Date
9-25-2025
Department
School of Behavioral Sciences
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD)
Chair
M. Diane Pearce
Keywords
Adverse Childhood Experiences, ACEs, employee perception, employee experience, workplace, performance
Disciplines
Psychology
Recommended Citation
Beasley, Marcia A., "Adverse Childhood Experiences: How They Shape Employees' Perceptions, Experiences, and Performance in the Workplace" (2025). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 7521.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/7521
Abstract
The influence of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) has been well researched, and the lifelong consequences of medical conditions have been documented. Recently, research has linked mental health concerns to ACEs, including depression, anxiety, and health risk behaviors. ACEs occur during important stages of childhood development and can disrupt these stages, leading to children learn maladaptive coping skills. The resultant maladaptive behaviors that are developed as a response to maltreatment may also hinder social relationships in adulthood. Given this, research is lacking on the influence of ACEs on perceptions in the workplace, especially from the employee’s perspective. This qualitative phenomenological study sought to understand from the employees’ perspective how ACEs shape employees’ behavior, perceptions, and performance in the workplace and their influence on the development of work relationships with supervisors and coworkers. Using the personal construct theory lens, ten clients were recruited from a private mental health practice in the Midwest to participate virtually in a recorded interview. The participants reported a range of scores from 1 to 7 on the ten-item ACEs questionnaire, with four reporting 4 or more. The sample demographic comprised six females, four males, and four who reported at least one disciplinary action. Thematic analysis revealed that participants employed both behavioral and emotional responses and resilience and coping responses to navigate the workplace. This study expanded the body of research knowledge on the influence of ACEs in the workplace, provided insights for Industrial/Organizational psychology practitioners, and suggested areas for further study.
