Work

Association Between Childhood Trauma and Somatization in a Clinical Sample: The Mediating Roles of Rumination, Cognitive Reappraisal, and Expressive Suppression

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the relationships among childhood trauma, somatization, depressive rumination, cognitive reappraisal, and expressive suppression among a clinical sample through a mediation model approach. METHODS: Outpatients (n=125) with a diagnosis of depression and/or anxiety were included in our study. Childhood trauma, somatization, depressive rumination, cognitive reappraisal, and expressive suppression were assessed by the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), Symptom Checklist-90-Revision (SCL-90-R), Korean-Ruminative Response Scale (K-RRS), and Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ), respectively. RESULTS: Childhood trauma was associated with somatization symptoms mediated by depressive rumination and cognitive reappraisal. In particular, emotional abuse was positively associated with somatization mediated by a depressive rumination. However, the mediating effect of expressive suppression on the relationship between childhood trauma and somatization was not significant. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that depressive rumination is a key element affecting somatization symptoms in clinical patients who experienced emotional abuse.

Source: Psychiatry Investigation

DOI: 10.30773/pi.2025.0172

Authors: Mi-Sun Lee, Mimi Lee, Hyeong Beom Kim, Hyu Jung Huh

Institutions: The Catholic University of Korea Incheon St. Mary's Hospital, Incheon Catholic University, University of Warsaw, Catholic University of Korea, Soongsil University

Language: English

Topic: Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments

Subfield: Psychiatry and Mental health

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: diamond

Funders: Catholic University of Korea, National Research Foundation of Korea, Incheon St. Mary's Hospital, Catholic University of Korea