Early Adversities and Negative Affect in Young Adulthood: Does Family Income Matter?

Previous research has identified increased negative affect as a potential mechanism linking early adversities and later poor mental and physical health. Further, increased self-criticism associated with early adversities may partially explain the association between early adversities and negative affect. Early adversities are more common at lower income levels, and much of the previous research has focused on low-income samples. Hence, little is known about whether the association between early adversities and negative affect is similar across income levels. First, we examine the interactive effect of early adversities and family income on negative affect (anger, hostility, shame and guilt) in a sample of 180 young adults (52% female, 73.6% White, Mage = 21 years). Second, we examine whether self-criticism mediates the association between early adversities and negative affect using moderated mediation analyses. The interaction between early adversities and family income was significant for each outcome. Those from high-income families reported significantly more negative affect when exposed to more early adversities. Further, self-criticism mediated the relationship between early adversities and negative affect, and family income moderated this mediational path such that the mediational effect was stronger at high family income levels. Results are interpreted as consistent with the biological sensitivity to context theory, which suggests individuals from highly supportive and resource rich environments (e.g., high family income) should be more sensitive to stressors than those from moderately supportive, moderately safe environments (e.g., average family income), displaying worse outcomes when exposed to environmental stressors.