This study explores the mediating role of resilience in the relationship between ACEs and psychological distress among emerging adults. The study initially recruited 426 university students aged 18–25 from various regions of Türkiye. After excluding incomplete or invalid responses, the final analysis was conducted with 380 participants. Exposure to ACEs was assessed using the 10-item ACEs Questionnaire (ACE-Q), psychological distress was measured with the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21), and resilience was evaluated via the Short Psychological Resilience Scale. Findings revealed that ACEs and resilience together accounted for 29% of the variance in depression, 31% in anxiety and 38% in stress. ACEs were significantly associated with higher levels of psychological distress, whereas resilience was negatively associated with depression, anxiety and stress. Moreover, resilience demonstrated a protective role, buffering the detrimental effects of childhood adversity on mental health outcomes. These results highlight the complex interplay between early adverse experiences and individual coping mechanisms, emphasizing the importance of resilience as a mediating factor. The study underscores the need for targeted interventions that focus on enhancing resilience to mitigate the long-term impact of ACEs. By fostering resilience, mental health outcomes for individuals with a history of childhood adversity can be significantly improved, reducing psychological distress and promoting overall well-being.