Effect of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Marital Status and the Mediating Role of Early Maladaptive Schemas

Objective: The present study aimed to analyze the effect of adverse childhood experiences (ACE) on marital status in adulthood and whether there is a mediating role for early maladaptive schemas (EMS). Method: The study was conducted with 304 volunteer participants. The participants were administered the Sociodemographic Data Form, the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire (ACE-Q), the Young Schema Questionnaire Short Form-3 (YSQ), and the Golombok Rust Inventory of Marital State (GRIMS). A multivariate structural equation model was constructed for the purpose of statistical evaluation and subsequently subjected to route analysis for testing. Results: The average age of participants was 44.31 ± 12.09 years, with females comprising 59.2% (n=180) of the total. Based on GRIMS results, participants were categorized into two groups: those without marital problems (44.4%, n=135) and those facing marital issues (43.8%, n=133). Significant statistical differences were observed between the groups regarding marriage duration and reasons. Additionally, substantial variations existed between groups across ACE subscales such as emotional deprivation, failure, pessimism, social isolation/mistrust, emotional inhibition, enmeshment/dependency, abandonment, and defectiveness. ACE-Q score emerged as an independent predictor of marital problems (OR: 1.403, 95% CI: 1.209–1.628). Adverse childhood experiences not only directly impacted marital status but also indirectly influenced it through YSQ mediation. Conclusion: The study underscores ACE's predictive role in marital problems, with EMS mediating the relationship between ACE and marital status. These findings suggest a link between marital issues and both ACE and EMS.