The Moderating Effects of Duration on the Relationships Among Adverse Childhood Experiences, Perceived Social Support, and Adult Mental Health

Childhood adversity is a significant predictor of negative mental health outcomes, with prior research primarily focusing on cumulative risk models of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). This study examines whether the duration of ACE exposure moderates the mediating effect of perceived social support on the relationship between ACEs and adult mental health outcomes, specifically anxiety and depression symptomatology. Using archival data from the Correlates of Adversity and Temperament in Childhood (CATCH) dataset, responses from 230 participants were analyzed. Mediation analyses revealed that perceived social support mediates the relationship between ACEs and both anxiety and depression. Moderated mediation analyses further indicated that longer ACE duration intensifies the indirect effects on depression through social support. These findings highlight the need for nuanced conceptualizations of adversity duration in research and clinical assessments and suggest that interventions fostering social support may be particularly beneficial for individuals with prolonged childhood adversity.