Adverse Childhood Experiences and Rape Myth Acceptance: The Moderating Role of Early Maladaptive Schemas

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) may shape or distort cognitive beliefs, including the belief in an inherently just world. As such, acceptance of rape myths, often conceptualized as a type of just world belief specific to sexual assault, may be influenced by early life adversity. To date, research examining this association has been limited and mixed; however, one understudied factor that may help clarify findings is the role of early maladaptive schemas (EMSs), or broad, dysfunctional patterns of beliefs developed in childhood. The aims of the current study were to (1) examine the association between ACEs and rape myth acceptance, and (2) test whether this association was moderated by three EMS domains: disconnection/rejection, impaired autonomy/performance, and overvigilance/inhibition. Undergraduate students ( n = 579; 68.0% White; M age = 19.3 years, SD age = 2.80) completed a survey related to sexual assault and reporting experiences. Results revealed a significant, negative correlation between ACEs and rape myth acceptance, and all three EMS domains significantly moderated this relation. Among individuals with average and/or above-average EMSs, greater exposure to ACEs was significantly associated with lower rape myth acceptance, whereas no association emerged among individuals with lower EMSs. Findings indicate that, among those with higher levels of EMSs, exposure to ACEs may buffer against acceptance of rape myths, likely due to contradicting experiences of a just world. Our study is the first to directly examine the association between ACEs and rape myth acceptance while also investigating the role of important psychological factors, such as maladaptive schemas, that may be used to target rape myth acceptance and promote resilience.