Unpacking the Relationship between Sexual and Gender Minority Adverse Childhood Experiences and Psychological Distress: the Mediating Role of Self-Compassion and Fear of Compassion from others.

IF 2.2 Q2 FAMILY STUDIES

Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma Pub Date : 2026-04-24 eCollection Date: 2026-09-01 DOI:10.1007/s40653-026-00879-2

Han Chen, Eddie S K Chong, Randolph C H Chan

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Sexual and gender minority individuals experience higher rates of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) than heterosexual individuals. Yet, the general ACE framework ignores unique ACEs faced by SGM individuals (i.e., cisheterosexism during childhood). The Sexual and Gender Minority ACE (SGM-ACE; Schnarrs et al., 2022, 2023) framework fills this gap by accounting for ACEs that are unique for SGM individuals resulting from systems of oppression (i.e., cisheterosexism during childhood). However, past studies employing this framework were conducted in the U.S. context, limiting the understanding of the prevalence of SGM-ACEs and their associations with psychological outcomes in other contexts such as Hong Kong where LGBTQ+ policies and laws are still progressing. Furthermore, prior research has rarely explored how SGM-ACEs adversely affect psychological outcomes through impeding capacities for compassion of SGM individuals. Therefore, utilizing data from 736 SGM individuals in Hong Kong, this study addressed these important gaps by exploring the prevalence of SGM-ACEs and examined the association between SGM-ACEs and psychological distress among Hong Kong SGM individuals. Moreover, self-compassion and fear of receiving compassion from others were tested as mediators of the effects of SGM-ACEs on psychological distress. Results show that a large proportion of SGM individuals in Hong Kong have experienced SGM-ACEs (89.3%) and these traumatic childhood experiences were significantly linked to higher psychological distress in adulthood. Both self-compassion and fear of compassion from others significantly mediated this relationship. This study demonstrates the significance of considering ACEs specifically related to SGM identities. Findings offer critical insights into practice, clinical treatment, psychoeducation, and policies.

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性别少数群体童年不良经历与心理困扰的关系：自我同情和他人同情恐惧的中介作用。

与异性恋者相比，性和性别少数群体的儿童不良经历（ace）发生率更高。然而，一般的ACE框架忽略了SGM个体所面临的独特ACE（即童年时期的异性恋）。性少数和性别少数ACE （SGM-ACE; schnars et al., 2022, 2023）框架填补了这一空白，它考虑了SGM个体因压迫制度（即童年时期的异性恋）而产生的独特ACE。然而，过去采用这一框架的研究是在美国背景下进行的，限制了对sgm - ace的患病率及其与其他背景（如LGBTQ+政策和法律仍在发展的香港）心理结果的关系的理解。此外，先前的研究很少探讨SGM- ace如何通过阻碍SGM个体的同情能力而对心理结果产生不利影响。因此，本研究利用香港736名SGM个体的数据，通过探索SGM- ace的流行程度，并研究SGM- ace与香港SGM个体心理困扰之间的关系，解决了这些重要的空白。此外，我们还测试了自我同情和害怕接受他人同情作为sgm - ace对心理困扰影响的中介。结果显示，香港有很大比例的SGM个体经历过SGM- ace(89.3%)，这些创伤性童年经历与成年后较高的心理困扰显著相关。自我同情和对他人同情的恐惧在这一关系中起着显著的中介作用。本研究证明了考虑与SGM身份相关的ace的重要性。研究结果为实践、临床治疗、心理教育和政策提供了重要见解。

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来源期刊

Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma Multiple-

CiteScore

3.00

自引率

6.70%

发文量

期刊介绍： Underpinned by a biopsychosocial approach, the Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma presents original research and prevention and treatment strategies for understanding and dealing with symptoms and disorders related to the psychological effects of trauma experienced by children and adolescents during childhood and where the impact of these experiences continues into adulthood. The journal also examines intervention models directed toward the individual, family, and community, new theoretical models and approaches, and public policy proposals and innovations. In addition, the journal promotes rigorous investigation and debate on the human capacity for agency, resilience and longer-term healing in the face of child and adolescent trauma. With a multidisciplinary approach that draws input from the psychological, medical, social work, sociological, public health, legal and education fields, the journal features research, intervention approaches and evidence-based programs, theoretical articles, specific review articles, brief reports and case studies, and commentaries on current and/or controversial topics. The journal also encourages submissions from less heard voices, for example in terms of geography, minority status or service user perspectives. Among the topics examined in the Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma: The effects of childhood maltreatment Loss, natural disasters, and political conflict Exposure to or victimization from family or community violence Racial, ethnic, gender, sexual orientation or class discrimination Physical injury, diseases, and painful or debilitating medical treatments The impact of poverty, social deprivation and inequality Barriers and facilitators on pathways to recovery The Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma is an important resource for practitioners, policymakers, researchers, and academics whose work is centered on children exposed to traumatic events and adults exposed to traumatic events as children.