Understanding Associations Between Childhood Maltreatment, Biological Sex, and Emotion Reactivity Among Emerging Adults

Emerging adults exposed to childhood maltreatment may exhibit differences in emotion reactivity (ER), which may be influenced by maltreatment subtype and biological sex. The current study investigated the links between specific types of childhood maltreatment and ER in a sample of 498 emerging adults. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was implemented to evaluate the factor structure and sex invariance of the Emotion Reactivity Scale (ERS) in this population. Associations between childhood maltreatment subtypes and ER, with sex as a moderator, were then examined. CFA indicated that a one-factor model is preferred and sex-invariant. Path analyses indicated associations between emotional abuse/neglect and higher ER. No moderating effects were observed. Current findings support the use of the ERS with emerging adults and suggest that the impact of maltreatment on ER is similar across sexes. Future research should investigate the role of ER in negative outcomes for emerging adults exposed to childhood maltreatment.