Buffering the impact of childhood adversity: moderated moderation effects of mindfulness and psychological capital on social functioning among women in Kerala.

Background

Adverse Childhood Experiences are well-known risk factors that impair adult social functioning. Internal psychological strengths, such as mindfulness and psychological capital (PsyCap), may buffer these impacts among adult women in Kerala, India. However, studies exploring the role of these resources remain scarce and underexplored.

Objective

The present study explored the moderating effect of mindfulness and PsyCap in the association between ACEs and social functioning among adult women in Kerala, India.Method: This research used a cross-sectional approach. A total of 139 adult women completed validated measures of ACEs, mindfulness, PsyCap, and social functioning. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, and moderation analysis were performed using SPSS Version 25 and the PROCESS macro (Model 3).

Results

ACEs and mindfulness did not independently predict impairment in social functioning. Elevated levels of both mindfulness and psychological capital (PsyCap) together mitigated the negative impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). The three-way interaction involving ACEs, mindfulness, and PsyCap was statistically significant, accounting for an additional 5% of the variance in social functioning impairment (ΔR2 = .05).

Conclusion

The results highlighted the importance of integrated trauma-responsive programmes that promote both mindfulness and PsyCap.