Resilience As A Protective Factor For Parents Of Young Children With Adverse Childhood Experiences And Socioeconomic Challenges

Author

Hennys T. Torrealba, University of Central FloridaFollow

Keywords

adverse childhood experiences; resilience; parenting; young children; behavior problems; socioeconomic challenges

Abstract

The impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and socioeconomic challenges can be related to mothers’ and fathers’ ability to parent their children effectively. Subsequently, these factors are related to children’s emotional and behavioral functioning. Children from families who have experienced these challenges are more likely to display behavior problems. Another important factor to consider is parents’ resilience, which can equip parents with the ability to better navigate through challenges. Parents who are resilient can provide a nurturing environment for their children despite challenges and use protective factors (e.g., effective coping strategies) more effectively. The current study examined the relationships among mothers’ and fathers’ socioeconomic challenges, ACEs, and young children’s emotional and behavioral functioning as well as whether parents’ resilience served as a moderator in the relationships among these variables. Participants were 127 parents with young children who were aged 0- to 5-years recruited through preschools in the Central Florida area and Facebook parenting groups. Regression analyses found that parents’ ACEs and parenting stress predicted significantly young children’s internalizing and externalizing behavior problems. Additionally, resilience predicted significantly fewer child behavior problems, although it did not significantly moderate the relationships among parents’ ACEs, socioeconomic challenges, and child behavior outcomes. These findings emphasized the lasting impact of parents’ adversity and stress on their young children’s emotional and behavioral functioning. Supporting parents’ well-being and fostering resilience may help buffer the lasting impact of early adversity and financial hardship on young children’s emotional and behavioral functioning.

Thesis Completion Year

2025

Thesis Completion Semester

Fall

Thesis Chair

Renk, Kimberly

College

College of Sciences

Department

Psychology

Thesis Discipline

Psychology

Language

English

Access Status

Open Access

Length of Campus Access

None

Campus Location

Orlando (Main) Campus

STARS Citation

Torrealba, Hennys T., "Resilience As A Protective Factor For Parents Of Young Children With Adverse Childhood Experiences And Socioeconomic Challenges" (2025). Honors Undergraduate Theses. 466.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/hut2024/466