# Depressive cognitions as a mediator between adverse childhood experiences, resilience, and depression in Taiwanese university students

## TL;DR

The study shows how negative thinking patterns link childhood trauma and low resilience to depression in university students in Taiwan, suggesting cognitive interventions could help.

## Contribution

It identifies depressive cognitions as a key mediator in a non-Western university student population, adding to global mental health understanding.

## Key findings

- Adverse childhood experiences are linked to higher depressive cognitions and symptoms.
- Resilience is associated with lower depressive cognitions and symptoms.
- Depressive cognitions mediate the relationship between ACEs, resilience, and depression.

## Abstract

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), resilience, and depressive cognitions are recognised predictors of depressive symptoms. However, limited evidence exists on how depressive cognitions mediate these relationships in university students, a population facing developmental and psychological challenges during emerging adulthood. This study aimed to examine the indirect effects of depressive cognitions between ACEs, resilience, and depressive symptoms.

A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 552 university students (aged 20–23) from five universities in northern Taiwan. Participants completed validated self-report measures assessing ACEs, trait resilience, depressive cognitions, and depressive symptoms. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was employed to test the hypothesised model, and bootstrapping with 1000 resamples was used to assess indirect effects.

ACEs were positively associated with depressive cognitions and depressive symptoms, while resilience was negatively associated with both. Moreover, depressive cognitions significantly accounted for indirect pathways between ACEs, resilience, and depressive symptoms.

These findings highlight depressive cognitions as a key psychological process through which early adverse experiences and trait resilience are associated with depressive outcomes. Targeted interventions focusing on cognitive restructuring may help reduce depressive symptoms among university students, given the central role of depressive cognitions observed in this study.

What is already known about this topic:
ACEs are linked to greater risk of depressive symptoms during emerging adulthood.Resilience is a known protective factor associated with lower depressive symptoms.Cognitive patterns play a significant role in the development and maintenance of depressive symptoms.

ACEs are linked to greater risk of depressive symptoms during emerging adulthood.

Resilience is a known protective factor associated with lower depressive symptoms.

Cognitive patterns play a significant role in the development and maintenance of depressive symptoms.

What this topic adds:
This study examines how depressive cognitions serve as a psychological pathway linking ACEs and resilience to depressive symptoms.Findings are based on a Taiwanese university student sample, contributing to non-Western evidence.The results underscore the potential value of early cognitive-focused approaches for addressing trauma-related depressive symptoms.

This study examines how depressive cognitions serve as a psychological pathway linking ACEs and resilience to depressive symptoms.

Findings are based on a Taiwanese university student sample, contributing to non-Western evidence.

The results underscore the potential value of early cognitive-focused approaches for addressing trauma-related depressive symptoms.