IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/cysrev/v179y2025ics0190740925004645.html

Psychological maltreatment and loneliness in Chinese children: a moderated mediation model of psychological suzhi and perceived social support

Author

Listed:
  • Luo, Shilan
  • Zhang, Dajun

Abstract

Psychological maltreatment has been shown to be positively associated with loneliness, and both are linked to children’s mental health. However, the mechanisms underlying the association between psychological maltreatment and children’s loneliness remain insufficiently understood. Perceived social support is linked to psychological maltreatment and may serve as a protective factor against loneliness, and psychological suzhi has been described as an essential and stable psychological quality that may moderate the effects of external factors on an individual’s mental health. Thus, this study proposes and explores a moderated mediation model of psychological suzhi and perceived social support. The data were collected from a sample of 1122 students (550 boys, 572 girls) aged 9–13 years in China, and statistical analysis was done with SPSS 26.0. Results indicated that perceived social support partially mediated the association between psychological maltreatment and loneliness, while psychological suzhi weakened the indirect relationship between psychological maltreatment and loneliness via perceived social support. Research has indicated that psychological maltreatment may undermine perceived social support, which in turn relates to high levels of loneliness. Psychological suzhi may influence the detrimental effect of psychological maltreatment on perceived social support, and the protective effect of perceived social support on loneliness. These findings provide insights into potential directions for interventions and preventative actions aimed at Chinese children who have experienced psychological maltreatment.

