Childhood Emotional Abuse and Somatic Symptoms: The Mediating Effect of Self-Hate.

Abstract

Childhood emotional abuse is a recognized factor for long-term psychological and physical health problems, including persistent somatic symptoms. Negative self-beliefs, such as self-hate-related beliefs, may explain how emotional mistreatment contributes to physical distress in adulthood beyond general emotional difficulties. A longitudinal study was conducted with 298 help-seeking adults. At baseline, participants completed measures of childhood emotional abuse, self-hate, and general negative affectivity. Somatic symptoms were assessed two months later. Mediation analyses tested whether self-hate mediated the relationship between childhood emotional abuse and somatic symptoms while accounting for the influence of general negative affectivity, which reflects a general tendency to experience negative emotional states. Participants (M_age = 33.7, SD = 11.8) were predominantly female (63.3%) and Caucasian (84.2%). Childhood emotional abuse (M = 11.24, SD = 6.60) was significantly associated with self-hate (M = 10.35, SD = 6.13, r = 0.33, p < 0.001) and somatic symptoms (M = 13.99, SD = 6.76, r = 0.27, p < 0.001). Self-hate strongly correlated with somatic symptoms (r = 0.45, p < 0.001). Mediation analyses showed that self-hate significantly mediated the link between emotional abuse and somatic symptoms, even after accounting for general negative affectivity as a covariate (indirect effect = 0.07, 99% CI [0.03, 0.13]). These findings highlight self-hate as a key mechanism linking childhood emotional abuse to somatic symptoms. Even when controlling for broader emotional instability, self-hate remained central. Addressing these negative self-beliefs through targeted interventions may help reduce both emotional suffering and associated physical manifestations.