Resilient youths’ perspectives on their current subjective well- being in retrospect to early childhood adverse experiences
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Date
2023
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Thesis (M.A.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in Social Sciences, 2023.
Abstract
The primary aim of this interpretive phenomenological study was to gain an in-depth understanding of the lived experiences of university students who self-identified themselves as resilient and had been retrospectively exposed to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) as well as their current subjective well- being (SWB). The secondary aim was to differentiate the protective factors among participants with higher SWB and lower SWB was the other objective. The study was conceptually guided by family resilience theories and ecological model perspectives. Eleven participants, chosen among 41 university students from a high-ranked state university in Turkey, participated in the study. The first phase of data collection involved identifying demographical variables and utilizing a subjective well-being scale to determine participants with higher and lower SWB. The second phase involved conducting individual semi-structured interviews with participants profiled according to their SWB in the first phase. Interpretative phenomenological analyses (IPA) were carried out along with researcher reflection notes. Findings revealed the complex nature of the participants’ lived experiences of ACEs and their perceived effects on their current SWB. Participants had diverse perceptions of resilience, the majority of which were negative. All participants, including those with higher SWB, were currently experiencing psychological or physical challenges, unpleasant feelings, and negative carryovers, yet all demonstrated outstanding academic achievement. Lastly, supportive and caring people in early childhood emerged as a crucial protective factor that led to differences between participants with higher and lower SWB. Findings offer significant implications for promoting SWB and fostering resilience among individuals with ACEs.