Adverse Childhood Experiences, Intimate Partner Violence, and Mental Well-Being Among Mothers of Toddlers in Tirana, Albania: A Cross-Sectional Mediation Analysis

Abstract

This article examines the relationship between maternal exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), intimate partner violence (IPV), and two aspects of maternal mental well-being—stress and depressive symptoms in the context of Tirana, Albania. Data were obtained from a representative sample of 328 mothers of 2–3-year-old children, who were registered in Tirana's public nurseries. Findings show that maternal ACEs are positively associated with stress levels ( β = .210, z = 4.03, p < .001) and depressive symptoms ( β = .129, z = 2.62, p < .01). In addition, IPV partially mediates the effect of ACEs on maternal stress ( β = .081, z = 3.75, p < .001) and fully mediates the effect of ACEs on depressive symptoms ( β = .054, z = 2.87, p < .01). These results suggest that among mothers of toddlers in Tirana, ACEs influence stress levels both directly and via IPV, while they influence depressive symptoms only via IPV. The findings demonstrate long-term effects of maternal exposure to interpersonal violence on mental well-being.