Family Social Environment and Emotional Health: The Mediating Role of Cognitive Emotion Regulation and Sex-Specific Effects on Hippocampal Asymmetry

Early adversity experiences have been linked to poor mental health outcomes in both adolescence and adulthood. This study investigates the interplay of the family social environment (FSE) with emotional regulation, mental health, and stress-sensitive brain structures, as well as the development of these brain structures during young adulthood. A total of 737 young adults (mean age = 19.5 years) participated in the study, with a subset of 503 individuals undergoing two MRI scans approximately 1.5 years apart. Structural equation modeling of self-reported data revealed a significant mediating effect of maladaptive emotion regulation on the relationship between conflictive FSE and depressive symptoms, particularly in females. Neuroimaging results indicated that an increased left-to-right hippocampal volume ratio was associated with more conflictive FSE in males, but not in females. These findings underscore the importance of considering sex differences when discussing the effects of FSE on mental health and neurological outcomes.