How Mindfulness and Dissociation Link Childhood Emotional Abuse to Problematic Internet Use in Italian Teens

A study of 1,074 Italian adolescents found significant associations linking childhood emotional abuse, dissociative experiences, and problematic internet use.

• Childhood emotional abuse is associated with higher levels of problematic internet use.
• Trait mindfulness is suggested to play a role in the relationship between childhood emotional abuse and problematic internet use.
• Dissociative experiences may mediate the connection between childhood emotional abuse and problematic internet use.
• The mediation model appears consistent across genders, indicating similar patterns for boys and girls.
• Higher levels of dissociation and low mindfulness skills may increase the risk of dysfunctional online activities in emotionally abused adolescents.

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