Evaluation of an intervention promoting emotion regulation skills for adults with persisting distress due to adverse childhood experiences
Abstract
This phase II trial evaluated psychosocial and health outcomes of an intervention designed to improve emotion regulation skills in adults suffering from Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). The study utilized a pretest-posttest design in which 92 adults enrolled in the community-based program completed pretest measures, attended either a faith-based or secular version of the 12-week ACE Overcomers program, and then completed posttest measures. The theory-guided program involved group sessions providing education and skills training to improve emotion regulation, self-awareness, resilience, and social functioning. Pretest and posttest surveys included measures of emotional regulation (suppression, rumination, cognitive reappraisal, and mindfulness), resilience (ego resilience and general self-efficacy), emotional experiences (perceived stress, moods, and depressive symptoms), quality of life (the SF-36 domains), and physical symptoms and illness (symptom load and sick days). Analyses revealed significant improvements from pretest to posttest in all facets of emotion regulation (p < .01), psychological resilience (p < .001), mental well-being (p < .001) and physical symptoms and illness (p < .001), and in specific facets of quality of life (p < .001). The faith-based and secular versions of the program yielded comparable improvements in well-being. Improvements were comparable for older versus younger participants, except that younger participants reported greater improvements in perceived stress (p < .05). These preliminary findings support the application of an emotion regulation perspective to interventions for adults with high ACEs. The study, with its single-group design, represents a promising step in the translational research pathway and provides support for further studies utilizing comparison groups.
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Successful interventions working with child sexual abuse survivors have utilized mindfulness as a therapeutic intervention for working with both individuals and families.
“Successful interventions working with child sexual abuse survivors have utilized mindfulness as a therapeutic intervention for working with both individuals and also families (Earley et al., 2014; Kimbrough et al., 2010; Cameron et al., 2018; Dempsey et al., 2014).”
From Safe schools for teens: Preventing sexual abuse of urban poor teens, proof-of-concept study-improving teachers'and students'knowledge, skills and attitudes (2020) · cites this paper as Cameron et al., 2018
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- Authors
- Cameron, L. D., Carroll, P., & Hamilton, W. K.
- Affiliations
- University of California, Merced (US)
- Corresponding author
- Cameron, Linda D.
- Venue
- Child Abuse & Neglect
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2018-05
- Volume
- 79
- Pages
- 423-433
- ISSN
- 0145-2134 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2793474030
- Cited by
- 125
- References
- 59
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 58 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 4
- FWCI
- 24.03
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Child Abuse & Neglect (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Resilience and Mental Health
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Keywords
- adverse childhood experiences, emotion regulation, psychosocial interventions, faith-based interventions, resilience, self-efficacy, perceived stress, depressive symptoms, quality of life, somatic symptoms, group skills training, community-based programs
- MeSH terms
- Adverse Childhood Experiences, Adult, Child, Depression, Emotions, Female, Humans, Male, Mental Health, Psychotherapy, Quality of Life, Surveys and Questionnaires, Stress, Psychological, Resilience, Psychological
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