# Childhood psychological abuse influences adolescent aggression through mentalizing and alexithymia sequential mediation

## TL;DR

Childhood psychological abuse affects adolescent aggression through mentalizing and alexithymia, offering insights for prevention strategies.

## Contribution

The study identifies a sequential mediation pathway involving mentalizing and alexithymia linking childhood abuse to aggression.

## Key findings

- Childhood psychological abuse significantly predicts adolescent aggression.
- Alexithymia mediates the relationship between childhood abuse and aggression.
- Mentalizing and alexithymia sequentially mediate the abuse-aggression link.

## Abstract

This study explores the impact of childhood psychological abuse on adolescent aggression and delves into the sequential mediating roles played by mentalizing and alexithymia within this dynamic. Engaging a cohort of 911 middle and high school students in China, the research uncovers that childhood psychological abuse is a significant predictor of aggression in adolescents. It further identifies alexithymia as a mediator in the correlation between childhood psychological abuse and adolescent aggression. Additionally, a sequential mediation by mentalizing and alexithymia elucidates the complex link connecting childhood psychological abuse to aggression. These insights shed light on the psychological underpinnings of aggressive behaviors in adolescents and lay a foundation for crafting targeted prevention and intervention strategies.