Arousal and Regulation: Ecological Momentary Assessment in Adolescents with a Range of Exposure to ACEs

Abstract

Understanding the mechanisms underlying the strong association between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) early in development and psychopathology during adolescence is critically important for public health; clarifying pathways to dysfunction can help identify intervention targets, detect subgroups of responders to inform intervention selection, and mitigate the impact of ACEs on development. Two potentially malleable pathways of the ACEs-psychopathology association (i.e., stress reactivity and coping/emotion regulation (ER)) were examined using two established methods (i.e., a laboratory paradigm and questionnaires) and a novel method (i.e., ecological momentary assessment (EMA)) in a sample of 53 adolescents (Mage = 11.98 years, SD = 1.74; 68% White) with a range of exposure to ACEs. Methodological weaknesses that have hindered research advancement were addressed in the study design and data analytic plan (e.g., examining stress reactivity and coping/ER together in a single study). A multitrait-multimethod correlation matrix was used to examine convergence across laboratory, questionnaire, and EMA methods for measuring stress reactivity and coping/ER in response to current stress in the adolescent’s life. Zero-order correlation, multiple linear regression, and multilevel modeling were used to explore associations among ACEs, stress reactivity, coping/ER, and internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Results provide evidence for the feasibility of conducting EMA research in adolescents exposed to ACEs. Preliminary support emerged for convergence in methods for measuring coping/ER. In addition, preliminary support emerged for associations among ACEs, stress reactivity, coping/ER, and psychological symptoms. Future research would benefit from the recruitment of larger samples of adolescents with ACEs through community-based participatory approaches in prospective study designs.