Relationship between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Attachment Style and Emotion Regulation in Adulthood
Location
Room 232, Schewel Hall
Access Type
Open Access
Presentation Type
Oral presentation
Entry Number
80
Start Date
4-16-2026 8:00 AM
End Date
4-16-2026 8:15 AM
School
School of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Department
Psychology
Keywords
Keywords: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), attachment style, emotion regulation, trauma, dysregulated, multicultural.
Abstract
Childhood experiences shape the perception of a person not only of themselves but of the environment that surrounds them. The different types of experiences during this sensitive time period also influences the kind of relationship and emotional dynamics that they will later engage in. This study investigates the relationship between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and their impact on attachment style and emotion regulation during adulthood. The research adds a multicultural perspective to the already existing literature by including a sample with participants from the United States, Spain, and Myanmar. A total of 178 participants completed the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire, the Adult Attachment Scale, and the Emotion Regulation Inventory. Supporting the initial hypothesis, Myanmar reported the highest prevalence of ACEs, followed by the USA, and concluded with Spain as the lowest score. Analyses were conducted and revealed that there is a statistical significance between anxious attachment style in terms of ACES, suggesting that a higher exposure to adverse childhood experiences would lead to a development of a more anxious pattern in relationships during adulthood. There was a significant negative correlation in the Spanish population between ACEs scores and emotion dysregulation, proposing that those exposed to these types of events during childhood are less likely to manage their negative emotions in an effective manner. Significant correlations were not observed for Myanmar and the United States. While more research is needed, these results suggest that experiencing trauma at an early stage of development has lasting effects in the person and highlights the importance of understanding cultural backgrounds when providing care and emotion regulation strategies.
Primary Faculty Mentor(s)
Dr. Ei Hlaing
Primary Faculty Mentor(s) Department
Psychology Department
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Relationship between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Attachment Style and Emotion Regulation in Adulthood
Room 232, Schewel Hall
Childhood experiences shape the perception of a person not only of themselves but of the environment that surrounds them. The different types of experiences during this sensitive time period also influences the kind of relationship and emotional dynamics that they will later engage in. This study investigates the relationship between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and their impact on attachment style and emotion regulation during adulthood. The research adds a multicultural perspective to the already existing literature by including a sample with participants from the United States, Spain, and Myanmar. A total of 178 participants completed the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire, the Adult Attachment Scale, and the Emotion Regulation Inventory. Supporting the initial hypothesis, Myanmar reported the highest prevalence of ACEs, followed by the USA, and concluded with Spain as the lowest score. Analyses were conducted and revealed that there is a statistical significance between anxious attachment style in terms of ACES, suggesting that a higher exposure to adverse childhood experiences would lead to a development of a more anxious pattern in relationships during adulthood. There was a significant negative correlation in the Spanish population between ACEs scores and emotion dysregulation, proposing that those exposed to these types of events during childhood are less likely to manage their negative emotions in an effective manner. Significant correlations were not observed for Myanmar and the United States. While more research is needed, these results suggest that experiencing trauma at an early stage of development has lasting effects in the person and highlights the importance of understanding cultural backgrounds when providing care and emotion regulation strategies.