Childhood Psychological Maltreatment and Hopelessness: A Serial Mediation Through Irrational Happiness Beliefs and Fear of Happiness

Abstract

Exposure to psychological maltreatment during childhood is known to result in cognitive and emotional problems in later life. There are some links in the literature between psychological maltreatment, irrational happiness beliefs, fear of happiness and hopelessness. However, a more detailed explanation of these relationships is required. In this research, serial multiple mediation analysis was performed to test the hypothetical model that addresses irrational happiness beliefs and fear of happiness as serial mediators in the relationship between childhood psychological maltreatment and hopelessness. The research sample consisted of 405 Turkish participants. The majority of participants reported that their perceived socio-economic status was at a moderate level (n = 295, 72.8%). The data were collected using the Psychological Maltreatment Questionnaire, the Beck Hopelessness Scale, the Irrational Happiness Beliefs Scale and the Fear of Happiness Scale. Research data were tested with conditional process analysis. The analyses revealed that irrational happiness beliefs and the fear of happiness serially mediated the relationship between childhood psychological maltreatment and hopelessness. The findings revealed that exposure to psychological maltreatment in childhood reflect on the individual cognitively and emotionally, thus driving the individual to despair. All findings were discussed and interpreted in detail, and suggestions were offered to both mental health practitioners and researchers.