Adverse Childhood Experiences: Relationships with Psychological Capital and Well-Being in University Students

The authors examined the relationships between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), psychological capital (PsyCap), and mental health and well-being (MHC-SF) among 808 university students using self-report measures. A one-way ANOVA indicated that the mean PsyCap score for the group with ACE scores of 4 and above (high ACEs) was significantly lower than the mean PsyCap score of the group with ACE scores of 3.9 and below (low ACEs). A one-way ANOVA indicated that the mean mental well-being score for the group with ACE scores of 4 and above (high ACEs) was significantly lower than the mean mental well-being score of the group with ACE scores of 3.9 and below (low ACEs). The study demonstrated that higher numbers of ACEs relate to lower levels of PsyCap and mental well-being. Counselor implications and recommendations involve identifying, reducing, and mitigating the impacts of ACEs.