The Mediating Role of Cognitive Flexibility in the Relationship Between Childhood Maltreatment and Entrapment
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Objective :Childhood maltreatment is a well-established risk factor for adverse psychological outcomes. One such outcome is entrapment, the perception of being trapped in uncontrollable and aversive circumstances. This study aimed to examine the relationship between childhood maltreatment and entrapment, by investigating the mediating role of cognitive flexibility.
Methods and Materials: A descriptive-correlational design using structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed. A total of 317 adult residents of Isfahan, Iran, were selected through convenience sampling in the summer of 2024. Participants completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (Bernstein et al., 2003), the Entrapment Scale (Gilbert & Allan, 1998), and the Cognitive Flexibility Inventory (Dennis & Vander Wal, 2010). Data were analyzed using SPSS-27 and AMOS-26.
Findings: The SEM analysis showed that childhood maltreatment had a significant negative direct effect on cognitive flexibility (β = -0.50, p < 0.001), and cognitive flexibility had a significant negative direct effect on entrapment (β = -0.75, p < 0.001). Childhood maltreatment also had a significant positive direct effect on entrapment (β = 0.58, p < 0.001). These findings indicate that cognitive flexibility partially mediates the relationship between childhood maltreatment and entrapment. Model fit indices confirmed a good fit of the proposed model.
Conclusion: Cognitive flexibility serves as a significant mediator in the link between childhood maltreatment and entrapment. Enhancing cognitive flexibility may help mitigate the psychological impact of early traumatic experiences.
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