Date of Award
1-1-2022
Language
English
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
College/School/Department
Department of Psychology
Content Description
1 online resource (iii, 107 pages) : illustrations.
Dissertation/Thesis Chair
Betty Lin
Committee Members
Elana Gordis, Leslie Halpern
Keywords
Executive functions (Neuropsychology), Stress tolerance (Psychology), Psychic trauma in children, Adult children of dysfunctional families, College students
Subject Categories
Psychology
Abstract
The detrimental impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on executive functioning (EF) is well established. However, the common emphasis on impairments dulls the outlook for those who have experienced ACEs and overlooks potential developmental adaptations to stress. For example, more recently, researchers have found that childhood adversity may create stress-adapted skills that are functionally specialized for harsh, unpredictable environments. Thus, rather than solely cognitive impairments, stress-adapted youth may have enhanced EFs under stressful or uncertain conditions, when these skills would provide the greatest advantages. However, this effect has only been tested by inducing uncertain economic environments. More research is needed to examine whether early life adversity will be associated with similar effects on EF within the context of a stressful environment as well. Additionally, while only one or two types of EFs have been examined in these studies, examining a more comprehensive battery of EF within the same study may help clarify whether there are differential associations between ACEs and distinct types of cognitive functioning. Finally, the underlying factor structure of childhood adversities is understudied and unclear. Research is needed to examine the factor structure of ACEs and determine whether certain types of ACEs are associated with EFs differently and provide additional information beyond the traditional approach of measuring the cumulative total of adversity experienced. The current study addressed each of these gaps and investigated associations between early adversity and EF in a sample of college students. The study also explored whether ACEs were associated with better performance on certain EFs after experiencing stressful conditions, when higher EF would theoretically provide the greatest advantages. Results indicated that ACEs loaded onto a two-factor model: Household Dysfunction and Physical/Emotional Abuse. Neither ACEs factor nor total ACEs predicted executive functioning. Possible reasons why a lack of association between ACEs and EF emerged in this study are discussed.
Recommended Citation
Welch, Laura Morgan, "The association between adverse childhood experiences and executive functioning : an adaptation-based perspective" (2022). Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024). 3268.
https://scholarsarchive.library.albany.edu/legacy-etd/3268
