The Mediating Role of Peer Pressure in the Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) and Promiscuity Among Undergraduate Students

Abstract

This study examined the mediating role of peer pressure in the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and promiscuity among undergraduate students. A total of 200 students (118 females, 82 males), aged 19 to 23 years (M = 23.04, SD = 1.50), were recruited from Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu, through a multi-stage sampling procedure. Data were collected using the Emotional Promiscuity Scale (EPS; Jones, 2011), the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire (ACE-Q; Felitti et al., 1998), and the Peer Pressure Questionnaire (PPSQ-R; Saini & Singh, 2010). A correlational design was adopted, and data were analysed using multiple hierarchical regression with the Macro Process extension in SPSS Version 27 to test for mediation. Results indicated that ACEs were a significant positive predictor of promiscuity (b = 1.07, p = .0014), accounting for nearly 9.7% of the variance, while peer pressure showed a marginally positive effect (b = 0.0395, p = .056). Age emerged as a significant covariate, predicting higher promiscuity, whereas gender did not. Mediation analysis revealed that peer pressure did not significantly mediate the relationship between ACEs and promiscuity (b = -0.0685, BootCI [-0.2773, 0.0500]). These findings suggest that the impact of childhood adversity on sexual behaviour operates primarily through direct pathways, with peer pressure exerting a weaker and non-significant influence. The results underscore the enduring effects of early adverse experiences on risk-related sexual behaviour and highlight the need for interventions that address the psychological and emotional consequences of ACEs among emerging adults.