Purpose: There is robust evidence indicating the adverse association between childhood abuse and depressive symptoms. However, the ways in which childhood physical abuse is indirectly associated with adulthood depressive symptoms by alexithymia and moral disengagement remain poorly understood, particularly in the context of China. The present study aims to investigate how childhood physical abuse may be associated with depressive symptoms via the serial mediation effects of alexithymia and moral disengagement among college students in China.

Methods: A total of 686 college students (female: 53.2%) aged from 17 to 28 years old (M = 21.33; SD = 2.53) were recruited from mainland China to participate in an online survey assessing the variables of interest. Structural equation modeling and multiple group analysis were performed using Mplus 7.0 to investigate the hypothesized model.

Results: College students’ experiences with childhood physical abuse was significantly associated with their depressive symptoms. This relationship was partially mediated by alexithymia and then by moral disengagement. Meanwhile, alexithymia and moral disengagement had a chain mediating effect on childhood physical abuse and depressive symptoms. Furthermore, multigroup analysis revealed that the association between alexithymia and depressive symptoms was stronger among rural students compared to urban students. Furthermore, the mediation model involving moral disengagement applies exclusively to rural students.

Conclusion: Alexithymia and moral disengagement exerted serial mediating effect on the association between childhood physical abuse and depressive symptoms. This pattern was particularly pronounced among rural students. These findings underscore the importance of addressing both childhood adversity and maladaptive cognitive processes in the prevention and treatment of depression.