Explaining Adolescents’ Social Well-being Based on Childhood Trauma: The Mediating Role of School Engagement

Background: Adolescents are at a sensitive stage of human development, during which they form their social and personal identities. Although research on adolescent well-being has increased in recent years, studies specifically examining the impact of childhood trauma on social well-being are limited. In addition, school engagement, as an important aspect of adolescents’ daily experiences, may serve as a key mechanism linking early trauma experiences to social well-being. Understanding this relationship is essential for promoting healthy social development in adolescents. Methods: The sample consisted of 440 adolescents who completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), Keyes’ Social well-being Scale, and Wang’s School Engagement Questionnaire. Results: Structural equation modeling showed that childhood trauma negatively affected adolescents’ social well-being (total effect: β = -0.53, p < 0.01), with both direct (β = -0.23, p = 0.015) and indirect effects via school engagement (β = -0.30, p = 0.013). Childhood trauma also negatively predicted school engagement (β = -0.60, p = 0.043), while school engagement positively predicted social well-being (β = 0.50, p = 0.026), mainly through emotional and behavioral dimensions; the cognitive dimension was not significant. Conclusions: Childhood trauma is associated with reduced school engagement and a direct negative impact on social well-being. Strengthening the emotional and behavioural dimensions of school engagement may help mitigate some of the adverse effects of trauma and promote adolescents’ social well-being.