The present study aimed to predict empathy deficit based on childhood trauma, mediating by theory of mind deficits among female college students. The research design was descriptive-correlational utilizing structural equation modeling (path analysis). The statistical population consisted of all female college students at the Islamic Azad University, Karaj Branch, in June 2025, from whom a sample of 210 students was selected via convenience sampling method. The research instruments included the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test, and the Empathy Quotient. Data analysis was performed using Pearson correlation coefficient and path analysis via statistical software, and the bootstrapping method was applied to evaluate the significance of the indirect effect. The findings from path analysis indicated that the hypothesized model demonstrated a good fit with the empirical data. The results of the direct path coefficients revealed that childhood trauma had a significant positive direct effect on both theory of mind deficits and empathy deficit. Furthermore, the direct effect of theory of mind deficits on empathy deficit was positive and statistically significant. Additionally, the bootstrapping results indicated that theory of mind deficits played a significant positive mediating role in the relationship between childhood trauma and empathy deficit. In total, the predictor variables accounted for 40% of the variance in empathy deficit. In conclusion, the results of the current study demonstrated that traumatic childhood experiences not only directly impair empathy capacity but also exacerbate empathy deficit in adulthood by arresting social-cognitive development and causing deficits in the theory of mind. Therefore, it is essential to design psychological interventions focused on trauma-informed therapies and enhancing mentalization and social cognition skills within university counseling centers for female students with a history of trauma.
