Childhood Trauma, Coping Styles, and Mental Health in Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

TL;DR

This study explores how childhood trauma affects mental health in PCOS patients, finding that coping styles play a key role in this relationship.

Contribution

The study identifies coping styles as a novel psychological mechanism linking childhood trauma to mental health outcomes in PCOS.

Findings

Greater trauma exposure was linked to more disordered eating and poorer quality of life in PCOS patients.

Higher disengagement coping partially explained the trauma-outcome relationship.

Coping styles are suggested as potential targets for intervention in PCOS care.

Abstract

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a common but understudied endocrine condition associated with elevated mental health risks, including disordered eating and reduced quality of life. Prior research suggests that childhood trauma may contribute to these outcomes, yet the psychological mechanisms underlying this link remain poorly understood. In this study, we examined whether coping styles account for the relationship between childhood trauma and mental health outcomes among individuals with PCOS. Participants (N = 150) completed validated measures of childhood trauma, disordered eating symptoms, PCOS-related quality of life, and coping behaviors. As expected, greater trauma exposure was associated with more disordered eating and poorer quality of life. Analyses indicated these associations were partially accounted for by higher disengagement coping. These findings identify coping styles as a candidate mechanism linking early-life adversity to mental health outcomes in PCOS, suggesting targets for intervention and screening.

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