Childhood psychological maltreatment is a risk factor for social anxiety in adulthood. Parent–child separation, as one of the most serious adversities in early life, may exacerbate the risk of psychological maltreatment and influence the interactions between childhood psychological maltreatment and biological sensitivity to stress in relation to social anxiety. However, there has been a dearth of work on this issue. This study investigated the interactive effects between childhood psychological maltreatment and parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) activity on social anxiety in college students by comparing those who experienced parent–child separation versus those who did not. Potential sex differences in the aforementioned associations were tested as an exploratory aim. Data were obtained from 264 college students ( = 18.45 years, = 0.69), including 156 students who experienced parent–child separation and 108 students without this experience. Participants completed measures of childhood psychological maltreatment and social anxiety and reported their parent–child separation experience. The data of PNS activity, measured by respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) reactivity, were obtained during the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) in the lab. Childhood psychological maltreatment was positively associated with college students' social anxiety. RSA reactivity moderated the relationship between childhood psychological maltreatment and college students' social anxiety, and the moderating role of RSA reactivity varied with parent–child separation experience and sex. Parent–child separation experience influenced the biosocial interactions between childhood psychological maltreatment and PNS activity in relation to individuals' social anxiety, and this effect persisted in adulthood.

中文翻译：

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大学生童年心理虐待与社交焦虑：副交感神经系统活动与亲子分离经历的作用

童年心理虐待是成年后社交焦虑的危险因素。亲子分离是生命早期最严重的逆境之一，可能会加剧心理虐待的风险，并影响儿童心理虐待与社交焦虑相关压力的生物敏感性之间的相互作用。然而，在这个问题上一直缺乏工作。本研究通过比较那些经历过亲子分离的人和没有经历过亲子分离的人，调查了童年心理虐待和副交感神经系统（PNS）活动对大学生社交焦虑的交互影响。作为探索性目标，测试了上述关联中潜在的性别差异。数据来自 264 名大学生（= 18.45 岁，= 0.69），其中 156 名经历过亲子分离的学生和 108 名没有经历过亲子分离的学生。参与者完成了儿童心理虐待和社交焦虑的测量，并报告了他们的亲子分离经历。通过呼吸性窦性心律失常 (RSA) 反应性测量的三七总皂苷 (PNS) 活性数据是在实验室进行特里尔社会压力测试 (TSST) 期间获得的。童年心理虐待与大学生的社交焦虑呈正相关。 RSA反应性调节儿童心理虐待与大学生社交焦虑之间的关系，且RSA反应性的调节作用因亲子分离经历和性别而异。亲子分离经历影响了儿童期心理虐待和与个体社交焦虑有关的三七总皂甙活动之间的生物社会相互作用，并且这种效应在成年期持续存在。