Adverse childhood experiences and emotional dysregulation: frontal alpha asymmetry exploratory study

This dissertation presents a study that analyzed neurological differences between adult participants who reported experiencing childhood trauma and those who did not. There is a need in the counseling field for more research to be conducted with adults who report adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). The literature describes many adverse physiological, psychological, and emotional outcomes for those who have experienced ACEs. This quantitative study explored the relationship between ACEs, frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA), and emotional dysregulation (ED). Specifically, this study used data from quantitative electroencephalogram (QEEG) brain maps to determine if the frequency of ACEs was related to frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA), which is a common measure of ED. Two multivariate logistic regressions were conducted to analyze the associations and odds ratios for these variables. The results showed that ED was associated with FAA and mental health counseling experiences, which indicates a need for further research on these variables within the counseling field. These results have implications for advocating for individuals who have experienced ACEs to receive effective mental health interventions based on principles of neuroscience and for counselors to integrate neuroscientific principles into practice, training, and research.