Childhood trauma and depressive symptoms among young adults: The moderating role of career satisfaction.

OBJECTIVE: Although the link between childhood trauma and depression has previously been established, more protective factors have yet to be explored. This study examined the moderating effects of career satisfaction on the relationship between childhood trauma and depressive symptoms. METHOD: = 340) aged 18 to 24 in a survey project. Participants completed validated screening measures for childhood trauma and depressive symptoms, as well as their level of career satisfaction at baseline (T1), then reported their depressive symptoms again at follow-up (T2) after 3 months. Multiple regression and moderation analyses were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: = .001). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence that career satisfaction could buffer the effects of childhood trauma on subsequent depressive symptoms. Screening for depressive symptoms and counseling services at the workplace might be beneficial to young adults with childhood trauma. Future studies are needed to evaluate the efficacy of trauma-informed career counseling interventions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).