The Impact of Childhood Trauma Experiences on Interpersonal Problems among University Students: Focusing on the Dual Mediating Effects of Internalized Shame and Rejection Sensitivity

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of childhood trauma experiences on interpersonal problems among university students, mediated by internalized shame and rejection sensitivity.Childhood trauma can profoundly affect emotional and psychological development, leading to challenges in adult relationships.A self-report questionnaire was distributed to male and female university students aged 18 to 29 across the nation through an online survey company (Macromill Embrain) to explore this relationship.A total of 316 responses were collected and included in the final analysis.Using SPSS Win 22.0, the data underwent various analyses, including reliability analysis, descriptive statistics, frequency analysis, and correlation analysis.The SPSS PROCESS MACRO 3.4.1 assessed the dual mediating effects of internalized shame and rejection sensitivity.The results revealed that higher levels of childhood trauma experiences significantly correlated with increased interpersonal problems.Additionally, the study verified that internalized shame was positively linked to higher rejection sensitivity, which, in turn, exacerbated interpersonal problems.Furthermore, the influence of childhood trauma on interpersonal issues decreased when accounting for the mediating roles of internalized shame and rejection sensitivity, highlighting the significant indirect effects of these variables.Based on these findings, this study recommends targeted interventions to reduce the adverse effects of childhood trauma experiences and improve interpersonal functioning among university students.