The Impact of Childhood Trauma and Perceived Social Support on Depression: The Mediating Role of Emotional Regulation

The present study examined the impact of childhood trauma and perceived social support on depression, with emotion regulation difficulties as a mediating variable, among adults residing in Karachi, Pakistan. Employing a quantitative, cross-sectional correlational design, data were collected from 188 participants aged 18 to 35 years, selected through purposive sampling from educational institutions, workplaces, and community centers. Standardized self-report instruments were administered, including the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ-SF), Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS-16), and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Data analysis using SPSS Version 26 and Hayes’ PROCESS macro (Model 4) revealed that childhood trauma was positively correlated with depression and emotion regulation difficulties, while perceived social support showed significant negative correlations with depression, childhood trauma, and emotion regulation difficulties. Mediation analysis indicated that emotion regulation difficulties partially mediated the relationship between childhood trauma and depression, suggesting that individuals exposed to higher levels of trauma experience greater difficulties regulating emotions, thereby increasing depressive symptoms. These findings underscore the importance of trauma-informed and emotion-focused interventions along with enhancing perceived social support to reduce depression among adults in urban Pakistan. The study’s limitations in6+clude its cross-sectional design and reliance on self-report measures, warranting longitudinal and intervention-based research in diverse Pakistani populations.