Communications in Humanities Research ISSN: 2753-7072
Home> Volumes> Volume CHR Vol.63> Article
Research Article

The Effects of Childhood Trauma and Peer Relationships on Well-being

Zehan DuChangchun Normal University*

* Corresponding author: [email protected]

Abstract

As more and more people begin to talk about traumatic childhood experiences, the topic has gradually become a hot topic in society. Childhood trauma (CT), which stems from various sources such as family instability, social environments, and personal experiences, can lead to long-term psychological issues that diminish an individual's perception of happiness. Most people believe that CT can affect happiness, and that peer relationships are equally important in an individual's upbringing, and can even affect happiness. This essay explores the complex connections between peer relationships, well-being, and early trauma, with an emphasis on how these interactions affect happiness. Therefore, through the investigation of existing data and literature, the results show that people who have experienced CT are less likely to experience happiness, while people who have positive peer relationships are better able to experience happiness. The results highlight how important peer interactions and CT are to an individual's overall wellbeing. Despite the extensive scope of the available studies, there remains a void in research examining happiness beyond the college years. This research argues that in order to fully comprehend these processes, more comprehensive studies of happiness throughout various life phases are required. All things considered, promoting long-term well-being and happiness requires resolving CT and cultivating strong peer relationships.

Keywords: Childhood trauma; peer relationships; well-being
Published: December 9, 2024
DOI: 10.54254/2753-7064/2024.17876
Volume: CHR Vol.63
pp. 109-115
Download PDF

