From childhood experiences to adult health among Slovenian adults: The mediating roles of resilient coping and emotional support.
TL;DR
In this cross-sectional sample, resilient coping and emotional support were associated with adult self-rated health and statistically accounted for part of the association between childhood experiences and adult health.
Abstract
Objective
This study examined the direct and indirect effects of adverse childhood experiences and positive childhood experiences on adults' self-rated physical and mental health, focusing on the mediating roles of resilient coping and perceived emotional support, in a large Slovenian adult sample.
Method
A sample of 4,940 Slovenian adults (Mage = 46.7 years, SD = 15.3) was recruited via quota-based online sampling. Participants completed self-report measures assessing childhood experiences, resilient coping, emotional support, and current physical and mental health. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the hypothesized mediation model.
Results
Higher adverse childhood experiences were associated with poorer self-rated physical and mental health, with effects driven primarily by direct associations. Indirect effects operated in opposite directions: Adverse childhood experiences were positively associated with resilient coping but negatively associated with perceived emotional support, resulting in no net indirect association with adult health. In contrast, higher positive childhood experiences were associated with better self-rated physical and mental health primarily through indirect associations involving better resilient coping and emotional support, with emotional support showing stronger associations, particularly for mental health.
Conclusions
In this cross-sectional sample, resilient coping and emotional support were associated with adult self-rated health and statistically accounted for part of the association between childhood experiences and adult health. The findings highlight the role of psychosocial resources in linking childhood experiences with adult self-rated health, with emotional support and resilient coping showing distinct patterns of association for adverse versus positive early experiences. Although causal inferences cannot be drawn, these results help clarify how early experiences are related to adult health. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).