Suggested Citation

  • Luo, Shilan & Zhang, Dajun, 2025. "Psychological maltreatment and loneliness in Chinese children: a moderated mediation model of psychological suzhi and perceived social support," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:179:y:2025:i:c:s0190740925004645
    DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2025.108581
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0190740925004645
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.childyouth.2025.108581?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Li, Bingbing & Pan, Yangu & Liu, Guangzeng & Chen, Wanfen & Lu, Jiamei & Li, Xu, 2020. "Perceived social support and self-esteem mediate the relationship between childhood maltreatment and psychosocial flourishing in Chinese undergraduate students," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 117(C).
    2. He, Nina & Xiang, Yanhui, 2022. "Child maltreatment and nonsuicidal self-injury among Chinese adolescents: The mediating effect of psychological resilience and loneliness," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    3. Liu, Jie & Li, Bingbing & Xu, Mengsi & Luo, Junlong & Li, Xu, 2022. "Effects of childhood maltreatment on prosocial behaviors among Chinese emerging adults: A mediated moderation model of psychological suzhi and gratitude," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    4. Zewei Li & Yangu Pan & Guangzeng Liu & Bingbing Li & Xu Li, 2022. "Childhood Maltreatment and Psychosocial Flourishing among Emerging Adults: Roles of Psychological Suzhi and Self-Esteem," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-11, April.
    5. Pan, Yangu & Hu, Yu & Zhang, Dajun & Ran, Guangming & Li, Bingbing & Liu, Chuanxing & Liu, Guangzeng & Luo, Shilan & Chen, Wanfen, 2017. "Parental and peer attachment and adolescents' behaviors: The mediating role of psychological suzhi in a longitudinal study," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 218-225.
    6. Luo, Shilan & Liu, Yunyan & Zhang, Dajun, 2020. "Psychological maltreatment and loneliness in Chinese children: The role of perceived social support and self-esteem," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Liu, Jie & Li, Bingbing & Xu, Mengsi & Luo, Junlong & Li, Xu, 2022. "Effects of childhood maltreatment on prosocial behaviors among Chinese emerging adults: A mediated moderation model of psychological suzhi and gratitude," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    2. Zewei Li & Yangu Pan & Guangzeng Liu & Bingbing Li & Xu Li, 2022. "Childhood Maltreatment and Psychosocial Flourishing among Emerging Adults: Roles of Psychological Suzhi and Self-Esteem," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-11, April.
    3. Nguyen, Thanh Minh & Xiao, Xingxue & Xiong, Shulin & Guo, Cheng & Cheng, Gang, 2020. "Effects of parental educational involvement on classroom peer status among Chinese primary school students: A moderated mediation model of psychological Suzhi and family socioeconomic status," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    4. Diya Dou & Daniel T. L. Shek & Ka Ho Robin Kwok, 2020. "Perceived Paternal and Maternal Parenting Attributes among Chinese Adolescents: A Meta-Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(23), pages 1-19, November.
    5. Barbara Jankowiak & Sylwia Jaskulska & Belén Sanz-Barbero & Katarzyna Waszyńska & Karen De Claire & Nicola Bowes & Estefânia Silva & Sofia Neves & Natalia Albaladejo-Blázquez & Jacek Pyżalski & Iwona , 2021. "Will I Like Myself If You Hurt Me? Experiences of Violence and Adolescents’ Self-Esteem," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-16, October.
    6. Zhiyuan Yu & Lin Wang & Wenyi Chen & Juan Zhang & Amie F. Bettencourt, 2022. "Positive Childhood Experiences Associate with Adult Flourishing Amidst Adversity: A Cross Sectional Survey Study with a National Sample of Young Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-16, November.
    7. Yangu Pan & Qiongwen Zhang & Guangzeng Liu & Bingbing Li & Chuanxing Liu, 2022. "Parents’ Attachment Styles and Adolescents’ Regulatory Emotional Self-efficacy: The Mediating Role of Adolescents’ Attachment to Parents in China," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 17(5), pages 2637-2656, October.
    8. He, Jinbo & Chen, Xinjie & Fan, Xitao & Cai, Zhihui & Hao, Shudan, 2018. "Profiles of parent and peer attachments of adolescents and associations with psychological outcomes," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 163-172.
    9. Wang, Hong & Wen, Sili & Wang, Yang & Zhou, Yongjie & Niu, Ben, 2025. "Rumination, loneliness, and non-suicidal self-injury among adolescents with major depressive disorder: The moderating role of resilience," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 364(C).
    10. Xu, Chunyan & Xie, Xiaochun, 2023. "Put down the phone and accompany me: How parental phubbing undermines prosocial behavior of early adolescents," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    11. Yangu Pan & Shuang Liang & Daniel T. L. Shek, 2022. "Attachment Insecurity and Altruistic Behavior among Chinese Adolescents: Mediating Effect of Different Dimensions of Empathy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(16), pages 1-15, August.
    12. Zişan Kazak & Marc Lochbaum & Ayşe Meliha Canpolat, 2021. "Flourishing in Young Adults: The Role of Achievement Goals, Participation Motivation, and Self-Perception Levels in Physical Activity Contexts," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-11, July.
    13. Xiaoqin Zhu & Daniel Shek, 2023. "The Predictive Effect of Depression on Self-Injury: Positive Youth Development as a Moderator," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 18(6), pages 2877-2894, December.
    14. Lin Zhang & Xueyao Ma & Xianglian Yu & Meizhu Ye & Na Li & Shan Lu & Jiayi Wang, 2021. "Childhood Trauma and Psychological Distress: A Serial Mediation Model among Chinese Adolescents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(13), pages 1-11, June.
    15. Arslan, Gökmen & Genç, Emel, 2022. "Psychological maltreatment and college student mental wellbeing: A uni and multi-dimensional effect of positive perception," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    16. Zhao, Fengqing & Liu, Mingxiao & Li, Sen, 2020. "Paternal coparenting behavior and adolescent prosocial behaviors: Roles of parent-child attachment, peer attachment, and gender," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    17. Zhao, Zhanfeng & Liu, Guangzeng & Nie, Qian & Teng, Zhaojun & Cheng, Gang & Zhang, Dajun, 2021. "School climate and bullying victimization among adolescents: A moderated mediation model," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    18. Liu, Guangzeng & Fang, Liyan & Pan, Yangu & Zhang, Dajun, 2019. "Media multitasking and adolescents' sleep quality: The role of emotional-behavioral problems and psychological suzhi," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 415-421.
    19. Xiaoyu Lan & Chunhua Ma & Yongfeng Ma, 2021. "A Person-Centered Investigation of Adolescent Psychosocial and Academic Adjustment: the Role of Peer Attachment and Zhong-Yong Thinking," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 14(4), pages 1479-1500, August.
    20. Yangu Pan & Meiki Maggie Chan & Guangzeng Liu & Song Li & Xiangshu Deng, 2024. "The Longitudinal Association Between Self-Esteem and Social Relationships Among Chinese Adolescents: Roles of Developmental Stages and Gender," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 25(7), pages 1-25, October.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:179:y:2025:i:c:s0190740925004645. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/childyouth .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.