From childhood adversity to interpersonal problems: The mediating role of attachment insecurity and perfectionism

The present study investigated the indirect effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on current interpersonal problems through attachment insecurity and expressions of perfectionism. To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine such a serial mediation model and testing development and later maladjustment parts of the Perfectionism Social Disconnection Model [PSDM; Hewitt et al., 2017]. A total of 810 young adults (mean age: 20.46 ± 2.26 years; range: 18–30 years; 49.4 % females) volunteered for this study. A serial mediation model was tested using path analysis within a structural equation modeling (SEM) framework. In the hypothesized model, ACEs affected interpersonal problems through two serial mediators, namely attachment insecurity (i.e., anxious and avoidant attachment) and expressions of perfectionism (i.e., perfectionistic self-presentation and perfectionistic cognitions). Our results evidenced that ACEs increased interpersonal problems through the serial effects of attachment insecurities and of nondisclosure of imperfections. We also identified a second serial mediation effect, in which ACEs increased interpersonal problems, first passing through attachment anxiety and subsequently through perfectionistic cognitions. These findings highlight the underlying mechanism between ACEs and interpersonal problems by showing that attachment insecurity and perfectionism are key mediators of these associations. Results provide experimental support to a theoretical model (PSDM) and inform the treatment of individuals with a history of ACEs and current interpersonal problems.