Childhood trauma and problem behavior: Examining the mediating roles of experiential avoidance and mindfulness processes

Abstract

Objective: Childhood trauma is associated with a variety of risky, unhealthy, or problem behaviors. The current study aimed to explore experiential avoidance and mindfulness processes as mechanisms through which childhood trauma and problem behavior are linked in a college sample.

Participants: The sample consisted of college-aged young adults recruited November-December, 2016 (N = 414).

Methods: Participants completed self-report measures of childhood trauma, current problem behavior, experiential avoidance, and mindfulness processes. Bootstrapped mediation analyses examined the mechanistic associations of interest.

Results: Mediation analyses indicated that experiential avoidance was a significant mediator of the association between childhood trauma and problem behavior. Additionally, multiple mediation analyses indicated that specific mindfulness facets-act with awareness and nonjudgment of inner experience-significantly mediated the same association.

Conclusions: Interventions for college students who have experienced childhood trauma might profitably target mechanisms such as avoidance and mindfulness in order to minimize engagement in problem behavior.

Keywords: Mental health; experiential avoidance; mindfulness; problem behavior; trauma.

Figure 1.

a) Unstandardized coefficients for association between childhood trauma and problem behavior, as mediated by experiential avoidance. b) Unstandardized coefficients for association between childhood trauma and problem behavior, as mediated by nonjudgment of experience and act with awareness * = p < .05, ** = p < .01, c = CI does not include zero Childhood Trauma = ETISR-SF Score Experiential Avoidance = AAQ-II Score Nonjudgment = Nonjudgment Facet of FFMQ Score Act with Awareness = Act with Awareness Facet of FFMQ Score Problem Behavior = Composite Measure of Problem Behaviors Score