Protegiendo La Raza: Depression, Anxiety, and Protective Factors among Latinx Emerging Adults with Adverse Childhood Experiences

ACEs can be defined as moderate to severe stressful experiences during the first 18 years of life, including emotional abuse, sexual and physical abuse, neglect, and parental psychopathology (Felitti et al., 1998). This study examined how Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) impact depression and anxiety among Latinx emerging adults, a growing yet underexplored population within ACE research. This study addresses the need for a culturally responsive understanding of how ACEs impact mental health in this group. Using data from 178 Latinx emerging adults recruited through Qualtrics Panels, we examined the relationship between ACEs and depression and anxiety and explored the role of protective factors, such as social support and resiliency, in moderating these outcomes. Results revealed that ACEs significantly predicted depression and anxiety, and perceived stress emerged as a strong predictor of these mental health outcomes. Contrary to expectations, neither social support nor resiliency moderated the relationship between ACEs and mental health symptoms. These findings challenge existing assumptions about protective factors and highlight the complexity of addressing the mental health needs of Latinx emerging adults with ACE histories. This study accentuates the importance of culturally relevant frameworks for prevention and intervention and calls for further research to identify effective protective factors for this population.