Early Developmental Wounds to Interpersonal Struggles: The Role of Emotion Dysregulation
Faculty Mentor
Sara Haden
Major/Area of Research
Psychology
Description
INTRODUCTION: Early Trauma and its effects on adult life have been studied extensively in the field of psychology. In the US, around 15% to 43% of girls and 14% to 43% of boys have experienced at least one type of trauma (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs,2025). Childhood Trauma has severe effects on a person’s ability to regulate emotions and can cause difficulties with interpersonal relationships (Yöyen & Bozaci, 2023). This study has focused on the detrimental effects of trauma when it occurs at different ages: Childhood (1-12 years), Adolescence (13-17 years), and Adulthood (18+ years), and how it can cause difficulties in interpersonal relationships, with emotion dysregulation (ED) as a mediator.
METHOD: Two hundred and one participants between the ages of 18 to 51 years were recruited for this study (mean = 20.35 years); 167 participants were female (83%), and 32 were male (16%). Participants had diverse ethnicities with 20.5% African (41), 14.5% Caucasian (29), 26% Asian (52), 9.5% European (19), 8% Latinx (16), 8.5% Mixed (17), and 13% Other (26). Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) was used to measure the difficulties with emotion regulation, which was looked at as a mediator between Trauma and Interpersonal difficulties. The Interpersonal Competence Questionnaire (ICQ) was used to measure interpersonal difficulties, and the Traumatic Antecedents Questionnaire (TAQ) was used to get insight into Trauma across different age groups.
RESULTS: Trauma at all 3 stages was significantly correlated with emotion dysregulation. Childhood trauma had a significant indirect effect on the Conflict Management domain of the ICQ, while Adolescence Trauma had a significant indirect effect on the Initiation domain through ED. Adulthood Trauma had significant indirect effects on both the Initiation and Negative Assertion domains of the ICQ, with ED as a mediator.
Early Developmental Wounds to Interpersonal Struggles: The Role of Emotion Dysregulation
INTRODUCTION: Early Trauma and its effects on adult life have been studied extensively in the field of psychology. In the US, around 15% to 43% of girls and 14% to 43% of boys have experienced at least one type of trauma (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs,2025). Childhood Trauma has severe effects on a person’s ability to regulate emotions and can cause difficulties with interpersonal relationships (Yöyen & Bozaci, 2023). This study has focused on the detrimental effects of trauma when it occurs at different ages: Childhood (1-12 years), Adolescence (13-17 years), and Adulthood (18+ years), and how it can cause difficulties in interpersonal relationships, with emotion dysregulation (ED) as a mediator.
METHOD: Two hundred and one participants between the ages of 18 to 51 years were recruited for this study (mean = 20.35 years); 167 participants were female (83%), and 32 were male (16%). Participants had diverse ethnicities with 20.5% African (41), 14.5% Caucasian (29), 26% Asian (52), 9.5% European (19), 8% Latinx (16), 8.5% Mixed (17), and 13% Other (26). Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) was used to measure the difficulties with emotion regulation, which was looked at as a mediator between Trauma and Interpersonal difficulties. The Interpersonal Competence Questionnaire (ICQ) was used to measure interpersonal difficulties, and the Traumatic Antecedents Questionnaire (TAQ) was used to get insight into Trauma across different age groups.
RESULTS: Trauma at all 3 stages was significantly correlated with emotion dysregulation. Childhood trauma had a significant indirect effect on the Conflict Management domain of the ICQ, while Adolescence Trauma had a significant indirect effect on the Initiation domain through ED. Adulthood Trauma had significant indirect effects on both the Initiation and Negative Assertion domains of the ICQ, with ED as a mediator.