Early Trauma and Interpersonal Dysfunction in Emerging Adulthood: The Mediating Role of Emotional Dysregulation

Abstract

Adverse childhood events can impact emotional development, self-perception, and the capacity to develop and sustain healthy relationships. Emerging adulthood is a critical stage of development where people experience greater independence, new relationships and social demands. The present study explored the link between early trauma and interpersonal dysfunction in emerging adulthood and how emotional dysregulation might mediate this link. It looks at the difficulties in identifying, understanding, and managing emotions and how these difficulties can contribute to the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and interpersonal functioning challenges. It suggests that those who are victimized early in their lives might find it more difficult to control their emotional reactions, which can lead to communication issues, interpersonal conflict, lack of trust and trouble in stable relationships. These relationships among emerging adults could be explored using a quantitative research design methodology with standardized measures of childhood trauma, emotional regulatory behaviours, and interpersonal functioning. Mediation analysis would indicate if emotional dysregulation is a statistically significant mediator of the relationship between early trauma and interpersonal dysfunction. This possible pathway could help to inform trauma-informed psychological interventions to build emotional regulation skills and improve healthier interpersonal relationships. The findings could also be helpful for counsellors and mental health professionals as well as teachers of young adults with ongoing emotional and social challenges.