Mediating role of emotion dysregulation in adverse childhood experiences and health risk behaviors

Abstract

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) has been linked to mental and physical health difficulties. Adults with a history of ACEs are at a greater risk for health risk behaviors. Health risk behaviors include increased rates of substance use and risky sexual behaviors. It remains unclear in the literature which factors may increase the emergence of risky behaviors. Thus, the current study examined the role of emotion dysregulation as a potential mediator in the relationship between ACES and health risk behaviors, specifically substance use and risky sexual behaviors. A sample of 351 college students completed online questionnaires pertaining to their history of childhood adversity, emotion regulation skills, substance use, and sexual activity. Preliminary analyses suggested positive correlations among ACEs, emotion regulation, and health risk behaviors. Mediation analyses with bootstrapping procedures indicated that emotion dysregulation was a significant mediator of the relationship between ACEs and health risk behaviors. The results suggest that emotion dysregulation associated with early childhood adversity may lead to health risk behaviors as maladaptive coping strategies, including substance use and risky sexual behavior. These findings have implications for both preventing early childhood adversity as well as focusing on strengthening emotion regulation in children and adults as a strategy to reduce the likelihood of health risk behaviors.