The Role of Resilience towards the Correlation between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Post-Traumatic Growth

Background: Positive changes may occur in someone after experiencing a traumatic childhood. Previous research found that Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) could not be the only factor that becomes the cause for an individual’s Post-Traumatic Growth (PTG); thus, research that describes the role of a mediator in both variables is needed. Since studies investigating ACEs among Indonesia participants are still lacking, this would be considered as initial research on the relations of ACEs and PTG. Objective: This research was aimed to investigate how resilience becomes a mediator between children’s traumatic experiences of ACEs and PTG. Methods: This research used a quantitative correlational method to investigate the relation between the three examined variables: Adverse Childhood Experience (ACEs), Resilience, and Post-traumatic Growth (PTG). A total of 349 participants were participated in this research, with the age range from 12 to 65 years old, predominantly female (N = 271;77,7%). Three research instruments were used in this study, such as the Adverse Childhood Experiences scale, Connor Davidson Resilience Scale, and Post Traumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI). Results: The results showed a significant correlation between Adverse Childhood Experiences, Resilience, and Post-Traumatic Growth. A Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) analysis revealed a nonsignificant impact from ACEs to PTG. Resilience is proven to play the role of a mediator in the relation between ACEs and PTG, which was shown using the submitted model plot that revealed a higher total effect after resilience was placed as the intervening variable (standardized total coefficient = –.192). Details on mediating effects of each resilience factor were presented and explained further, along with the discussion on Indonesia's cultural background. Conclusion: This article revealed the connection between the ACE that the individual experienced in the past with resilience and PTG. Indonesian-related culture and characteristics were also explained.