1 Introduction Early-life stress, such as exposure to traumatic and adverse childhood experiences, is associated with experiencing anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) in childhood (Weems et al. 2021). Theoretically, the cumulative wear and tear resulting from early-life stress have effects on the body and the brain and may lead to dysregulation of the stress response system via the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis (McEwen 2008).
