From adverse childhood experiences to adulthood job satisfaction: Mediating roles of posttraumatic beliefs and self-evaluation

Abstract

This study investigates the association between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and job satisfaction in adulthood, mediated by posttraumatic beliefs and core self-evaluation (CSE). Based on the literature, we hypothesized that posttraumatic beliefs, potentially developed following ACEs, would have negative effects on individuals’ CSE and job satisfaction. Structural equation modeling of survey data from 384 employees with at least one ACE revealed that posttraumatic beliefs fully mediated the effect of ACEs on both job satisfaction and CSE. Furthermore, CSE was a partial mediator between posttraumatic beliefs and job satisfaction. These findings highlight the importance of adopting trauma-informed approaches in employment counseling.