation among physical, emotional, sexual and overall childhood abuse grading, psychological symptom grading and self-injury frequency (P < 0.01). Psychological symptoms played a part in mediating role evaluated by Sobel test in the relationship between these abuses and NSSI, which was statistically significant. The proportions of mediating effects in total were 8.33% - 9.96% among males and 6.06% - 10.36% among females (P < 0.01). The mediating effects were still marked statistically by Sobel test after adjusting some variables such as age, position of the residence, family condition, and educational background of parents, etc. Sobel test had showed that there was also some statistical significance in the above mediating effect. The proportions were 7.93% - 9.96% among males and 6.10% - 10.20% among females (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

There is a partial mediating effect of psychological symptoms on the relationship between childhood abuse and NSSI among college students. The alleviating of psychological symptoms may contribute to the prevention and control of NSSI among adolescents who have experienced childhood abuse.