Objectives: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are a significant risk factor for physical and mental health issues, as well as interpersonal difficulties throughout life. Even so, the mechanisms underlying these associations remain unclear. This study explores the relationship between ACEs, interpersonal relationships, and emotional dysregulation. Its primary objective was to investigate whether emotional dysregulation mediates the link between ACEs and interpersonal difficulties in adulthood within a female-identifying sample. Method: A total of 171 female participants over the age of 21 were recruited through social media using a non-probabilistic convenience sampling method. Participants completed three self-report questionnaires that assessed ACEs, interpersonal difficulties, and emotional dysregulation.
Results: The findings revealed a significant positive relationship between ACEs and Interpersonal Difficulties. Upon introducing the mediating variable (emotional dysregulation), both the direct effect of ACEs on interpersonal difficulties and the indirect effect through emotional dysregulation were significant.
Conclusions: These results suggest that emotional dysregulation is a key factor in explaining how ACE's contribute to interpersonal difficulties in adulthood. Examining ACEs, emotional dysregulation, and interpersonal difficulties in a sample of female-identifying adults residing in Puerto Rico can inform the provision of person-centered services, as well as trauma-informed interventions.