Childhood trauma and internalizing and externalizing behavior problems among adolescents: Role of executive function and life events stress

Abstract Introduction Exposure to childhood trauma is found to increase internalizing and externalizing behavior problems in adolescents, however, the potential mechanism of this link remains underexplored. This study investigated the associations between childhood trauma and internalizing and externalizing behavior problems among adolescents, and tested the mediating role of executive function and the moderating role of life events stress in this relationship. Methods Questionnaire data were collected from 952 junior students in Northwest China. Participants ranged in age from 11 to 15 years old ( M = 12.88 years, SD = 0.72; 53% females). SPSS 26.0 was used to analyze the relationship between variables and examine the mediation model and the moderated mediation model. Results Childhood trauma was positively associated with internalizing and externalizing behavior problems among adolescents. In addition, executive function partially mediated the relations between childhood trauma and internalizing and externalizing behavior problems. Life events stress was observed to moderate the relations between childhood trauma and executive function, as well as executive function and internalizing and externalizing behavior problems, but the effect sizes were relatively small. Conclusions These findings underscore the role of executive function and life events stress in the association between childhood trauma and behavioral problems among adolescents.