Resilient Students: Traumatic Experiences, ACEs, and Resources that Influence University Students’ Perceptions of First-Year College Adjustment

The history of understanding the impacts of trauma on individuals has shifted from a narrow focus on physical injuries to a multidimensional understanding of how trauma influences the development of psychological and emotional interactions. This evolving understanding has informed the implementation of trauma-informed practices and interventions across various sectors. Tennessee institutions of higher education recognize the connection between trauma, student success, and systemic interventions. University students who have experienced Adverse Childhood Experiences have heightened vulnerability to stressful events as they transition from high school to college, increasing the likelihood of lower educational attainment, higher drop-out rates, and higher rates of post-traumatic symptoms. The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate freshmen students’ perceptions of college adjustment, ACEs, traumatic experience scores, and resources that influence students’ adjustment for college to better understand how to provide intentional support and interventions for university students. Participants were full-time first-year college students enrolled at a public four-year university in Tennessee during the 2023-2024 school year. Seven research questions guided this study, and quantitative data were analyzed using spearman correlation, a one-way ANOVA, and a series of independent samples t-tests. Additionally, the researcher used descriptive statistics to characterize students’ perceptions of resources essential to creating a supportive college environment. Findings indicated that students with higher traumatic experience scores tend to have lower perceptions of college adjustment. Additionally, students ranked counseling and psychological services, student activities and organizations, and academic advising as the most essential resources to creating a supportive campus environment.