Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine whether self-regulation and shame mediated the relationship between adverse and positive childhood experiences (ACEs and PCEs) and young adult health. Data came from the Flourishing Families Project (FFP), a 10-year longitudinal study. Adolescent participants (N = 489; 51% female) completed an annual survey. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Results indicated that PCEs negatively predicted shame and positively predicted self-regulation while ACEs negatively predicted self-regulation. Shame mediated the relationship between PCEs and depression. Self-regulation mediated the relationship between both ACEs and PCEs with anxiety; self-regulation also mediated the relationship between ACEs and substance abuse. Childhood experiences appear to affect the development and maintenance of self-regulation in adolescence. Self-regulation appears to be especially important in protecting against depression, anxiety, and substance abuse in young adulthood.
Highlights
IntroductionACEs, are potentially traumatic and stressful events that occur before the age of 18 such as emotional, physical, or sexual abuse, and household dysfunction (e.g., parental depression, incarceration of a family member, family member using illicit drugs) [1]
Adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs, are potentially traumatic and stressful events that occur before the age of 18 such as emotional, physical, or sexual abuse, and household dysfunction [1]
Neither ACEs nor positive childhood experiences (PCEs) directly predicted any of the young adult mental health outcomes
Summary
ACEs, are potentially traumatic and stressful events that occur before the age of 18 such as emotional, physical, or sexual abuse, and household dysfunction (e.g., parental depression, incarceration of a family member, family member using illicit drugs) [1]. ACEs are associated with negative health behaviors and outcomes such as alcohol use, smoking, and depression [1,2,3]. We examined the role of two potential mediators, self-regulation and shame. These mediators were selected because their healthy development may be influenced by childhood experiences that occur during adolescence and they are known to be associated with adult psychopathology [10, 11]. Some research has shown that shame is an aspect of emotional self-regulation; shame has been defined as a family of emotions such as embarrassment, inferiority, and humiliation that one has internalized that are the result of others’ negative evaluations [13, 14]
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