Identifying the potential pathways linking childhood abuse to depression and suicidal ideation is critical for developing effective interventions. This study investigated implicit self-esteem—unconscious valenced self-evaluation—as a potential pathway linking childhood abuse with depression and suicidal ideation. A sample of youth aged 8–16 years (N = 240) completed a self-esteem Implicit Association Test (IAT) and assessments of abuse exposure, and psychopathology symptoms, including depression, suicidal ideation, anxiety, and externalizing symptoms. Psychopathology symptoms were re-assessed 1–3 years later. Childhood abuse was positively associated with baseline and follow-up depression symptoms and suicidal ideation severity, and negatively associated with implicit self-esteem. Lower implicit self-esteem was associated with both depression and suicidal ideation assessed concurrently and predicted significant increases in depression and suicidal ideation over the longitudinal follow-up period. Lower implicit self-esteem was also associated with baseline anxiety, externalizing symptoms, and a general psychopathology factor (i.e. p-factor). We found an indirect effect of childhood abuse on baseline and follow-up depression symptoms and baseline suicidal ideation through implicit self-esteem. These findings point to implicit self-esteem as a potential mechanism linking childhood abuse to depression and suicidal ideation.

确定将童年虐待与抑郁和自杀意念联系起来的潜在途径对于制定有效的干预措施至关重要。这项研究调查了内隐自尊——无意识的有效自我评价——作为将童年虐待与抑郁和自杀意念联系起来的潜在途径。8-16 岁青年样本（N= 240) 完成了自尊内隐联想测试 (IAT) 和虐待暴露评估，以及精神病理学症状，包括抑郁、自杀意念、焦虑和外化症状。1-3 年后重新评估精神病理学症状。童年虐待与基线和后续抑郁症状以及自杀意念严重程度呈正相关，与内隐自尊呈负相关。较低的内隐自尊与同时评估的抑郁和自杀意念相关，并预测在纵向随访期间抑郁和自杀意念显着增加。较低的内隐自尊也与基线焦虑、外化症状和一般精神病理学因素（即 p 因素）相关。我们发现童年虐待通过内隐自尊对基线和后续抑郁症状以及基线自杀意念产生间接影响。这些发现表明内隐自尊是将童年虐待与抑郁和自杀意念联系起来的潜在机制。