Psychosocial Variables as Mediators of the Relationship Between Childhood History of Emotional Maltreatment, Codependency, and Self-Silencing

Abstract

This study investigated the role of psychosocial variables as mediators of the relationship between a childhood history of emotional maltreatment and codependency and a childhood history of emotional maltreatment and self-silencing in a sample of upper division female nursing students. Depression, self-esteem, self-differentiation, and self-concealment were considered as possible mediators of the relationship. Multiple regression analyses revealed that each psychosocial variable partially mediated the relationship between a history of emotional maltreatmentand codependency, and emotional maltreatment and self-silencing.

KEYWORDS:

• codependency
• emotional maltreatment
• psychosocial functioning
• self-silencing

Notes

An earlier version of this article was presented as a poster in July 2007 at the International Family Violence Research Conference in Portsmouth, NH.