| Abstract | Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and insecure attachment can have a significant impact on the wellbeing of helping professionals and individuals they serve. This study examined the relationships among childhood experiences, attachment, and adulthood wellbeing outcomes in a sample of helping professionals. Specifically, research questions examined the role of avoidant and anxious attachment on the relationships between childhood adversity and psychological wellbeing/hope; and the influence of positive childhood experiences on explored relationships. The sample for the current study comprised 398 participants drawn from the 2021 and 2022 cohorts of Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) practitioners. Parallel mediation and moderation regression analyses were utilized to examine the relationships among target variables. Results indicated that higher levels of childhood adversity were associated with higher levels of attachment avoidance and anxiety, which in turn were associated with lower levels of psychological wellbeing and hope. In addition, positive childhood experiences had a positive influence on wellbeing outcomes and a negative impact on anxious and avoidant attachment but only diminished the relationship between anxious attachment and hope. These results can be used to raise awareness of child welfare and mental health professionals, inform their practice, and promote trauma-informed interventions. |
