The association between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and adult depression and anxiety has been well described (Aafjes-van Doorn et al., 2020; Dolbier et al., 2021; Herzog & Schmahl, 2018). However, cognitive flexibility, as a potential moderating factor of this relationship, has been underreported (Kalia et al., 2021). We hypothesize that increased ACEs will be associated with increased symptoms of depression and anxiety, and cognitive flexibility will exhert a moderating role in this relationship.

Participants from the Evelyn F. McKnight University of Miami Frailty Registry were included in the study. 224 adults (Mage= 66.30, SD = 11.63; 59.4% female; 62.1% Hispanic/Latinx) without primary neurological disorders were recruited from University of Miami clinics and community centers. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire and neuropsychological evaluation including the Adverse Childhood Experiences inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). Current data were initially analyzed using descriptive statistics and correlations among variables. A series of hierarchical multiple linear regressions (HLR) were conducted to examine the effect that age has on cognitive flexibility (measured by number of perseverative errors on the WCST), as well as the association between number of ACEs endorsed on symptoms of depression and anxiety in late life.

Correlation analyses revealed a negative correlation between total ACE score and cognitive flexibility (r=-.16, p=0.03); a positive correlation between age and cognitive flexibility (r=0.19, p=0.01); and positive relationships between ACE score and both BDI (r=0.35, p<0.001) and BAI (r=0.28, p<0.001) scores. Correlations further revealed a negative correlation between cognitive flexibility and both BDI (r=-0.18, p=0.014) and BAI (r=-0.14, p=0.048) scores. A series of hierarchical multiple linear regressions revealed that total number of ACEs had a statistically significant effect on both depression (f=7.24, p<.001, ΔR2=0.072) and anxiety (f=4.57, p<.001, ΔR2=0.044) symptoms, in models adjusted for demographic correlates (i.e., age, sex, race, ethnicity). While the overall moderation model examining the effect of cognitive flexibility on the relationship between ACEs and psychopathology was significant (f=6.04, p<.001, ΔR2=0.191), the interaction was not significant (p=.4199). However, HLRs further revealed a statistically significant effect of age on cognitive flexibility (f=6.77, p=0.01, ΔR2=0.034).

Current findings support past research showing higher number of ACEs are associated with more symptoms of depression and anxiety in later life. However, cognitive flexibility did not moderate the relationship between ACEs and symptoms of depression and anxiery. This suggests cognitive flexibility might not play a significant role in the association between childhood trauma and symptoms of depression and anxiety in later life. Alternatively present results could be attributed to a small sample size, or the specific measure of cognitive flexibility used. This study expands on prior research highlighting the role of cognitive flexibility on age, with age serving as a prominent feature in the association between ACEs and adult depression and anxiety. Further research examining the role of cognitive flexibility in younger and middle years and its association with ACEs and psychopathology may provide unique insights on how to intervene earlier in the life course before cognitive flexibility begins to decline.