Sources of stress and resilience in university students with multiple adverse childhood experiences

Approximately 1 in 3 children in the United States have experienced high levels (4 or more) of physical and/or emotional traumas (CDC, 2016). A significant body of research shows that such events, coined Adverse Childhood Experiences, have lasting negative effects into adulthood including lack of success in school, career, and/or interpersonal relationships. The more of these adverse events a child experiences, the greater the likelihood that he or she will suffer negative outcomes. A person's ability to display resilient behaviors may help when faced with future adverse events and research on resiliency shows that children who have experienced mild to moderate levels of adversity are more likely to employ resilient behaviors in adulthood than those who have not experienced any adversity (Seery, 2011; Seery, Holman & Silver, 2010; Ungar, 2013). Social Cognitive Theory serves as the theoretical basis for examining the relationship between self-efficacy beliefs and a student's ability to display resilient behaviors, and how those beliefs are affected by past ACEs and current stressors. Influences that students attribute to their resiliency and self-efficacy are examined in a non-experimental, mixed-methods study using correlational data, open-ended questions, and focus groups. Data was gathered using questionnaires to establish correlational data linking specific ACEs and current stressors. Open-ended questions included with the surveys allowed participants to reflect on their experiences, and to determine from where and whom they derive their intrinsic motivation to be academically successful, and how their self-efficacy beliefs are affected by the important people and agencies with whom they have contact. Focus groups were used to expand upon sub-questions regarding current stressors, influences on self-efficacy, and attributions of their sources of resilience. Significant correlations were found at both the p<.05 and p<.01 level between specific ACE events and current stressors. Qualitative data was coded using Causation Coding in order to elaborate upon the participants' experiences and the sources of their self-efficacy beliefs and their intrinsic motivation to be academically successful. Factors that inhibited or contributed to student academic success were identified, including the categories of "family" and "friends" as being both inhibitory and contributory to their self-efficacy beliefs