Positive Childhood Experiences and the Indirect Relationship With Improved Emotion Regulation in Adults With ADHD Through Social Support

Abstract

Individuals with ADHD report diminished emotion regulation capacities and adversity in childhood detrimentally affects emotion regulation development; however, how positive childhood experiences (PCEs) and whether and how social support are related to PCEs and emotion regulation for those with ADHD is unknown. Objective: To identify direct and indirect associations between PCEs and social support to emotion regulation outcomes in adults with ADHD. Method: Adults with ADHD ( n = 81) reported PCEs, current social support, and emotion regulation. Conditional effects modeling examined the direct and indirect relationships between PCEs and emotion dysregulation through social support. Results: Higher PCEs were indirectly related to improved emotion regulation through increased social support generally (β = −.70, 95% CI [−1.32, −0.17], and specifically through belonging (β = −.43, 95% CI [ −0.87, −0.05], self-esteem (β = −.61, 95% CI [−1.08, −0.27], and tangible social support (β = −.50, 95% CI [−1.07, −0.02]. Conclusions: PCEs may protect emotion regulation in adults with ADHD through social support, possibly through facilitating social connections, increasing access to social support, and sustaining emotion regulation strategies.