The impact of emotional abuse: A longitudinal study on detachment and anxiety in adolescents

Background: Adolescents face unique psychological challenges, and early emotional experiences can influence their mental health. Emotional abuse (EA) has been linked to maladaptive personality traits and psychological distress, yet the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Objectives: This study aimed to examine the longitudinal links between EA, detachment, and anxiety in adolescents and to investigate whether detachment mediates the relationship between EA and later anxiety. Method: Data were collected at baseline (T1), six months later (T2), and twelve months later (T3). A sample of 1847 Italian adolescents (51% girls, mean age = 15.50, SD = 1.09) from randomly selected secondary school classes across North, Central, and South Italy participated in the study. High retention was observed across the three waves (T2: 1732; T3: 1627). Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to assess bidirectional relationships and mediation effects. Results: EA was associated with higher levels of detachment and anxiety at subsequent waves. Detachment was associated with higher anxiety, while anxiety did not significantly predict EA or detachment. Mediation analyses revealed that EA at T1 was indirectly associated with anxiety at T3 via EA, detachment, and anxiety at T2. Similarly, detachment at T1 was indirectly associated with anxiety at T3 via detachment and anxiety at T2. Conclusions: These findings underscore the critical role of detachment as a pathway linking EA to anxiety and highlight the need for early interventions targeting emotional resilience and coping mechanisms for adolescent anxiety.