Traumatic Experiences and Female University Students’ Career Adaptability

Abstract

We examined the influence of intimate partner violence (IPV) and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on the career development of female university students. Specifically, we predicted that IPV would mediate between ACEs and career adaptability. To test the data of 186 students, we performed structural equation modeling using SPSS and AMOS. Results indicated that ACEs were positively associated with IPV and negatively associated with career adaptability. Although IPV also showed a negative relationship with career adaptability, it did not significantly mediate the relationship between ACEs and career adaptability. We found evidence that childhood trauma can have long-lasting negative consequences on career development. Therefore, need exists for counselors’ continued professional development about the influence of trauma on career development, as well as future empirical research with more educationally, ethnically, and culturally diverse samples.