References

  1. Terr, L. C. (2003). Childhood traumas: An outline and overview. Focus, 1(3), 322-334.https://doi.org/10.1176/foc.1.3.322
  2. Asher, S. R., & Parker, J. G. (1989). Significance of peer relationship problems in childhood. In Social competence in developmental perspective (pp. 5-23). Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands.https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021923917494
  3. Veenhoven, R. (2023). Happiness. In: Maggino, F. (eds) Encyclopedia of Quality of Life and Well-Being Research. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-17299-1_1224
  4. Chida, Y., & Steptoe, A. (2008). Positive psychological well-being and mortality: a quantitative review of prospective observational studies. Psychosomatic medicine, 70(7), 741-756.DOI: 10.1097/PSY.0b013e31818105ba
  5. Huang, C. (2010). Internet use and psychological well-being: A meta-analysis. Cyberpsychology, behavior, and social networking, 13(3), 241-249.DOI:10.1089/cyber.2009.0217
  6. Ryff, C.D.; Singer, B. Psychological well-being: Meaning, measurement, and implications for psychotherapy research. Psychother. Psychosom. 1996, 65, 14–23.https://doi.org/10.1159/000289026
  7. Huang, C.C.; Tan, Y.; Cheung, S.P.; Hu, H. Adverse Childhood Experiences and Psychological Well-Being in Chinese College Students: Mediation Effect of Mindfulness. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 1636. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18041636
  8. Papero, D. V. (2017). Trauma and the family: A systems‐oriented approach. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy, 38(4), 582-594.https://doi.org/10.1002/anzf.1269
  9. Abraham, E.H.; Antl, S.M.; McAuley, T. Trauma exposure and mental health in a community sample of children and youth. Psychol. Trauma 2022, 14, 624–632.https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/tra0001035
  10. Norman, R.E.; Byambaa, M.; De, R.; Butchart, A.; Scott, J.; Vos, T. The long-term health consequences of child physical abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS Med. 2012, 9, e1001349.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1001349
  11. Gilbert, L.K.; Breiding, M.J.; Merrick, M.T.; Thompson, W.W.; Ford, D.C.; Dhingra, S.S.; Parks, S.E. Childhood adversity and adult chronic disease: An update from ten states and the District of Columbia, 2010. Am. J. Prev. Med. 2015, 48, 345.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2014.09.006
  12. McElroy, S.; Hevey, D. Relationship between adverse early experiences, stressors, psychosocial resources and wellbeing. Child Abus. Negl. 2014, 38, 65–75.
  13. Downey, C., & Crummy, A. (2022). The impact of childhood trauma on children's wellbeing and adult behavior. European Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, 6(1), 100237.
  14. Joseph, S., Maltby, J., Wood, A. M., Stockton, H., Hunt, N., & Regel, S. (2012). The Psychological Well-Being—Post-Traumatic Changes Questionnaire (PWB-PTCQ): Reliability and validity. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 4(4), 420.https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10122463
  15. Staudinger, U. M., Fleeson, W., & Baltes, P. B. (1999). Predictors of subjective physical health and global well-being: Similarities and differences between the United States and Germany. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 76(2), 305–319. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.76.2.305
  16. Herman, J. L. (1992). Complex PTSD: A syndrome in survivors of prolonged and repeated trauma. Journal of traumatic stress, 5(3), 377-391.https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.2490050305
  17. Fu, F., & Chow, A. (2016). Traumatic Exposure and Psychological Well-Being: The Moderating Role of Cognitive Flexibility. Journal of Loss and Trauma, 22(1), 24–35. https://doi.org/10.1080/15325024.2016.1161428
  18. Ryff, C.D. Psychological Well-Being Revisited: Advances in the Science and Practice of Eudaimonia. Psychother. Psychosom. 2014, 83, 10–28.https://doi.org/10.1159/000353263
  19. Merrick, M.T.; Ports, K.A.; Ford, D.C.; Afifi, T.O.; Gershoff, E.T.; Grogan-Kaylor, A. Unpacking the impact of adverse childhood experiences on adult mental health. Child Abuse Negl. 2017, 69, 10–19.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2017.03.016
  20. An, Q., Jia, X.M., & Li, B. (2009). The relationship between childhood trauma experiences and self-esteem, subjective well-being in middle school students. Chinese Journal of Mental Health, 23(8), 607-608. https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1000-6729.2009.08.016
  21. Joshanloo, M. Eastern Conceptualizations of Happiness: Fundamental Differences with Western Views. J Happiness Stud 15, 475–493 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-013-9431-1
  22. Şar, V., Türk, T., & Öztürk, E. (2019). Fear of happiness among college students: The role of gender, childhood psychological trauma, and dissociation. Indian journal of psychiatry, 61(4), 389-394.DOI:10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_52_17
  23. Mosley-Johnson, E., Garacci, E., Wagner, N. et al. Assessing the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and life satisfaction, psychological well-being, and social well-being: United States Longitudinal Cohort 1995–2014. Qual Life Res 28, 907–914 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-018-2054-6
  24. Chan, S. W., Pöysä, S., Lerkkanen, M. K., and Pakarinen, E. (2016). Positive peer relationships and academic achievement across early and midadolescence. Soc. Behav. Personal. Int. J. 44, 1637–1648. doi: 10.2224/sbp.2016.44.10.1637
  25. Balluerka, N., Gorostiaga, A., Alonso-Arbiol, I., and Aritzeta, A. (2016). Peer attachment and class emotional intelligence as predictors of adolescents' psychological well-being: a multilevel approach. J. Adolesc. 53, 1–9. doi: 10.1016/j.adolescence.2016.08.009
  26. Rodkin, P. C., & Ryan, A. M. (2012). Child and adolescent peer relations in educational context. In K. R. Harris, S. Graham, T. Urdan, S. Graham, J. M. Royer, & M. Zeidner (Eds.), APA educational psychology handbook, Vol. 2. Individual differences and cultural and contextual factors (pp. 363–389). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/13274-015
  27. Wentzel, K. R., and Watkins, D. E. (2002). Peer relationships and collaborative learning as contexts for academic enablers. Sch. Psychol. Rev. 31, 366–377. doi: 10.1080/02796015.2002.12086161
  28. Wentzel, K. R., and Caldwell, K. (1997). Friendships, peer acceptance, and group membership: relations to academic achievement in middle school. Child Dev. 68, 1198–1209. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.1997.tb01994.x
  29. Di Wu, Xin Dong, Autonomy support, peer relations, and teacher-student interactions: implications for psychological well-being in language learning, Frontiers in Psychology, 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1358776, 15, (2024).https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1358776
  30. Ruzek, E. A., Hafen, C. A., Allen, J. P., Gregory, A., Mikami, A. Y., and Pianta, R. C. (2016). How teacher emotional support motivates students: the mediating roles of perceived peer relatedness, autonomy support, and competence. Learn. Instr. 42, 95–103. doi: 10.1016/j.learninstruc.2016.01.004
  31. Wentzel, K. R. (1998). Social relationships and motivation in middle school: the role of parents, teachers, and peers. J. Educ. Psychol. 90, 202–209. doi: 10.1037/0022-0663.90.2.202
  32. Leung, C., Leung, J.T.Y., Kwok, S.Y.C.L. et al. Predictors to Happiness in Primary Students: Positive Relationships or Academic Achievement. Applied Research Quality Life 16, 2335–2349 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-021-09928-4