The role of difficulties on emotion regulation in mediating the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and anxiety in emerging adulthood
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26905/jpt.v21i2.17082Keywords:
Adverse childhood experiences, Anxiety, Difficulties on emotion regulation, Emotion regulation, Internalizing problemsAbstract
Emerging adulthood is a developmental phase during which individuals may be particularly vulnerable to internalizing problems, such as anxiety. One of the determinant factors of anxiety is Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE). This study aims to examine the role of ACEs in internalizing problems, considering difficulties in emotion regulation (DER) as a mediating variable in emerging adulthood in Indonesia. The study used a quantitative approach with a cross-sectional design. A total of 305 participants were selected using purposive sampling with the criteria of being aged 18-25 years and not having received a mental health diagnosis before from a professional expert, including psychologist or psychiatrist. The instruments employed including the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire (ACE-Q), the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS-18), and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21). Data analysis was performed using the Structural Equal Model with a Partial Least Square (SEM-PLS) approach through the Smartpls4 application. The results showed that DER (clarity, goals, non-acceptance, strategies) acted as a partial mediator in the relationship between ACE and internalizing problems (anxiety). However, impulse, as one of the dimensions of DER, did not act as a mediator in this study. The findings highlight the importance of emotion regulation as a psychological mechanism in understanding the long-term impact of ACE on internalizing problems in emerging adulthood.
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