Interpretation Bias as a Mediator Linking Childhood Maltreatment to Psychopathology: A Network Analysis

ObjectiveChildhood maltreatment is a well-established risk factor for the development of mental disorders. Interpretation bias has been proposed as a potential mechanism mediating the relationship between childhood maltreatment and subsequent psychopathology. This study investigated differences in interpretation bias and psychopathology symptoms based on experiences of childhood abuse and neglect. It also examined whether interpretation bias mediates the relationship between childhood maltreatment and symptoms of psychopathology using network analysis. Methods: A cross-sectional sample of 123 university students aged 19 to 25 participated. Childhood maltreatment was assessed using the Childhood Maltreatment Experiences Scale, and psychopathological symptoms were measured with the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised. Interpretation bias was assessed using a facial emotion judgment task involving morphed anger-happiness and anger-sadness expressions presented at varying intensity levels. Results: Participants with a history of abuse were more likely to interpret ambiguous anger-happiness expressions as anger, especially at the most ambiguous levels, and reported higher symptoms across all domains of psychopathology compared to those without maltreatment experiences. Participants with a history of neglect showed elevated depression and paranoid ideation but did not show significant interpretation bias. Network analysis revealed that abuse was directly connected to interpretation bias, somatization, and phobic anxiety. Interpretation bias and somatization served as bridge nodes, with anxiety emerging as the most central symptom. Conclusions: Interpretation bias may serve as a transdiagnostic factor linking childhood abuse to various forms of psychopathology, highlighting its importance for early identification and intervention in individuals with childhood abuse histories.