Exploring the relationship between childhood trauma, mental health literacy, and psychological resilience in university students: A regression analysis

Abstract

Background: Childhood trauma has enduring effects on mental health, including depression, PTSD, and reduced resilience. Resilience is a protective factor against these outcomes, while mental health literacy (MHL) supports prevention and reduces stigma in seeking help. Aim: The aim of this study was to explore the relationships among childhood trauma, psychological resilience, and mental health literacy in university students. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 306 students. Data were collected using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), the Brief Resilience Scale, and the MHL scale. Spearman correlations were used to assess associations, and linear regression tested predictive relationships. Results: The participants had a mean age of 20.67 +/- 2.72 years, and 80.72% were female. Emotional abuse showed a strong positive correlation with total CTQ scores (r = 0.73) and emotional neglect (r = 0.55). A moderate correlation was found between physical and sexual abuse (r = 0.34), while a small negative correlation was observed between the beliefs-oriented and knowledge-oriented MHL subdimensions (r =0.21). Regression analysis revealed that resilience significantly predicted CTQ scores (B = -0.45, p < .001), indicating that higher resilience was associated with lower childhood trauma. However, MHL and its subdimensions did not significantly predict CTQ scores. Conclusion: The findings emphasize the impact of childhood trauma on psychological resilience and its link to mental health literacy. Resilience emerged as a key protective factor, while the moderating role of MHL requires further study. Strengthening resilience and mental health literacy may help reduce the effects of early trauma among university students.