Abstract:Objectives To explore the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and social avoidance and distress among undergraduate students, especially the mediating effect of self-esteem among them. Methods We used the revised Adverse Childhood Experience questionnaire, Social Avoidance and Distress Scale and Self-esteem scale to test the relationship, and 250 undergraduate students were chosen by systematic sampling method from a university in Guangdong province. Results (1) Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) were positively correlated with social avoidance and distress (r=0.34, P<0.01), and negatively correlated with self-esteem among undergraduate students (r=-0.33, P<0.01); Self-esteem was negatively correlated with social avoidance and distress among undergraduate students (r=-0.35, P<0.01). (2) Self-esteem played a partial mediating role between adverse childhood experiences and social avoidance and distress among undergraduate students, and the mediating effect of self-esteem accounted for 20.00%. Conclusion Self esteem plays a partial mediating role between adverse childhood experiences and social avoidance and distress among undergraduate students. Improving self-esteem can alleviate the harm of ACEs on students’social avoidance and distress.