Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5869-9526

Semester

Spring

Date of Graduation

2024

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

MS

College

Eberly College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Psychology

Committee Chair

Nicholas Turiano

Committee Member

Ryan Best

Committee Member

Kathleen Morrison

Abstract

Childhood adversity has long-lasting negative effects across the lifespan including increased mortality risk. The love and support individuals receive from others, also known as social support, has shown to be a protective factor against ACEs. However, little research has investigated the amplifying effects of social conflict and strain that often accompanies social relationships. Utilizing data from the Midlife Development in the U.S. (MIDUS) study, I tested whether higher levels of social support would buffer the negative effects of adverse childhood experiences on mortality risk, and whether higher levels of social strain would amplify these associations. The sample included 6,150 participants (Mage = 46.89; Female = 88.99%; white = 90.33%) who completed wave 1 of the MIDUS study in 1995-96 and had available data on mortality. Early life adversity was computed using 20 retrospective items assessing emotional and physical abuse, socioeconomic disadvantage, familial instability, and early-life poor health. Social support and social strain were each computed using four-family, four-friend, and six-spouse items assessing the reliability and emotion availability from others, or the annoyance and disappointment from others. Vital status was indexed through National Death Index updates up until December 31, 2021 (26-year follow up period). During this time, 1,723 died (28.27%) and the mean survival time among those deceased was 15.40 years. I estimated a series of Cox proportional hazards models to test study hypotheses. It was found that higher levels of ACEs, higher social strain, and lower social support all uniquely predicted a significant increased risk of dying. Higher levels of social support interacted with ACEs, demonstrating a reduced mortality risk (buffering effect). Findings from this study suggest that intervention work should focus on improving social support in response to the experience of adversity.

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