Sezgin Elif
Healthy Science Faculty, Child Development, Mudanya University, Bursa, Türkiye.
Front Psychol. 2025 Aug 8;16:1528159. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1528159. eCollection 2025.
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and childhood traumas are known to have lasting negative effects on psychological wellbeing. These early adverse experiences can significantly impair psychological resilience and the capacity to adapt to adversity. While mindfulness has been consistently associated with higher resilience, its potential buffering or mediating role in the relationship between early traumatic experiences and resilience remains underexplored. Although many studies have examined ACEs, fewer have distinguished between general adverse experiences and more severe childhood traumas. This study aimed to determine whether mindfulness mediates the relationship between ACEs, childhood traumas, and resilience among female university students in Turkey. The mindfulness scale used in the study was designed to assess mindfulness and covers four main dimensions: attention and awareness, non-reactivity, non-judgment, and self-acceptance. The possible mediating effect of mindfulness through these dimensions was analyzed.
Data were obtained through self-reporting from 255 female university students enrolled in a vocational school in Bursa, Turkey. The survey collected information on ACEs and childhood traumas (emotional abuse, physical neglect, etc.), mindfulness levels (with a focus on attention and awareness), and resilience. Statistical analyses, including mediation analysis, were performed to assess relationships between these variables.
A negative correlation was found between ACEs, including specific forms such as emotional abuse and physical neglect, and resilience. Among these, physical neglect showed the strongest negative association with mindfulness, particularly in the attention and awareness dimension. Furthermore, this dimension of mindfulness significantly predicted higher levels of psychological resilience. Mediation analysis revealed that mindfulness partially mediated the relationship between ACEs, childhood traumas, and resilience. These findings suggest that individuals with higher mindfulness, especially in attention and awareness, may be better protected against the long-term negative impacts of early adverse experiences and trauma on resilience.
The findings highlight that emotional abuse and physical neglect significantly reduce mindfulness levels in female university students, with physical neglect having the most substantial impact on attention and awareness. Since mindfulness, particularly attentional awareness, positively predicts resilience, interventions enhancing mindfulness may help mitigate the long-term effects of ACEs. Future research should explore these relationships in broader populations and longitudinal designs.
众所周知，童年不良经历（ACEs）和童年创伤会对心理健康产生持久的负面影响。这些早期不良经历会显著损害心理韧性和适应逆境的能力。虽然正念一直与更高的韧性相关，但它在早期创伤经历与韧性之间的关系中潜在的缓冲或中介作用仍未得到充分探索。尽管许多研究已经考察了ACEs，但较少有研究区分一般不良经历和更严重的童年创伤。本研究旨在确定正念是否在土耳其女大学生的ACEs、童年创伤和韧性之间的关系中起中介作用。该研究中使用的正念量表旨在评估正念，并涵盖四个主要维度：注意力和意识、不反应性、不评判性和自我接纳。分析了正念通过这些维度可能产生的中介作用。
通过自我报告从土耳其布尔萨一所职业学校的255名女大学生那里获取数据。该调查收集了关于ACEs和童年创伤（情感虐待、身体忽视等）、正念水平（重点关注注意力和意识）以及韧性的信息。进行了包括中介分析在内的统计分析，以评估这些变量之间的关系。
发现ACEs（包括情感虐待和身体忽视等特定形式）与韧性之间存在负相关。其中，身体忽视与正念的负相关最强，尤其是在注意力和意识维度。此外，正念的这一维度显著预测了更高水平的心理韧性。中介分析表明，正念部分中介了ACEs、童年创伤和韧性之间的关系。这些发现表明，正念水平较高的个体，尤其是在注意力和意识方面，可能能更好地抵御早期不良经历和创伤对韧性的长期负面影响。
研究结果突出表明，情感虐待和身体忽视会显著降低女大学生的正念水平，身体忽视对注意力和意识的影响最大。由于正念，尤其是注意力意识，能正向预测韧性，增强正念的干预措施可能有助于减轻ACEs的长期影响。未来的研究应在更广泛的人群和纵向设计中探索这些关系。
