Childhood adversity, socioemotional functioning and generalized anxiety in young adults from mixed immigration status families

Abstract

BackgroundThe translation of research on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) into effective prevention and treatment of psychopathology requires examination of how ACEs impact mental health. Moreover, increased attention to more marginalized populations, such as immigration-affected ethnic-minority young adults, is greatly needed. ObjectiveThe current study tested the hypothesis that greater ACEs would be related to greater generalized anxiety symptoms directly and indirectly, via ACE-related deficits in coping efficacy, self-compassion, and perceived support, above and beyond immigration-related family stress. Participants and settingParticipants included ethnic minority young adults (n = 322) attending a public university who reported having at least one family member living in the United States without legal protection and/or being undocumented themselves. MethodsData was collected online using validated measures of the primary study variables. Participants also completed a pilot measure of immigration-related stress in their family. A multiple mediation model was tested in a structural equation modeling framework. ResultsA substantial percentage of young adults experienced 4 or more ACEs and clinically-significant generalized anxiety symptoms (38.5% and 20.5%, respectively); a greater number of ACEs were directly (β = 0.33, p < .001) and indirectly, via lower self-compassion (standardized indirect effect 95% CI: 0.04, 0.14), associated with significantly greater generalized anxiety symptoms, above and beyond immigration-related family stress and other indicators of socioemotional functioning. ConclusionFindings suggest that ACEs and generalized anxiety are prevalent in ethnic minority young adults from mixed legal status families and their association may be partially accounted for by ACE-related deficits in self-compassion.