Child maltreatment and insomnia symptoms among Chinese university students: the buffering role of self‐efficacy

Summary Insomnia symptoms represent a significant public health concern, as it engenders substantial long‐term health consequences. Considerable research has established the detrimental impacts of child maltreatment on sleep problems among university students. However, the role of self‐efficacy in the association between childhood maltreatment and insomnia remains unclear. This study aimed to examine the associations between child maltreatment and insomnia symptoms among university students, and to investigate whether self‐efficacy moderated the effects of child maltreatment on insomnia symptoms. A total of 2014 participants with random cluster sampling method were recruited from Jinan University in Guangzhou, China, from October 2022 to November 2022. Adjusting for covariates, the results of multiple logistic regression indicated that the participants with the experience of any type of child maltreatment (odds ratio [OR] 2.24, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.63–3.07), childhood emotional abuse (OR 2.58, 95% CI 1.95–3.41), childhood emotional neglect (OR 1.16, 95% CI 0.87–1.54), childhood physical abuse (OR 2.15, 95% CI 1.60–2.8), childhood physical neglect (OR 2.19, 95% CI 1.64–2.92), childhood sexual abuse (OR 1.98, 95% CI 1.46–2.68) were more likely to report insomnia symptoms than those without. Individuals reporting one–two types and three–five types of child maltreatment were 1.81 times (95% CI 1.30–2.52) and 3.77 times (95% CI 2.58–5.50) more likely to report insomnia symptoms than those reporting zero types of child maltreatment, respectively. Furthermore, robust linear regression analysis revealed that self‐efficacy moderated the associations between child maltreatment and insomnia symptoms ( β = 0.007, 95% CI 0.004–0.010). These findings underscore the need for integrated mental health education, support services, and faculty training to address the impact of child maltreatment on insomnia symptoms among university students. Policy recommendations include advocating for comprehensive mental health services, incorporating self‐efficacy initiatives, and fostering community engagement for a holistic approach to student well‐being.