The Impact of Dating Violence Perpetration and Victimization on Chinese College Students' Internalizing Problems: The Mediating Role of Shame

Background and Purpose: Extensive research indicates that both perpetration and victimization of dating violence (DV) are robust predictors of mental health difficulties, particularly internalizing problems such as depression and PTSD. Theoretical frameworks, such as Self-Conscious Emotions Theory, propose that shame—a self-evaluative emotion arising from perceived violations of moral or social standards—may act as a critical mediator in these relationships. However, empirical validation of shame’s mediating role remains scarce in non-Western contexts, especially in China, where shame is deeply intertwined with collectivist values and relational dynamics. While international studies suggest shame bridges traumatic experiences and psychological distress, no prior research has systematically examined whether shame mediates the links between DV (as both perpetration and victimization) and mental health outcomes in Chinese populations. This study addresses this gap by investigating shame’s intermediary role in connecting DV exposure to internalizing problems among Chinese university students.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted across Chinese higher education institutions, obtaining 1,466 valid responses from undergraduate and graduate students. After excluding participants without dating experience, the final sample included 671 individuals (34.9% male, 65.1% female). Key variables assessed included lifetime experiences of dating violence perpetration and victimization (including psychological, physical, and sexual subscales), shame experiences (personality-, behavior-, and body-related dimensions), depression, and PTSD symptoms. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to evaluate the mediating role of shame in the pathways linking dating violence perpetration/victimization to PTSD and depression.

Results: Elevated shame levels were observed among females, upper-year students, and only children, with behavior-related shame emerging as the most prominent dimension compared to personality- and body-related facets. Structural equation modeling (SEM) for both dating violence victimization (DVV) and perpetration (DVP) demonstrated good model fit. Results revealed distinct mediation patterns: for DVP, shame fully mediated its effects on mental health outcomes, with significant indirect effects on PTSD (effect = 0.231, 95% CI [0.173, 0.288], explaining 71% of the total effect) and depression (effect = 0.164, 95% CI [0.117, 0.210], 64% of total effect); for DVV, shame partially mediated these relationships, with indirect effects accounting for 54% of PTSD (effect = 0.196, 95% CI [0.145, 0.247]) and 43% of depression (effect = 0.135, 95% CI [0.095, 0.175]).

Conclusions and Implications: This study reveals shame’s culturally distinct role as a mediator in the relation between both DV perpetration and victimization and internalizing problems. In China’s collectivist context, where shame is weaponized in relationships to control partners through humiliation, interventions must address its’ mental health risk. Culturally tailored strategies should integrate self-compassion training to disrupt self-attack cycles while leveraging communal support frameworks to mitigate shame-driven stigma. Universities and policymakers must prioritize DV prevention programs that address shame’s cultural embeddedness, particularly its normalization in intimate control tactics.