Emotion Dysregulation Mediates the Link between Childhood Emotional Maltreatment and Young Adult Romantic Relationship Satisfaction

Abstract

This study examined the mediating role of emotion dysregulation in the relation between retrospective reports of childhood emotional maltreatment and current satisfaction in a romantic relationship. Participants included 492 (135 male, 357 female) young adults in current romantic relationships. Results indicated that total emotion regulation difficulties mediated the relation between childhood emotional maltreatment and romantic relationship satisfaction. Multiple mediator analyses indicated that nonacceptance of emotional responses, impulse control difficulties, and lack of emotional clarity uniquely mediated this relation when controlling for other emotion regulation difficulties. These findings contribute to increasing research examining the interpersonal relationships among maltreated individuals, and guide future research by elucidating the factors that increase the risk for future maladaptation.