Peer-reviewed article

Associations between childhood maltreatment and disorders of gut-brain interaction in children and adolescents: The mediating role of psychological resilience.

Yiling Xie, Yuanyuan Xiao, A Liya, Yaru Cao, Rushuang Zeng et al. · 15 Jul 2026

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have demonstrated that psychological resilience mediates the association between childhood trauma and psychological distress. However, whether psychological resilience also mediates the association between childhood maltreatment (CM) and disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBI) among adolescents remains unclear. This study examined this mediating role among Chinese adolescents. METHODS: Data were derived from a population-based survey in Yunnan, China. A total of 13,433 adolescents aged 10-17 years were recruited. Logistic regression analyses examined the association between CM and DGBI, and path analyses assessed the mediating effect of psychological resilience. RESULTS: A total of 12,738 participants were included. The lifetime prevalence of symptom-based DGBI was 8.58% (95% CI: 8.11%-9.08%). After adjustment for potential confounding factors, CM was significantly associated with an increased risk of DGBI (adjusted OR = 2.97, 95% CI: 2.52-3.50). Higher psychological resilience was associated with lower odds of DGBI, with each one-point increase corresponding to a 5.1% reduction in risk (adjusted OR = 0.949, 95% CI: 0.945-0.953). Psychological resilience partly mediated the association between CM and DGBI, accounting for 81.3% of the total effect. Among the five dimensions of resilience, family support showed the largest mediating effect (34.5%), followed by interpersonal assistance (22.4%), emotional regulation (22.2%), and goal concentration (20.9%). CONCLUSION: CM was significantly associated with DGBI among adolescents, and psychological resilience played a substantial mediating role. Interventions aimed at strengthening resilience, particularly family support and interpersonal resources, may help mitigate the gastrointestinal consequences associated with childhood maltreatment.