Adverse childhood experiences and adult psychopathological symptoms: The moderating role of dispositional mindfulness

Abstract

BackgroundAdverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are a common occurrence that increase risk for psychopathological symptoms in adulthood. Dispositional mindfulness is modifiable and inversely related to childhood adversity, adult psychopathology, and mechanisms that account for this relationship. ObjectiveThis study examined mindfulness as a moderator of relationships between ACEs and adult psychopathological symptoms. MethodParticipants were undergraduate students (N = 560, Mage = 18.5 years, 69% female, 71% White) at a large southwestern public university. Students were recruited from Introductory Psychology courses to complete an online survey and received research credit for participating. The survey assessed ACEs, mindfulness, and symptoms of depression, generalized anxiety, social anxiety, posttraumatic stress, and eating pathology. ResultsModerator analyses revealed that mindfulness moderated the ACEs-generalized anxiety relationship, F (6, 552) = 48.55, p < .001, R2 = 0.33; interaction (t = 2.62, p = .01). As mindfulness increased, the ACEs-generalized anxiety relationship weakened. ConclusionsMindfulness may be a useful target for generalized anxiety treatment or prevention for individuals who have experienced ACEs.