Childhood Adversities and Thriving Skills: the Sample Case of Older Swiss Former Indentured Child Laborers

• The current study investigated which and how positively-evaluated resources for successful aging could develop in response to childhood adversity.• Interviews were conducted with a sample of successfully-aged former indentured child laborers in Switzerland.• The following resources for succe ssful aging were reported as a result of the experienced adversities: ‘lightheartedness’, ‘social purpose’, and a lifelong motivation for ‘self-enhancement’.• Therefore, under certain circumstances, early and prolonged adversity can also initiate the development of resources for succes sful aging.

Source: The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry - March 28, 2018 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Jan H öltge, Shauna L. Mc Gee, Andreas Maercker, Myriam V. Thoma Tags: Regular Research Articles Source Type: research