• Linking positive childhood exp...

*Result*: Linking positive childhood experiences to young adults' communication and problem-solving skills: The mediating role of self-confidence.

Title:
Linking positive childhood experiences to young adults' communication and problem-solving skills: The mediating role of self-confidence.
Authors:
Bilgin O; Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University, Eregli Faculty of Education, Turkey. Electronic address: bilgin.okan@beun.edu.tr., İnce M; Yildiz Technical University, Faculty of Education, Turkey. Electronic address: muratince@yildiz.edu.tr.
Source:
Acta psychologica [Acta Psychol (Amst)] 2026 Feb; Vol. 262, pp. 106029. Date of Electronic Publication: 2025 Dec 01.
Publication Type:
Journal Article
Language:
English
Journal Info:
Publisher: North Holland Publishing Country of Publication: Netherlands NLM ID: 0370366 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1873-6297 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 00016918 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Acta Psychol (Amst) Subsets: MEDLINE
Imprint Name(s):
Publication: Amsterdam : North Holland Publishing
Original Publication: The Hague.
MeSH Terms:
Problem Solving*/physiology , Self Concept* , Communication*, Humans ; Female ; Male ; Young Adult ; Adult ; Adolescent
Contributed Indexing:
Keywords: Communication skills; Positive childhood experiences; Problem solving skills; Self-confidence
Entry Date(s):
Date Created: 20251202 Date Completed: 20260123 Latest Revision: 20260128
Update Code:
20260130
DOI:
10.1016/j.actpsy.2025.106029
PMID:
41330239
Database:
MEDLINE

*Further Information*

*Positive experiences in early life stages are increasingly recognized as foundational elements that shape individuals' psychological resources and social competencies throughout adulthood. This study examined the impact of positive childhood experiences on young adults' communication and problem-solving skills, focusing on the mediating role of self-confidence. Participants included 696 university students (580 females, 116 males; M age = 22.1), who completed validated measures of positive childhood experiences, self-confidence, communication, and problem-solving. Structural equation modeling revealed that the influence of positive childhood experiences on communication and problem-solving skills was entirely indirect, fully mediated by self-confidence, with no significant direct effects. Additionally, self-confidence significantly predicted both skills. A gender difference favoring females was found only in communication skills. These findings underscore the importance of fostering self-confidence as a developmental outcome of positive early experiences and contribute to understanding how childhood shapes essential competencies in emerging adulthood.
(Copyright © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)*

*Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest.*