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How Adverse Childhood Experiences Relate to Subjective Wellbeing in College Students: The Role of Resilience and Depression

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Listed:
  • Mohammedhamid Osman Kelifa

    (Wuhan University
    Orotta College of Medicine and Health Sciences)

  • Yinmei Yang

    (Wuhan University
    University of Massachusetts Medical School)

  • Herbert Carly

    (University of Massachusetts Medical School)

  • Wang Bo

    (University of Massachusetts Medical School)

  • Peigang Wang

    (Wuhan University)

Abstract

The enduring and detrimental impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on later health and wellbeing is now well established. However, research on the relationship between ACEs and subjective wellbeing, along with the potential risk and protective factors, is insufficient in the context of developing countries. The current study therefore, examined the mental health of young adults from a wellbeing perspective in a community emerging from a longstanding war. A national representative sample of college students was withdrawn from the Eritrean Institutions of Higher Education using a stratified systematic sampling (N = 507). Data regarding ACEs, resilience, depression symptoms, and subjective wellbeing were obtained through a direct administration of survey questionnaire. Mediation and moderation effects were tested using structural equation modeling (SEM). The results revealed that ACEs were negatively associated with resilience. In turn, resilience was correlated with lower depression and higher subjective wellbeing. ACEs had a positive association with depression, which in turn was negatively related to subjective wellbeing. Further, depression and resilience independently and jointly fully mediated the effect of ACEs on subjective wellbeing. Targeted interventions should be tailored to enhance resilience and prevent depression in this population.

Suggested Citation

  • Mohammedhamid Osman Kelifa & Yinmei Yang & Herbert Carly & Wang Bo & Peigang Wang, 2021. "How Adverse Childhood Experiences Relate to Subjective Wellbeing in College Students: The Role of Resilience and Depression," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(5), pages 2103-2123, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:22:y:2021:i:5:d:10.1007_s10902-020-00308-7
    DOI: 10.1007/s10902-020-00308-7
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ed Diener, 2006. "Guidelines for National Indicators of Subjective Well-Being and Ill-Being," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 7(4), pages 397-404, November.
    2. Akresh, Richard & Lucchetti, Leonardo & Thirumurthy, Harsha, 2012. "Wars and child health: Evidence from the Eritrean–Ethiopian conflict," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 99(2), pages 330-340.
    3. Takashi Oshio & Maki Umeda & Norito Kawakami, 2013. "Childhood Adversity and Adulthood Subjective Well-Being: Evidence from Japan," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 14(3), pages 843-860, June.
    4. Ed Diener & Shigehiro Oishi & Louis Tay, 2018. "Advances in subjective well-being research," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 2(4), pages 253-260, April.
    5. Theron, Linda C. & Theron, Adam M.C., 2014. "Education services and resilience processes: Resilient Black South African students' experiences," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 47(P3), pages 297-306.
    6. Michelle Turner & Christina M. Scott-Young & Sarah Holdsworth, 2017. "Promoting wellbeing at university: the role of resilience for students of the built environment," Construction Management and Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(11-12), pages 707-718, December.
    7. McLafferty, M. & Bunting, B.P. & Armour, C. & Lapsley, C. & Ennis, E. & Murray, E. & O'Neill, S.M., 2020. "The mediating role of emotion regulation strategies on psychopathology and suicidal behaviour following negative childhood experiences," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
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    Cited by:

    1. Le Yang & Jiarong Yuan & Huan Sun & Yidan Zhao & Jiajie Yu & Youping Li, 2023. "Influencing factors of depressive symptoms among undergraduates: A systematic review and meta-analysis," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 18(3), pages 1-14, March.
    2. Karen H. Larwin & Milton E. Harvey, 2025. "Effects of Personal Characteristics on Satisfaction with Life and Subjective Happiness: Estimates of Single Mediator Models Using SEM," Journal of Statistical and Econometric Methods, SCIENPRESS Ltd, vol. 14(1), pages 1-2.

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