Degree Name
MA (Master of Arts)
Program
Psychology
Date of Award
12-2019
Committee Chair or Co-Chairs
Diana Morelen
Committee Members
Julia Dodd, Stacey L. Williams
Abstract
Extensive research has shown that childhood adversity impacts development across the lifespan and has been linked to numerous negative health outcomes. Depression symptoms are one such outcome that has been associated with ACE exposure. The literature also indicates emotion regulation may be a mediator between ACEs and depression outcomes. The primary aim of this study (N = 766) is to investigate pathways leading from ACEs to depression and potential protective factors. It was hypothesized that difficulties in emotion regulation would mediate the link between ACEs and later depressive symptoms, social support would moderate the pathway between difficulties in emotion regulation and depression, and social support would have a greater buffering effect in individuals with more severe ACE exposure. Results supported emotion regulation as a mediator between ACEs and depression. Social support was not found to significantly buffer against depression. Future research may benefit from examining transdiagnostic emotion regulation treatments.
Document Type
Thesis - unrestricted
Recommended Citation
Clingensmith, Rachel, "We All Need Somebody to Lean on: Social Support as a Protective Factor for Individuals with Childhood Adversity" (2019). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 3655. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/3655
Copyright
Copyright by the authors.