Citation

Roche AI, Kroska EB, Miller ML, Kroska SK, O'Hara MW. J. Am. Coll. Health 2019; 67(1): 17-26.

Affiliation

Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences , University of Iowa.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/07448481.2018.1455689

PMID

29565779

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.

Language: en

Keywords

experiential avoidance; mental health; mindfulness; problem behavior; trauma