Adverse Childhood Experiences and Psychosocial Adjustment: The Role of Childhood Trauma and Posttraumatic Stress in Adolescents in Residential Care

Adverse experiences during the early years of life are linked to early relational trauma, which cause emotional, cognitive, and social impairment in individuals. These experiences affect the quality of the attachment bond between primary caregivers and the child, impacting the child’s subsequent adaptation to the educational setting, especially during adolescence, when relationships with peers become central to their psychosocial development. The objective of this study was to analyze the relationship between traumatic experiences in early attachments, posttraumatic stress, and interpersonal conflicts among adolescents in residential care in Uruguay. Forty-six adolescents participated, 50% of whom were female and ranged in age from 12 to 18 years (M = 14.76; SD = 1.81). Following approval by the Ethics Committee of the Catholic University of Uruguay and the University of Valencia, informed consent forms were signed, and the questionnaires were administered. The variables studied were childhood trauma (CaMir), posttraumatic symptoms, and peer problems (SENA adolescent version). The results show the following: A) A statistically significant positive correlation was found among all variables; B) The strongest association was observed between posttraumatic stress and interpersonal problems, followed by a moderate-to-high correlation between childhood trauma and peer relationship problems. Our results indicate that adverse childhood experiences can influence the development of insecure internal relationship models, contributing to the emergence of posttraumatic symptoms, which are associated with greater difficulties in interpersonal adjustment during adolescence. These findings highlight the importance of promoting interventions aimed at strengthening relationships, emotional regulation, and social adjustment.