the relationship between childhood traumatic experiences and affective styles: the mediating role of cognitive abilities

Aim: childhood trauma has lasting effects on emotional development and affective styles in adulthood. the potential mediating role of cognitive mechanisms—particularly cognitive abilities—in this relationship has not been thoroughly examined. this study investigated whether cognitive abilities mediate the link between childhood trauma and affective styles. methods: this study used a cross-sectional correlational design, with data analyzed through path analysis using spss 27 and amos. participants were 331 adults (242 women, 89 men; mean age = 25.93, sd = 7.70). measures included the childhood trauma questionnaire (ctq), the affective style questionnaire (asq), and the cognitive abilities questionnaire (caq). results: childhood trauma was negatively associated with the adjustment style directly (β = -.12, p < .05) and indirectly through cognitive abilities (β_indirect = -0.14, p < .05), indicating mediation. its effects on concealing and tolerating styles were fully mediated by cognitive abilities (β_indirect = -.04 and -.05, respectively, p < .05), with no significant direct paths. cognitive abilities were positively associated with all three affective styles (β = .44–.17, p < .01–.05), highlighting their key mediating role. the path analysis model showed good fit indices (nfi = .96, cfi = .97, gfi = .99, rmsea = .069). conclusion: these findings suggest that cognitive abilities play a meaningful role in the association between childhood trauma and enduring affective styles. furthermore, interventions targeting cognitive–affective processes could potentially contribute to reducing the long-term effects of childhood trauma aim: childhood trauma has lasting effects on emotional development and affective styles in adulthood. the potential mediating role of cognitive mechanisms—particularly cognitive abilities—in this relationship has not been thoroughly examined. this study investigated whether cognitive abilities mediate the link between childhood trauma and affective styles. methods: this study used a cross-sectional correlational design, with data analyzed through path analysis using spss 27 and amos. participants were 331 adults (242 women, 89 men; mean age = 25.93, sd = 7.70). measures included the childhood trauma questionnaire (ctq), the affective style questionnaire (asq), and the cognitive abilities questionnaire (caq). results: childhood trauma was negatively associated with the adjustment style directly (β = -.12, p < .05) and indirectly through cognitive abilities (β_indirect = -0.14, p < .05), indicating mediation. its effects on concealing and tolerating styles were fully mediated by cognitive abilities (β_indirect = -.04 and -.05, respectively, p < .05), with no significant direct paths. cognitive abilities were positively associated with all three affective styles (β = .44–.17, p < .01–.05), highlighting their key mediating role. the path analysis model showed good fit indices (nfi = .96, cfi = .97, gfi = .99, rmsea = .069). conclusion: these findings suggest that cognitive abilities play a meaningful role in the association between childhood trauma and enduring affective styles. furthermore, interventions targeting cognitive–affective processes could potentially contribute to reducing the long-term effects of childhood trauma