New research published in the Journal of Personality investigated how adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) influence adult perceptions of meaning in life, finding that ACEs negatively impact adults’ sense of coherence and significance, but do not affect their sense of purpose.
Adverse childhood experiences can have long-term psychological impacts. Previous research suggests these experiences can significantly influence adult life outcomes, including psychological well-being and perceptions of life’s meaning. In this work, Hope Rose and colleagues examined the impacts of childhood trauma on adults’ sense of coherence, significance, and purpose in life, facets that collectively define sense of meaning.
Study 1 involved 1,804 college students who completed two key measures. The Adverse Childhood Experience Questionnaire was used to assess exposure to 10 types of negative childhood experiences, including various forms of abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction, with responses provided in a yes/no format for each type. Participants also completed the Tripartite Meaning Scale, a 16-item measure divided into four 4-item subscales that assess global meaning in life, and the facets of coherence, significance, and purpose, with items rated on a 7-point scale.
Study 2 expanded the demographic scope of Study 1, including 822 adults from varied backgrounds. This study introduced additional measures, including the Experiences in Close Relationships Scale to assess attachment styles, particularly focusing on anxious (e.g., “I’m afraid this person may abandon me”) and avoidant attachments (e.g., “I don’t feel comfortable opening up to this person”), and various items gauging mood and neuroticism.
Study 3 employed an experimental design, recruiting 380 college students who were tasked with writing about both a positive and a negative childhood memory. After each writing task, participants rated their immediate feelings of coherence, significance, and purpose related to the memory they recounted. This method allowed for a dynamic assessment of how reflections on specific childhood experiences directly influence feelings associated with meaning in life.
Study 1 revealed a significant negative correlation between ACEs and the facets of meaning—particularly coherence and significance. As the number of adverse experiences increased, participants reported lower levels of life coherence and significance. Interestingly, the impact of ACEs on purpose was minimal, suggesting that a sense of purpose might be more resilient to early adversity.
Study 2 corroborated the findings of Study 1. Once again, ACEs diminished feelings of coherence and significance but did not significantly affect sense of purpose across participants. Attachment insecurities (i.e., anxious and avoidant) were associated with lower coherence and significance, suggesting a long-term impact of early relational dynamics on future existential views. Mood and neuroticism ratings revealed that these traits exacerbate the detrimental effects of ACEs, particularly affecting coherence and significance, but not purpose.
Study 3 highlighted the context-dependent nature of the impact of ACEs on facets of meaning. When reflecting on negative memories, ACEs predicted lower coherence and significance, echoing the findings from the earlier studies. However, purpose was not only unaffected but also appeared to increase when participants recalled negative experiences. The act of reflecting on challenging times might activate a sense of purpose, potentially as a coping mechanism or a form of psychological resilience.
Across all three studies, while ACEs consistently reduced sense of coherence and significance in life, purpose emerged as a potentially adaptive facet, resilient to the detrimental effects of childhood adversity. This pattern highlights the potential for purpose as a therapeutic entry point in addressing the long-term impacts of adverse childhood experiences.
The authors noted the reliance on self-reported data as a potential limitation. Participants might have memory biases or respond in socially desirable ways, affecting the accuracy of the data.
The research, “Purpose maintained: Adverse childhood experiences and meaning in life”, was authored by Hope Rose, Jake Womick, and Laura A. King.