The role of adverse childhood experiences and perceived social support in predicting self-regulation in adolescents

This study investigates the role of adverse childhood experiences and perceived social support in predicting high school students' self-regulation skills. The study group consists of 630 high school students in the 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grades attending schools in the four central districts of Diyarbakır province during the 2023-2024 academic year. For data collection, the researchers utilized "Personal Information Form, Early Life Experiences Scale, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support and Self-Regulation Scale for Adolescents" they developed. T-test, one-way analysis of variance, correlation and regression analyses were used to analyze the data. Hierarchical regression analysis was utilized to examine the relationships between adverse childhood experiences, perceived social support, and self-regulation skills. Significant differences were observed between demographic variables and adverse childhood experiences, perceived social support levels, and self-regulation skills. In terms of the relationship between adverse childhood experiences, perceived social support levels, and self-regulation skills, a moderately negative relationship was found between self-regulation skills and adverse childhood experiences. Also, there was a moderately positive relationship between self-regulation skills and perceived social support. Finally, a moderately negative relationship between perceived social support and adverse childhood experiences was found. Furthermore, hierarchical regression analysis indicated that adverse childhood experiences and perceived social support explained approximately %20 of the variance in self-regulation skills.