The influence of childhood trauma on social media-induced secondary traumatic stress among college students: the chain mediating effect of self-compassion and resilience

<b>Background:</b> Studies have shown that media exposure to critical public events can lead to secondary traumatic stress (STS). Personal trauma history, self-compassion and resilience are important factors influencing STS in healthy professionals. However, whether these variables are associated with social media-induced STS in college students and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to explore the complex relationship linking childhood trauma to social media-induced STS in a large sample of college students. <b>Methods:</b> A total of 1151 Chinese college students from Chengdu, Sichuan Province of China completed a web-based cross-sectional survey, which included standard assessments of childhood trauma, self-compassion, resilience and social media-induced STS, as well as sociodemographic questionnaires. The chain mediation model was tested using the PROCESS macro programme in SPSS software. <b>Results:</b> There was a moderate correlation between childhood trauma and social media-induced STS (<i>r = </i>0.34, <i>p </i>&lt; .001). This association was significantly mediated by self-compassion (indirect effect [95% CI] = 0.14[0.11, 0.17]) and resilience (indirect effect = 0.03[0.01, 0.04]), respectively. Further, a chained mediating effect was observed with self-compassion and resilience consecutively mediated the relationship between childhood trauma and social media-induced STS (indirect effect = 0.02[0.01, 0.03]). These results persisted after sociodemographic characteristics were included as controlling variables. <b>Conclusions:</b> Early life trauma impacts STS induced by exposure to traumatic materials on social media through self-compassion and resilience among Chinese college students. Psychological interventions targeting self-compassion and resilience can be implemented to reduce the risk of STS, especially in vulnerable individuals. Exposure to traumatic information through social media can lead to secondary traumatic stress.Childhood trauma is related to social media-induced secondary traumatic stress.Self-compassion and resilience sequentially mediate this relationship between childhood trauma and social media-induced secondary traumatic stress. Exposure to traumatic information through social media can lead to secondary traumatic stress. Childhood trauma is related to social media-induced secondary traumatic stress. Self-compassion and resilience sequentially mediate this relationship between childhood trauma and social media-induced secondary traumatic stress.