Positive Childhood Experiences and Relationship Satisfaction: A Mixed Methods Investigation

Abstract

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) negatively impact adult physical, mental, and social well-being. Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) have been introduced as potential protective factors to mitigate negative outcomes. Having been established as a construct, the literature examining PCEs and various outcomes across the lifespan has expanded rapidly, yet no research has determined the relationship between PCEs and adult romantic relationships; thus, the aim of this thesis was to explore that association and more specifically, its possible mediators, the means by which it is measured, and its potential for transmission across generations. Following a comprehensive systemic scoping review of global research, three approaches were taken. First, a large sample analyzed via serial mediation showed attachment and emotion regulation are mediators of the positive association between PCEs and adult romantic outcomes; ACEs had been expected to moderate this relationship, but moderation was not observed. Next, a principle component analysis demonstrated significant similarities between the original Benevolent Childhood Experiences scale and the Positive Childhood Experiences scale and identified two underlying constructs - ‘external effects’ and ‘family effects’. Finally, a qualitative genogram analysis found that while multiple generations of the same families noted positive impacts of their PCE history on their current family relationships, no intergenerational transmission of PCEs was observed. Each of the studies demonstrated a positive association with PCEs and adult relationship outcomes. Studies two and three suggested that the use of non-standardized measures across the field of PCE research has negatively impacted its comparability and application. Additionally, the current research spoke to the interplay between ACEs and PCEs, the assessment of research quality, and the feasibility of complex qualitative approaches in the domain of PCE research.