Does social support always help? Emotion regulation pathways through self-compassion in maltreated adolescents’ PTSD and growth

Abstract

Background Adolescents exposed to childhood maltreatment often experience co-occurring posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and posttraumatic growth (PTG). Perceived social support may influence these outcomes through emotion regulation strategies, yet its effects can be both protective and paradoxical. Self-compassion, comprising positive and negative dimensions, has been conceptualized as an emotion regulation strategy that may mediate these relationships. Methods A two-wave longitudinal design with a six-month interval was employed. Participants were 1,773 Chinese adolescents (52.3% female) who reported childhood maltreatment. At Time 1, perceived social support, self-compassion, PTSD, and PTG were assessed; at Time 2, self-compassion, PTSD, and PTG were re-assessed. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesized dual-pathway mediation mode. Results Perceived social support positively predicted both positive self-compassion and negative self-compassion. Positive self-compassion was associated with lower PTSD and higher PTG, whereas negative self-compassion predicted only higher PTSD. Significant indirect effects indicated that social support was associated with reduced PTSD and increased PTG through positive self-compassion. Moreover, social support may be marginally associated with elevated PTSD through negative self-compassion in a potential maladaptive pathway. Conclusion Findings reveal a dual-edged role of perceived social support among maltreated adolescents, operating through distinct self-compassion pathways. The adaptive pathway via positive self-compassion is associated with recovery and growth, while the potential maladaptive pathway via negative self-compassion may be associated with elevated distress. These results highlight self-compassion as a critical emotion regulation mechanism linking social resources to posttraumatic outcomes and suggest that interventions fostering positive self-compassion while addressing self-criticism could benefit trauma-exposed youth.