The role of self-compassion and mindfulness in the association between adverse childhood experiences and psychological distress: A meta-analytic mediation analysis.

Summary: Bad things that happen to us when we are kids can cause a lot of stress and sadness when we grow up. But how exactly does this happen? Researchers looked at 29 studies with almost 20,000 people to find out. They discovered that childhood trauma lowers our ability to be mindful (staying in the present moment) and kind to ourselves. When we lose these skills, we feel more upset and stressed. The good news? Learning to be mindful and treating ourselves with care might help heal the pain from our past.