Adverse Childhood Experiences and Flourishing Among Emerging Adult College Students: Religious Beliefs/Spirituality and Social Support as Research Domain Criteria (RDoC)-Informed Mechanisms.
5 affiliations
- 1Department of Social Work, College of Nursing and Professional Disciplines, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND USA.
- 2School of Education, Social Work and Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, MO USA.
- 3The University of Texas at Arlington School of Social Work, Arlington, TX USA.
- 4Department of Special Education, Rehabilitation & Counseling, California State University-San Bernardino, San Bernardino, CA USA.
- 5School of Social Work, College of Health Sciences, Jackson State University, Jackson, USA.
Abstract
Given the increasing focus on positive outcomes after having experienced adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), continued understanding of protective mechanisms is essential. This study examined the role of a Research Domain Criteria (RDoC)-informed construct of the positive valence system (religious beliefs/spirituality) as a mediator via which ACEs are associated with flourishing among emerging adult college students. Further, the moderating role of an RDoC social process systems construct (social support) was simultaneously assessed in the direct association between ACEs and flourishing and the association between religious beliefs/spirituality and flourishing. Participants were 475 U.S. college students in the emerging adulthood period (ages 18-29). The moderated mediation analysis indicated that ACEs were indirectly associated with flourishing through religious beliefs/spirituality (b = -0.19, Boot SE = 0.05, 95% CI = -0.30, -0.09), adjusting for covariates. Social support significantly moderated the direct association between ACEs and flourishing (b = 0.02, SE = 0.01, 95% CI = 0.01, 0.04) but not the association between religious beliefs/spirituality and flourishing (b = -0.01, SE = 0.00, 95% CI = -0.02, 0.00). Specifically, the negative association between ACEs and flourishing was amplified among students with lower (b = -0.93, SE = 0.19, 95% CI = -1.30, -0.55) and moderate levels of social support (b = -0.57, SE = 0.14, 95% CI = -0.84, -0.29). However, among those with higher levels of social support, the negative association between ACEs and flourishing became non-significant (b = -0.21, SE = 0.20, 95% CI = -0.59, 0.18). Campus interventions that foster religious/spiritual engagement and meaning-making while strengthening social support networks, may enhance flourishing among emerging adult college students exposed to ACEs.
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BibTeX
@article{kim2026adverse,
title = {{Adverse Childhood Experiences and Flourishing Among Emerging Adult College Students: Religious Beliefs/Spirituality and Social Support as Research Domain Criteria (RDoC)-Informed Mechanisms.}},
author = {June-Yung Kim and Jeoung Min Lee and Yangjin Park and Heekyung Lee and Jaegoo Lee},
journal = {Journal of adult development},
year = {2026},
month = jun,
doi = {10.1007/s10804-026-09560-2},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42996416},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Adverse Childhood Experiences and Flourishing Among Emerging Adult College Students: Religious Beliefs/Spirituality and Social Support as Research Domain Criteria (RDoC)-Informed Mechanisms.
AU - June-Yung Kim
AU - Jeoung Min Lee
AU - Yangjin Park
AU - Heekyung Lee
AU - Jaegoo Lee
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/06/29
JO - Journal of adult development
DO - 10.1007/s10804-026-09560-2
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42996416
AB - Given the increasing focus on positive outcomes after having experienced adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), continued understanding of protective mechanisms is essential. This study examined the role of a Research Domain Criteria (RDoC)-informed construct of the positive valence system (religious beliefs/spirituality) as a mediator via which ACEs are associated with flourishing among emerging adult college students. Further, the moderating role of an RDoC social process systems construct (social support) was simultaneously assessed in the direct association between ACEs and flourishing and the association between religious beliefs/spirituality and flourishing. Participants were 475 U.S. college students in the emerging adulthood period (ages 18-29). The moderated mediation analysis indicated that ACEs were indirectly associated with flourishing through religious beliefs/spirituality (b = -0.19, Boot SE = 0.05, 95% CI = -0.30, -0.09), adjusting for covariates. Social support significantly moderated the direct association between ACEs and flourishing (b = 0.02, SE = 0.01, 95% CI = 0.01, 0.04) but not the association between religious beliefs/spirituality and flourishing (b = -0.01, SE = 0.00, 95% CI = -0.02, 0.00). Specifically, the negative association between ACEs and flourishing was amplified among students with lower (b = -0.93, SE = 0.19, 95% CI = -1.30, -0.55) and moderate levels of social support (b = -0.57, SE = 0.14, 95% CI = -0.84, -0.29). However, among those with higher levels of social support, the negative association between ACEs and flourishing became non-significant (b = -0.21, SE = 0.20, 95% CI = -0.59, 0.18). Campus interventions that foster religious/spiritual engagement and meaning-making while strengthening social support networks, may enhance flourishing among emerging adult college students exposed to ACEs.
SN - 1068-0667
SN - 1573-3440
ER -