Associations of Early-Life Deprivation and Threat with Exploratory Behavior: Moderated Mediation Models of Sensation Seeking and Executive Function.

This article investigates how two subtypes of childhood maltreatment—threat and deprivation—affect exploratory behavior in Chinese adolescents, focusing on the mediating role of sensation seeking and the moderating role of executive function. The study found that sensation seeking fully mediates the relationship between threat-related maltreatment and exploratory behavior, with executive function strengthening this mediation; in contrast, no such mediation or moderation effects were observed for deprivation-related maltreatment. These findings support the Dimensional Model of Adversity and Psychopathology by highlighting distinct neurodevelopmental pathways through which threat and deprivation influence adolescent adaptive behavior. The results suggest that interventions enhancing executive function may be particularly beneficial for adolescents exposed to threat-related maltreatment to promote positive exploratory behavior.