Reframing Mental Health Through a Developmental-Ecological Lens: Childhood Adversity, Discrimination, and Family Connections in a Racially Diverse Maternal Sample.

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) increase risk for maternal depression and anxiety, with cascading effects on the entire family. This study investigated associations between ACEs and maternal mental health in a racially diverse US sample, considering individual (self-efficacy, loneliness) and contextual (parenting stress, partner support, family strength, discrimination, neighborhood safety) factors. Mothers of toddlers (N = 334; 23% Black/African-American, 18% Hispanic/Latino, 24% Asian/Pacific-Islander, 35% multiracial/other) completed self-report measures. Hierarchical regressions controlled for demographics and COVID-19-related resource worries. ACEs, loneliness, and discrimination predicted higher depression and anxiety (p < 0.001); partner support and family strength predicted lower depression (p < 0.05). Loneliness exacerbated the ACEs-depression association (p = 0.029). By innovatively applying a developmental-ecological lens to adulthood, findings highlight the importance of developmentally and culturally responsive interventions that address both past and present adversity, in order to promote maternal and family well-being and to prevent the intergenerational transmission of trauma.