Exploring Emerging Adulthood and Adverse Childhood Experiences effect on Psychosocial Well-being

Abstract

Childhood experiences have been documented to influence later life of individuals especially in emerging adult which is the immediate period after adolescent where young adults strive to define their identity and purpose. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are traumatic events that occur before a child gets to the age of 18. The purpose of the study was to explore the emerging adults ACEs and the psychosocial well-being in later life. This study aligned to the interpretivist paradigm which informed the use of the hermeneutic phenomenological qualitative design. Homogeneous purposive and snowball sampling techniques were used to select 15 participants (Males=6; Females=9) in three public universities in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. An interview guide was used to gather data from the participants. Thematic analysis showed that participants ACEs have made them perceive life differently which inform the way they view life satisfaction and also build relationship with others. Five themes and sub-themes were identified as: (1) Self-image: with sub-themes (a) self-confidence and (b) Parentification; (2) Social connections with sub-themes: (a) Belongingness and (b) Emotional loneliness; (3) Meaning-making with sub-themes: (a) Trust issues and (b) Disregard for a child’s viewpoint; (4) Exhibition by parents and (5) Suicide. It is recommended that mental health professionals should teach affected individuals some behavioural changes including building resilience.