Family functioning in the context of current and historical stressors: Exploring the buffering role of social support

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) can be passed onto future generations through complex biopsychosocial mechanisms. However, social support in caregivers who have experienced adversity may lead to adaptation. Most research on the intergenerational consequences of ACEs has focused on mental health in subsequent generations, while overlooking family functioning as an outcome. This pre-registered study addresses this gap by examining a hypothesized association between caregiver ACEs and caregiver-perceived family functioning, and the moderating role of social support. It was expected that high levels of social support would attenuate the association between caregiver ACEs and family functioning, controlling for contemporaneous stressors in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Data come from a multinational non-clinical sample (n = 310). Caregivers completed self-report measures to assess caregiver ACEs, social support, COVID stressors, and family dysfunction. Multiple regression analyses revealed that the ACEs-by-social support interaction was not significant. Exploratory analyses revealed a significant three-way interaction between COVID stressors, ACEs, and social support (b = 0.001, SE