The mediating role of frequent mental distress in the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and cognitive disability in emerging adults

Abstract

Abstract Background Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) may have an impact on cognitive disability through multiple pathways. Frequent Mental Distress (FMD) usually makes people more susceptible to cognitive dysfunction through different aspects. Methods A cross-sectional analysis of aged 18–25 years in the 2020 and 2021 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) was performed. Weighted multivariate logistic regression models were used to assess the association of ACEs with FMD and cognitive disability. Mediation effects was used to investigate FMD as mediation between ACEs and cognitive disability in emerging adulthood. Results Among the 10,309 respondents, the prevalence of cognitive disability was 15.2% (n = 1567), and 73.5% (n = 7578) of the total respondents experienced ACEs. In model 2 without mediation, ACEs was significantly associated with cognitive disability (OR: 4.05, 95%CI: 2.47, 6.66). After adjusted for covariates with mediation, ACEs (OR: 3.08, 95%CI: 1.84, 5.17) and FMD (OR: 5.61, 95%CI: 4.33, 7.28) were also significantly associated with cognitive disability. Conclusion Our study indicated a strong association between ACEs and cognitive disability. It also demonstrated that FMD was a mediation through which ACEs may be linked to cognitive disability.