Adverse childhood experiences can lead to adult symptoms of anxiety and depression, mediated by life history strategies, according to a study published in Biodemography & Social Biology. Existing research underscores the psychological impact of early-life adversity, with theories across cognitive, behavioral, and evolutionary psychology exploring these long-term effects. The life history theory, specifically, offers insight by framing adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in terms of fast or slow life strategies, each with distinct reproductive and developmental adaptations suited to one’s envi…