Enigma : the power of resilience a narrative case study on adult survivors of childhood physical and sexual abuse, and poverty.

Abstract

The number of children living in poverty experience physical and sexual abuse at alarming rates. Abused poverty-stricken children enter adulthood with physical and emotional wounds. Information given to the public details the challenges adult survivors of childhood poverty, physical and sexual abuse face, but this data does not illustrate the resilience of these survivors. Childhood poverty, physical and sexual abuse contribute to adult health problems, including physical symptoms, psychological problems, and substance abuse. Research fails to report stories of high educational attainment, healthy lifestyles, and the well-adaptiveness of adults who were once childhood victims. Failures and maladaptation of adult survivors of childhood poverty and abuse are in abundance. This research analyzes the experiences of ten adult survivors of childhood physical and sexual abuse along with the intersection of poverty. The current study examined these experiences from a non-deficit point of view by investigating the attributes of survivors who attain higher education degrees, live above poverty, and maintain healthy relationships. Significant outcomes will inform educators, school counselors, and support staff, whose primary roles include supporting children’s educational and socio-emotional needs. This research aims to ascertain and replicate the qualities of the survivors to help children in similar situations to become emotionally and academically competent. The stories allowed readers to gain perspectives on the unique experiences and the lives of those who were once victims. Participants discussed their experiences to help foster an understanding of the phenomenon thoroughly from a first-person perspective. Criterion-based sampling identified participants that obtained a post-secondary degree who experienced childhood physical abuse, sexual abuse, and lived-in poverty. Participants varied in age, race, marital status, and socio-economic status. Scripted question interviews with room for natural variation, electronic surveys, and online video chat were available per participant’s preference. I analyzed, categorized, and reported information based on data analysis of the commonalities found in the participants’ responses.