Stability and change in retrospective reports of childhood experiences over a 5-year period: Findings from the Davis Longitudinal Study.

2009-01-01articlePsychology and Aging118 citationsclosed

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Child Abuse and Trauma Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development Identity, Memory, and Therapy

Abstract

The paths via which childhood experiences influence well-being in adulthood are not well defined because most research relies on retrospective reports. This study examined the influence of demographic characteristics and current mood states on the reliability of reports of childhood experiences. The Child Experiences Scale (CES) was administered in 1996 and 2001 to participants in the Davis Longitudinal Study (N = 571; age range 22-61 years). Responses showed moderate to high cross-time reliability. Males were slightly more likely to change their responses. The influence of mood states was weak and more evident for global ratings of childhood than for specific experiences. These findings support the use of retrospective reports of childhood.

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