Research Symposium

BIO

Hi! My name is Emma Oliveras, and I am currently a junior majoring in Psychology. I am from Miami, FL.

I decided to attend FSU due to their psychology program. I knew I wanted to be a therapist, and was also interested in gaining research experience. Therefore, I figured obtaining a psychology degree here at FSU would be the right fit for me. Fast forward to three years, my career aspirations is to get my Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, and to continue doing research on emotion dysregulation and how it affects different populations (e.g., industries, school environments, cultural environments, etc.). I would also like to open up my own private practice, and see patients as well!

During my free time I love to exercise, listen to music, and read romance novels.

Examining the Moderation and Mediation of Socioeconomic Status Between Childhood Trauma and Emotion Dysregulation​

Abstract

Background: Research has extensively examined the impact of childhood trauma across various social and cultural environments. For instance, previous studies have found that female college students with higher levels of emotional childhood trauma reported significantly greater emotional dysregulation. Similarly, researchers observed a 13% increase in eating disorder risk among college students from 2013 to 2021, though their study lacked validity. Existing research has established links between childhood maltreatment and prevalence of eating disorders, but few studies have extensively examined SES as a moderating factor of childhood maltreatment and eating disorder symptoms. Therefore, this study aims to address this gap by exploring how SES influences these associations, offering a comprehensive perspective on the relationship between childhood trauma and eating disorders. Methods: Researchers will conduct a moderation analysis to examine if low-income households who experienced childhood maltreatment will display higher rates of eating disorder symptoms than students from higher SES backgrounds who similarly experienced childhood maltreatment. Researchers will also conduct a mediation analysis to determine whether individuals who experience eating disorder symptoms are mediated by emotional dysregulation. A questionnaire will measure childhood maltreatment, eating disorder symptoms, and emotional dysregulation while incorporating demographic data on annual family income. Future implications:This research seeks to inform targeted interventions by highlighting the impact of financial background on clinical help-seeking behavior. Keywords: Childhood maltreatment, eating disorders, socioeconomic status, mediation, moderation.

Keywords: Emotion Dysregulation and Eating Disorders