Is it possible to find meaning in life after adverse childhood experiences? Hope and loneliness as serial mediators
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21283183 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Dilaram Billur Celik Örnek (0000-0002-0950-4999, Istanbul Kültür University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 264 |
| Pages | 106406 |
| Publication date | 2026-04-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Acta Psychologica (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0001-6918 • E-ISSN: 1873-6297 |
| Publisher | Elsevier BV (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.actpsy.2026.106406 |
| PMID | 41655354 |
| OpenAlex | W7128304792 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 46 |
Adverse childhood experiences, such as neglect and abuse in childhood, can significantly harm the mental and physical health of individuals and form the basis for the belief that the world is an unreliable, meaningless, and unjust place. This study investigates the mediating role of hope and loneliness in individuals who had experienced adverse childhood experiences in pursuing a meaningful life. The study cohort consisted of 419 adults who participated voluntarily. The Socio-demographic Information Form, Adverse Childhood Experiences Scale, Dispositional Hope Scale, Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale, and Meaning in Life Scale were used for data collection. Adverse childhood experiences were negatively associated with hope ( r = −0.157, p < 0.001) and meaning in life (total effect B = –0.284, p < 0.001), while positively associated with loneliness ( r = 0.360, p < 0.001). Serial mediation analysis confirmed that hope and loneliness significantly mediated the relationship between childhood adversity and meaning in life. The findings revealed that hope and loneliness were serial mediators in the relationship between childhood traumas and individuals' perceived meaning in life. • Childhood traumas can suppress an individual's sense of hope and weaken their expectations for the future. • The feeling of loneliness is common in people who have been exposed to childhood trauma and this may hinder their efforts to find meaning in life • Although childhood traumas negatively affect the ability to view the future, developing a hopeful perspective can be a source of healing and motivation in life. • Hope and loneliness serially mediates the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and the meaning of life
Late childhood · Loneliness · Meaning (existential) · Poison control · Suicide prevention · Human Factors and Ergonomics · Optimism, Hope, and Well-being · Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction · Resilience and Mental Health
Family as a salient source of meaning in young adulthood
Life course health consequences and associated annual costs of adverse childhood experiences across Europe and North America
Childhood trauma and adult mental disorder
Meaning in life across the life span
The health effects of childhood abuse
Maltreatment in childhood substantially increases the risk of adult depression and anxiety in prospective cohort studies
Effectiveness of positive psychology interventions
Hope and emotional well-being
The enduring effects of abuse and related adverse experiences in childhood
Target Article
Early parental support and meaning in life among young adults
Erikson and the Relational Context of Identity
The will and the ways
Whatever does not kill us
The meaning in life questionnaire
| Highly cited | No |
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