Childhood emotional neglect and its relationship with well-being: Mediation analyses

Abstract

Emotional neglect can have negative effects on mental health and well-being, making it a potentially traumatic experience. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between emotional neglect and depression, anxiety disorders, self-esteem, well-being, perceived social support, and perceived climate anxiety. The study also explored possible mediations and moderations among these variables. A total of 278 participants completed the study and were administered a range of psychological tools, including the Childhood Experiences Questionnaire, the Patient Health Questionnaire, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Additionally, a demographic survey was conducted, which included questions about climate anxiety and experience with psychotherapy. Childhood emotional neglect is significantly, and positively correlated with climate anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder, and depression, while being negatively correlated with well-being and perceived social support. Self-esteem, depression, and anxiety partially mediate the relationship between emotional neglect and psychological well-being, suggesting that interventions aimed at improving self-esteem and reducing anxiety may be effective in promoting psychological well-being among individuals who experienced emotional neglect in childhood. Early intervention and prevention efforts are important to reduce negative impact of emotional neglect. In particular, focusing on anxiety and depressive symptoms and self-esteem seems important to protect their well-being.