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Journals / Mehmet Akif Ersoy Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi / 2026 / Sayı: 77

The relationship between childhood traumatic experiences and ontological well-being of university students: The mediating role of psychological flexibility

Üniversite öğrencilerinin çocukluk çağı travmatik yaşantıları ile ontolojik iyi-oluşları arasındaki ilişki: Psikolojik esnekliğin aracı rolü

Ayça Büyükcebeci(MUĞLA SITKI KOÇMAN ÜNİVERSİTESİ, MUĞLA MESLEK YÜKSEKOKULU)0000-0002-0667-6808
Pages
71–85
Publication Date
2026-01-31
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

The findings indicated that psychological flexibility may serve as a critical mechanism in reducing the impact of adverse childhood experiences on individuals’ existential well‑being.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:Adverse childhood experiences are a global health problem that can negatively impact individuals in adulthood.
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Key Findings & Data:The study was conducted with a sample of 534 young adult university students (female 47.8%, male 52.2%).
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Conclusion & Impact:The findings indicated that psychological flexibility may serve as a critical mechanism in reducing the impact of adverse childhood experiences on individuals’ existential well‑being.
🔬Design:Modeling & Simulation
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Çocukluk dönemi olumsuz yaşantıları · Ontolojik iyi oluş · Psikolojik esneklik

Abstract

Adverse childhood experiences are a global health problem that can negatively impact individuals in adulthood. While the negative effects of these experiences extending into adulthood are well known, their impact on existential relationships and ways of giving meaning to life is less well-known. In this context, psychological flexibility is considered to play a key mediating role in the relationship between traumatic childhood experiences and ontological well-being. This study aimed to examine the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and ontological well-being in university students and the mediating role of psychological flexibility in this relationship. The study was conducted with a sample of 534 young adult university students (female 47.8%, male 52.2%). Spearman correlation analysis was used to analyze the relationships between variables, and Model 4 bootstrap analysis, generated with 5,000 resamples, was used to analyze the mediating effect. Mediation analyses revealed that psychological flexibility played a full mediating role in the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and ontological well-being. The findings indicated that psychological flexibility may serve as a critical mechanism in reducing the impact of adverse childhood experiences on individuals’ existential well‑being.

Özet

Çocukluk çağı olumsuz deneyimleri, yetişkinlikte bireyleri olumsuz etkileyebilen küresel bir sağlık sorunudur. Bu deneyimlerin yetişkinliğe uzanan olumsuz etkileri iyi bilinmekle birlikte, yaşamla varoluşsal ilişki ve yaşama anlam verme biçimleri üzerindeki etkileri tam olarak bilinmemektedir. Bu etkide, psikolojik esnekliğin, çocukluk çağı travmatik deneyimleri ile ontolojik iyi oluş arasındaki ilişkide temel bir aracı değişken rolü oynadığı düşünülmektedir. Bu araştırmada amaçlanan, Üniversite öğrencilerinin olumsuz çocukluk deneyimlerinin ontolojik iyi oluşları ile ilişkisi ve bu ilişkide psikolojik esnekliğin aracı rolünün test edilmesidir. Çalışma, 534 genç yetişkin üniversite öğrencilerinden (%47,8 kadın, %52,2 erkek) oluşan bir örneklemle yürütülmüştür. Değişkenler arasındaki ilişkileri analiz etmek için Spearman korelasyon analizi, aracılık etkisini analiz etmek için ise 5.000 yeniden örneklemeyle oluşturulan Model 4 önyükleme analizi kullanılmıştır. Aracılık analizleri sonucunda, olumsuz çocukluk deneyimleri ile ontolojik iyi-oluş arasındaki ilişkide psikolojik esnekliğin tam aracılık rolü oynadığını doğrulamıştır. Bulgular, psikolojik esnekliğin, olumsuz çocukluk deneyimlerinin bireyin varoluşsal refahı üzerindeki etkisini azaltmada kritik bir mekanizma olabileceğini ortaya koymuştur.

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Cite This Article

Büyükcebeci, A. (2026). The relationship between childhood traumatic experiences and ontological well-being of university students: The mediating role of psychological flexibility. Mehmet Akif Ersoy Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, Sayı: 77, 71–85. https://doi.org/10.21764/maeuefd.1781102

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