Experiential avoidance and childhood trauma in people diagnosed with schizophrenia in remission: a mediational analysis

Objective The level of experiential avoidance and the prevalence of childhood trauma are both elevated in individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia. While previous studies have identified a correlation between these factors, there has been limited exploration on the underlying mechanism. Therefore, this study aims to investigate whether social support serves as the mediating factor in this mechanism.Methods Childhood Trauma Questionnaire–Short Form, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and Acceptance and Action Questionnaire–Second Edition (AAQ-II) were used to assess 208 people diagnosed with schizophrenia.Results Patients suffering at least one trauma accounted for 65.9%, and the mean AAQ-II score in people diagnosed with schizophrenia was higher than that in college students. Childhood trauma and experiential avoidance were negatively correlated with social support, and childhood trauma was positively correlated with experiential avoidance. social support fully mediated the relationship between childhood trauma and experiential avoidance.Conclusion The childhood trauma of people diagnosed with schizophrenia may affected their experiential avoidance through social support.