Jornal de Trauma e Tratamento

Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences on the Emotional Intelligence and Future Time Perspectives among Young Adults

Abstract

Sonakshi Nayar

Purpose: The concept of social, psychological and biological factors impacting adverse childhood experiences has drawn a significant amount of scholarly interest in the recent past; however, attempts to measure the psychological impacts of adverse childhood experiences remains a fairly unexplored area of research. The present study aimed at understanding the impact of adverse childhood experiences on the future orientation and emotional intelligence in a young adult Indian population. In addition, the impact of gender on childhood traumas was also analyzed.

Method: The study was conducted on a sample of 359 males and females from an urban India population assessing their emotional intelligence, future time perspectives and childhood traumas. The data was analyzed using the linear regression analysis model.

Result: The results indicated that significant gender differences exist on ACE’s. Males were found to score higher on both Emotional Intelligence and Future Time Perspective in comparison to females.

Conclusion: Adverse childhood experiences were found to significantly impact emotional intelligence and future orientation among young adults.

Practical implications: Past literature indicates that, no specific interventions are in existence for children who have undergone adverse childhood experiences in India. The results generated can be helpful for government institutions to initiate interventions focusing on the psychological health of school children whilst laying their focus on childhood traumas experienced by them, factors impacting those experiences and keeping gender differences in mind.