Date of Award
Summer 2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)
Committee Chairperson
Angela Clarke, PhD
Committee Member
Stevie Grassetti, PhD
Committee Member
Eleanor Brown, PhD
Committee Member
Johny Tadros, MS
Abstract
College students often report high levels of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), which are linked to poor mental and physical health and lower academic success. While some positive experiences in childhood can lessen the risk outcomes associated with ACEs, limited research has explored how this applies to college students. This study examined how assets – specifically, college climate and resources – relate to student well-being and whether these assets buffer the impact of cumulative ACEs, which refers to adverse experiences within the home (e.g., abuse, neglect, and witnessing domestic violence) and community (e.g., bullying and neighborhood violence). Undergraduate students (n = 106) at West Chester University completed surveys assessing cumulative ACEs, college climate, college resources, and two indicators of well-being – life satisfaction and mental health. Higher cumulative ACE scores were significantly correlated with lower life satisfaction and more mental health symptoms among college students. A positive college climate was correlated with greater life satisfaction and fewer mental health symptoms, while higher reported college resources were correlated to higher life satisfaction. When considering cumulative ACE history, regression analyses showed college climate was still significantly associated with student life satisfaction and mental well-being, and college resources were associated with life satisfaction. However, neither of these assets moderated the relationship between ACEs and the indicators of well-being. While a supportive college environment benefits all students, this study found no evidence that college assets mitigate the risk associated with early adversity. Continued research is needed to identify protective factors that buffer the lasting effects of early adversity.
Recommended Citation
Ellingson, Hailey, "Changing the Narrative for University Students with a History of ACEs: Campus Assets and Student Well-Being" (2025). West Chester University Doctoral Projects. 342.
https://digitalcommons.wcupa.edu/all_doctoral/342